Graduate Program

The University of Texas-Pan American’s (UTPA) Department of Criminal Justice Graduate Program offers a Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice. This is a 36-semester hour program requiring 30-36 semester hours of graduate level course work and allowing thesis, applied research project, or additional course work options

The MS in Criminal Justice is designed to accomplish the following objectives:

• Enhance students competence in the content, principles and methods of criminal justice;
• Enable students to become critical thinkers, to help improve the Criminal Justice System, and reduce crime in society.
• Prepare students for administrative and management positions in federal, state and local criminal justice agencies;
• Prepare students for entry level positions requiring a graduate degree, such as federal probation, parole and selective law enforcement agencies; 
• Develop, through faculty and graduate research, a criminal justice knowledge base concerning issues unique to the south Texas region, as well as Mexico and South America; and
• Provide a resource for federal, state and local criminal justice agencies in need of administrative assistance in policy analysis, planning, development and program evaluation.

The Campus:

UTPA is a regional university situated in the culturally diverse area of South Texas known as the Rio Grande Valley. The university has a current enrollment of about 18,000. The main campus, located in the city of Edinburg, few miles to the Mexican border and over 70 miles from South Padre Island, provide students with ample opportunities for both research and recreation.

Admission Requirements:

All applicants must be admitted into UTPA’s Graduate School. They must have demonstrated academic preparation for graduate work in criminal justice and related fields. This preparation would be shown by (a) a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, criminology, corrections, police administration, or closely related field or (b) a bachelor’s degree in another field and graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in the following areas: political science, psychology, public administration, social work, or sociology and (c) undergraduate course work in research methods and criminological theory. The GPA for Graduate School admission requirement is currently 2.5 and above. Prospective applicants can register online. Go to: http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/daa_home/ogs_home and click on Apply Now or go straight to: https://apply.embark.com/GRAD/UTPA/16/ and follow the instructions. Applicants must also submit online (or hardcopy) a 250-500 word letter of interest in which the applicant addresses the following: (a) Reason(s) for pursuing the Master’s degree in Criminal Justice; (b) Personal data - strengths, limitations, interests, abilities, as they relate to academic and professional performance, and any unique information that the applicant deems relevant; (c) Academic and (d) Professional aspirations. Hardcopies of the application materials may be obtained from the Graduate Program Director, Department of Criminal Justice. Applicants should arrange to have the originals of their transcripts and any other documents that may enhance their chances of admission, as well as three recommendation letters from three College Professors who have instructed the applicant at the undergraduate level and can attest to the their ability to do graduate studies to the Graduate Program Director. Completed admission requirements for students who wish to be considered for the fall semester should be turned in no later than July 15 while those wishing to be considered for the spring semester should be no later than December 15.

Degree Requirements:

The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice requires the successful completion of 36 graduate semester hours. In addition, ALL students must pass a comprehensive written examination, testing knowledge from the core courses. Students are expected to make satisfactory progress in the program. All students must maintain an overall 3.0 grade point average in all graduate courses and have no more than two grades of ‘C’ in the core. All students must take the core courses. These courses may be taken in any order with the exception of CRIJ 6307 CJ Research Methods II, which has a prerequisite of CRIJ 6306 CJ Research Methods I.

Core Courses:

• CRIJ 6301 Criminal Justice System.
• CRIJ 6302 Crime, Criminal Behavior, and Criminology
• CRIJ 6303 Criminal Justice Policy Analysis CRIJ 6304 Law, Courts, & Criminal Procedure
• CRIJ 6305 Criminal Justice Organizational Theory & Behavior
• CRIJ 6306 CJ Research Methods I
• CRIJ 6307 CJ Research Methods II

Electives:

In addition to the core courses, students will complete a minimum of nine hours of electives, six of which may come from graduate courses in related disciplines. The outside electives must be approved by the Graduate Program Director. The Criminal Justice electives may be taken from among the following:

• CRIJ 6308 Seminar in Juvenile Issues 
• CRIJ 6309 Seminar in Courts and Correctional Issues 
• CRIJ 6310 Seminar in Law Enforcement Issues 
• CRIJ 6311 Seminar in Comparative Criminal Justice Issues 
• CRIJ 6312 Independent Research or Studies 
• CRIJ 6313 Special Topics (May be repeated once for credit if new topic). 
• CRIJ 7101 One-Hour Thesis Course.

Other: Finally, to complete their degree, students must choose from one of three options: Thesis, Applied Project, or six hours of graduate courses approved by the Graduate Program Director 

• CRIJ 7301, 7302 Thesis 
• CRIJ 7303, 7304 Applied Research Project 

Teaching Assistantships:

A limited number of teaching assistantships may be available for qualified graduate students. The GPC selects TAs on the basis of undergraduate record, letters of recommendation, and progress toward the graduate degree. TA applicants must apply in writing to the Graduate Program Director. 

Graduate Faculty :

• A-Gyamfi, Joseph Ph.D. 
• Dearth, Daniel Ph.D. 
• Ethridge, Philip Ph.D. 
• Vincentnathan, Lynn Ph. D. 
• Vincentnathan, George S. Ph.D. 
• White, Thomas Ph. D.

 

For more information, contact: 

Dr. Joseph A-Gyamfi 

Criminal Justice Graduate Program Director 

Department of Criminal Justice 

The University of Texas Pan American 

Social Behavioral Sciences Building, Room 367 

1201 W. University Dr. 

Edinburg, TX 78541-2999 

Telephone: 956/316-7061 

Fax 956-381-3680 

Fax: CJ Office 956/381-2490 

E-mail: appiahen@panam.edu