2019/2020 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Criminal Justice and Criminology
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Undergraduate Information
OFFICE: Professional Studies and Fine Arts 100
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6224 / FAX: 619-594-1165
Faculty
Emeritus: Boostrom, Gazell, Gitchoff, Henderson, Henry, Rea, Sabath (SDSU-IV), Sutton
Director: Ryan
Professor: Kaplan
Associate Professors: Chanin, Colvin, McIllwain, Mobley, Nurge
Assistant Professors: Braun (SDSU-IV), Camargo (SDSU-IV), Janscics (SDSU-IV), Welsh
The Major
The purpose of the criminal justice program is to provide current and future decision-makers in criminal justice with the foundation for critical and balanced as well as responsible and effective administrative responses to crime. As the systems designed to deliver justice services are continually asked to accomplish more with fewer resources, the need for able and professional administrators becomes more pressing. The mission of the program is to provide graduates with the background knowledge and skills to meet these challenges.
Criminal justice majors with the B.S. degree have typically found employment in local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies or in private business or security positions (e.g., loss prevention). At the local level, graduates can begin service in various capacities with police, sheriff’s and marshal’s offices, probation, county supervisors, city administration, and criminal justice planning agencies. At the state level, graduates may enter the Highway Patrol, Alcohol Beverage Control, Attorney General’s Office, Department of Corrections, California Youth Authority, or related agencies. At the federal level, graduates are employed in agencies such as the FBI, Customs Service, Border Patrol, Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Agency, Naval Intelligence Service, Defense Investigative Services, Homeland Security, and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
A significant number of graduates of this degree program also enter law school after graduation or go on to graduate programs.
Impacted Program
The criminal justice major is an impacted program. To be admitted to the criminal justice major, students must meet the following criteria:
- Complete with a grade of C (2.0) or better: POL S 102 ; SOC 101 and SOC 102 ; and a 3-unit course in elementary statistics. These courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC);
- Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.80 or better.
To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the premajor or major at SDSU and must be continuously enrolled.
Major Academic Plans (MAPs)
Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education courses will also fulfill a major preparation course requirements.
Graduate Information
OFFICE: Professional Studies and Fine Arts 100
TELEPHONE: 619-594-1948 / FAX: 619-594-1165
WEBSITE: http://spa.sdsu.edu
Faculty
Sherry Ryan, Ph.D., Professor of Public Affairs, Director of School of Public Affairs
Paul J. Kaplan, Ph.D., Professor of Public Affairs (Graduate Coordinator)
Ruth Xiaoru Liu, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology
Joshua M. Chanin, Ph.D., J.D., Associate Professor of Public Affairs
Jung Min Choi, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology
Michael A. McCall, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology
Jeffrey S. McIllwain, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Affairs
Alan C. Mobley, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Affairs
Dana M. Nurge, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Affairs
Timothy C. Brown, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology
Megan B. Welsh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Affairs
Assistantships
Graduate research assistantships, graduate teaching assistantships, and scholarships are available to a limited number of qualified students. Please speak with school director for more information. This program can prepare students for a career in college teaching.
General Information
The School of Public Affairs in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, in conjunction with the Department of Sociology in the College of Arts and Letters, offer graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in criminal justice and criminology.
Students pursuing a Master of Science degree in criminal justice and criminology will master criminological theory, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and will learn to apply theory and methods to real-world research and policy issues. Students will also examine criminal justice policy issues at the local, state, national, and international levels.
Research facilities include the Institute of Public and Urban Affairs and the Social Science Research Laboratory. The San Diego metropolitan region affords significant research and internship opportunities for graduate students in federal, state, and local agencies as well as in community-based or non-profit organizations.
Admission to Graduate Study
All students must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing, as described in Part Two of this bulletin. Students must also satisfy the following requirements: (1) a 3.0 grade point average in the undergraduate major and a 3.00 overall grade point average; (2) an acceptable score on the GRE General Test (verbal and quantitative); (3) two letters of recommendation from faculty or practitioners who are familiar with the student’s academic work and/or employment performance; and (4) a 500-word essay addressing professional and educational goals and stating how a Master of Science degree in criminal justice and criminology will help to achieve these goals.
Students are expected to have undergraduate proficiency in the following four areas: (1) basic knowledge of the criminal justice system; (2) basic knowledge of criminological theory (crime causation); (3) statistics; and (4) research methods.
Students whose preparation is deemed insufficient by the graduate adviser may be conditionally admitted and will be required to complete specified courses in addition to the minimum required for this degree.
Students applying for admission should electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the $55 application fee.
All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the School of Public Affairs as specified below.
Graduate Admissions
The following materials should be submitted as a complete package directly to:
Graduate Admissions
Enrollment Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7416
- Official transcripts (in sealed envelopes) from all postsecondary institutions attended;
- Students who attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance.
- Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree.
- GRE scores (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682);
- English language score, if medium of instruction was in a language other than English (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682).
School of Public Affairs
The following admissions materials must be submitted electronically before April 1:
- Letters of recommendation (two letters from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic ability);
- Personal statement (500 word essay) of professional and educational goals.
For information regarding the admissions process, visit the school’s website at http://spa.sdsu.edu.
Advancement to Candidacy
All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Part Four of this bulletin.
Imperial Valley
Faculty
Assistant Professor: Camargo
Major Academic Plans (MAPs)
Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.
Programs
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