Criminology and Criminal Justice

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GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED:

Master of Arts
Master of Science

Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Holmstedt Hall, room 208
Phone: 812-237-2192
E-mail: criminology@indstate.edu
Web site: http://www.indstate.edu/ccj

Department Chairperson: Dr. Devere D. Woods, Jr.

GRADUATE FACULTY

Professors

Hamm, Mark S., Ph.D, Arizona State University
Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Research Methods, Criminological Theory, Correctional Administration

Roy, Sudipto, Ph.D., Western Michigan University
Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Research Methods, Theory, Juvenile Delinquency,
Community Corrections

Associate Professors

Barton-Bellessa, Shannon M., Ph.D., University of Cincinnati
Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Community-Based Corrections, Criminal Justice, Research Methods, Criminological Theory

Decker, Lisa Kay, J.D., Indiana University
Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, Criminal Law

Polizzi, David, Ph.D., Duquesne University
Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Correctional Counseling, Correctional Interviewing, Correctional Group Therapy, Report Writing

Woods, Devere D., Jr., Ph.D., Michigan State University
Department Chairperson, and Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Serial and Mass Murderers

Assistant Professor

Avdija, Avdi S., Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Police Policy Issues, Criminal Investigation, Crime Analysis 

Grimes, Jennifer N., Ph.D., Arizona State University
Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specializations: Corrections, Public Opinion, Mass Media

Wilson T. Franklin, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University
Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Specialization: Crime, Media, and Popular Culture

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Crime affects nearly everyone in society. It is a threat to the safety and security of many people; it is a source of fascination for the general public as evidenced by the popularity of books, films, and television shows about crime; it is a mystery of human nature which challenges society to understand why some people choose lives of crime while most choose productive and decent styles of life. This continuing curiosity about crime has made criminology/criminal justice one of the most popular academic fields in the nation.

GENERAL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers the master of arts degree and the master of science degree for the preparation of academic and professional criminologists. Students may complete all requirements for either degree in the on-campus program or through distance education.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice expects its graduate students to share fully in the intellectual and social life of the department and the University. In support of this goal, the department offers frequent opportunities for students to participate in professional activities in the field (internships), student activities in the department (Lambda Alpha Epsilon professional fraternity and Alpha Phi Sigma honor fraternity), and scholarly activities at professional meetings (Indiana Criminal Justice Association, Midwestern Criminal Justice Association, American Society of Criminology, and Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences). Students who are interested in conducting research may wish to assist in faculty-sponsored research projects or may wish to apply for funds to conduct their own research projects from the department’s Institute of Criminology. The Institute provides administrative services for activities that supplement the department’s traditional academic program, such as distance learning programs, grants and contract proposals, research projects, and partnership programs with practitioners.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program is designed to reflect the theoretical orientation of criminology and the more practical emphasis of criminal justice. Through traditional classroom instruction and optional hands-on experiences in criminal justice agencies and facilities, the department provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful careers in middle- and upper-level management positions in corrections, law enforcement, corporate and private security, and a host of other related career paths. The program is also designed to prepare students to pursue law degrees, as well as doctoral degrees in criminology and other related disciplines. Employment opportunities in criminal justice and other related fields have traditionally been plentiful, and faculty advisors work closely with students to help them formalize their individual career goals.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The general requirements governing admissions, standards of work, and admission to candidacy that are established by the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, as well as the departmental requirements discussed below, apply to all students working toward the M.A. and M.S. degrees in criminology and criminal justice. The deadline for submitting applications is October 1 for spring admission and March 1 for summer and fall admission. These deadlines will guarantee timely decisions but not rule out late applicants. The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers programs both on-campus and through distance education. Criteria for acceptance into the specific programs are the same. However, criteria for enrollment in the programs differ. Each of the requirements is listed below.

On-Campus Program

Those students seeking acceptance into the on-campus criminology and criminal justice graduate program must meet the following criteria:

1. The general requirements prescribed above by the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
2. Applicants for the M.A. in criminology and criminal justice must have an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (based on a 4.0 scale).
3. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher for all previous graduate work.
4. Submit a one to two page typewritten statement, which includes the following: career goals, including professional achievement; academic experience to date; and how a master’s in criminology and criminal justice from Indiana State University will assist the applicant in achieving personal and professional goals.
5. Provide three letters of recommendation from academic/professional resources. Not more than one of the letters can be from the Indiana State University Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Applicants are to submit the typewritten statement and letters of recommendation to: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Graduate Program, Holmstedt Hall, room 210, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809.

Only applicants determined by the faculty to have the best prospect of success in graduate study are accepted into the on-campus program.

Distance Education Program

Students seeking acceptance into the distance education criminology and criminal justice program must meet the on-campus program criteria listed above. However, enrollments into the distance education program are limited to available space. Therefore, only applicants determined by the faculty to have the best prospect of success in graduate study are accepted into the distance education program. Applicants will increase their probability of being enrolled in their preferred semester by meeting the following criteria:

1. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average above 3.5 on a scale of 4.0 have the best chance of admission.
2. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average below 3.5 but above 3.0 have a reasonable possibility of admission.
3. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average above 2.75 but below 3.0 are unlikely to be admitted in the absence of some other compelling reasons (such as high professional achievement) for enrollment.
4. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average below 2.75 are unlikely to be admitted and enrolled in the program under present circumstances.

All applicants must have demonstrated competency in criminology/criminal justice. This competency can be met by completing an introductory criminology (theory) or criminal justice undergraduate course and 12 credits of social behavioral science courses, which include but are not limited to sociology, psychology, and political science. Students not meeting the minimum course requirements should complete Criminology 427 and 523, or their equivalents, for undergraduate/graduate credit during the first semester of graduate course work. The required 12 credits of courses in the social sciences may also be taken for undergraduate credit at the same time as graduate courses are being taken toward the degree.

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