This program helps highly-motivated people gain the skills and expertise they need to reach their goals, whether that's launching or advancing their career, or preparing for a PhD program or law school. Students can expect rigorous training in the theories, methodologies, and empirical findings that help explain social deviance, criminal behavior, criminal justice, and social organizations. Students also have the opportunity to publish cutting-edge articles with faculty, travel to national conferences to present their research findings, and more.
Curricular Requirements
The graduate program in Criminology & Criminal Justice includes a thesis or a non-thesis option. Under both options, the student has considerable latitude to design a program to fit particular needs. All entering students must specify one of the two options during the second semester of academic work. Both options have core courses, including criminological theory, research in the criminal justice process, and applications of statistics in criminal justice.
MS in Criminology & Criminal Justice, Thesis Option
This option requires a total of 30 credit hours including 9 of core requirements, 6 for thesis research, and 15 for elective courses. CJ 599 Thesis Research should be taken after core requirements have been completed.
September 2025
College of Arts and Sciences
Clark Hall,
The University of Alabama,
TUSCALOOSA,
Alabama,
35487, United States
For applicants, an undergraduate major in the social sciences is desirable, but students with strong undergraduate records in other fields are encouraged to apply.
It is the policy of the Criminology and Criminal Justice faculty to admit those students who demonstrate potential for successfully completing the master's degree program.
Applicants must hold the equivalent of a U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. English Language Requirements: TOEFL score 79; IELTS score 6.5; PTE score 59; Duolingo English Test score 105.
Application Priority Deadline: For students who would like to start in the fall semester: Early admission: February 15 (students applying by this date will receive extra consideration for funding) Regular admission: June 15 For students who would like to start in the spring semester: Early admission: October 1 (students applying by this date will receive extra consideration for funding) Regular admission: November 15
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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