Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MCJ)

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MCJ) program is open to students with bachelor's degrees from all fields. GRE scores are not required.

Notification of Admissions Decision

The admissions committee makes decisions after a complete evaluation of your application materials. They must receive all application materials before reviewing your application.

• Complete Application

  A completed application to the MCJ program includes the non-refundable application fee. If you work full-time in a criminal justice-related field, we may waive the $60 fee. To qualify, have your department supervisor submit a signed and dated statement on official letterhead verifying that you are a full-time employee in good standing with your agency.

  Submit all application material through the online portal. If you must mail a document directly to the program, please send it to the address listed below: 

  MCJ Graduate Program Director
  c/o Department of Criminal Justice
  Weber State University
  1299 Edvalson St., Dept. 1206
  Ogden, UT 84408-1206

  Apply Now

• Cumulative Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 Minimum

  Cumulative includes all colleges and universities attended. If the cumulative undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, a 3.0 GPA calculated on the last undergraduate work comprising a minimum of 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) might be considered. Meeting the minimum GPA requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.

• Official Transcripts & Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

  The admissions committee requires an official transcript from each college/university attended. If you are a Weber State graduate, contact the Records Office to send your transcripts to the criminal justice department.

  Please also include a current resume or CV.

• Personal Statement

  Your application must include a personal statement expressing your interest in the program. In a two to three-page, double-spaced essay, detail how your academic, professional and personal experiences have prepared you for graduate work and the criminal justice program.

• Two Letters of Recommendation

  Letters must come from professional and/or academic sources able to assess the applicant's academic and professional abilities and potential for success in graduate school, including positive qualities and future potential.

  Personal letters from family, friends, or clergy will not be accepted. Upon completing the application, the references submit the letters through the online admissions portal. Applicants cannot submit or forward Letters of Reference to the department.

• International Applicants

  According to Weber State University requirements, applicants who are not United States (U.S.) citizens or have not received permanent residency status from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service must take an English Language proficiency test. A minimum score of 75 for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or 6.5 for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is required. For a checklist of necessary items and a list of credential evaluation companies Weber State accepts, please contact the International Student & Scholar Center.

Student Expectations

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MCJ) program at Weber State University conducts advanced graduate work. Our faculty does not teach or refresh introductory skills obtained in undergraduate programs. Criminal justice professors expect MCJ students to:

• Possess a heightened level of independent motivation, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving, and an ability to synthesize complex information to formulate an answer; in short, develop self-created solutions independent of a text
• Read critically, clearly articulate a position on a given topic, and then be able to defend that position using expanded thought and empirical detail (10 to 15-page papers are commonplace in graduate school)
• Write at an advanced level (excellent spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, flow of ideas, etc.)
• Understand how to use a library to acquire academic materials
• Have a working knowledge of what constitutes an empirical study
• Interpret the findings of an academic research paper, including tables, graphs, and charts
• Independently learn and apply the American Psychological Association’s (APA) format (style, in-text citations, references, etc.) to all written materials
• Differentiate between writing a literature review paper, an argumentative essay, and an expository essay Possess a basic understanding of statistics and social science research methods
• Know the three basic elements of the American criminal justice system
• Maintain professional, graduate-level academic integrity, which includes responsibility with AI generative tools; plagiarism and AI-generated material are unacceptable

Grading of all graduate-level work will follow these expectations.