Criminal Justice Program Overview
The Criminal Justice program at SDSU offers a course of study leading to a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice. This 120 unit degree appeals to students who are interested in working in the fields of: law, law enforcement, probation and parole, corrections or other social service agencies. This degree also prepares students to undertake law school or graduate school in criminal justice or a related field. The Criminal Justice B.S. program welcomes students returning to school who are interested in earning their degree to assist in furthering their career goals.
The Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology program offers students a unique opportunity to integrate knowledge from the fields of sociology, criminology and criminal justice. The program emphasizes research methods and theoretical perspectives in criminal justice and criminology with substantive course work in international criminal justice, social control systems and criminal justice policy.
The Master of Criminal Justice and Criminology is a joint program offered by the School of Public Affairs and the Department of Sociology. Students earning a MCJC undertake a course of study that prepares them to teach at the community college level; for further academic work in a doctoral degree program; or to work in the field of criminal justice as a researcher or policy analyst. Students in the MCJC program are generally full time students who expect to finish the 30-unit degree in two years. For students who have not had experience in the criminal justice field an internship of up to 12 units may be required. Students will complete supervised independent research leading to a thesis as part of their degree requirements.
The School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University also offers a graduate concentration in Criminal Justice within the MPA program. The primary objective of this degree is to prepare qualified graduate students for a variety of leadership roles in government and community service agencies, as well as to provide a solid educational footing for those interested in an advanced degree. It is designed to develop in students an analytical perspective toward the criminal justice system and its relation to society in general. The program is specifically tailored for those interested in pursuing an administrative/analytical/social policy approach to the study of Criminal Justice.