Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice

The criminology and criminal justice program offers students the opportunity to work with top scholars in the field, participate in the graduate student association's many professional development activities, pursue internship opportunities to gain real-world experience, and engage with local criminal justice-related agencies and organizations.
Earn your degree from a top ranked program
UMSL's Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is consistently ranked among the top five programs in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report, and is proud to have an award-winning faculty recognized with numerous local, regional, national and international awards.
UMSL's Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice provides students with advanced theoretical and methodological training for research and management careers in criminal justice and related areas, such as victim advocacy, public policy and justice reform. The program has been consistently rated among the top graduate programs in criminology and criminal justice in the nation, and was most recently honored by Intelligent.com with a No. 1 overall ranking on its Best Colleges of 2022 list.
Throughout the United States, efforts are underway to reduce crime while transforming the criminal justice system to make it fairer and more effective. That's why government agencies, nonprofit organizations and the private sector urgently need qualified, highly-educated professionals to help make our communities safer and our systems of government more just. UMSL's Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice helps candidates prepare for and rise to that challenge.

Successful applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree before beginning the master’s program.

Entrance examinations

The Graduate Record Examination General Test is not required but may add value to the application

International students are required to document English proficiency by providing scores from an internationally accepted standardized examination before a decision is made on admission.

Grade Point Average

Minimum of 3.0 on 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of the undergraduate degree.

Proof of English proficiency

Minimum requirements vary by department. It is recommended that students have a 79 TOEFL, 6.5 IELTS, or 53 PTE-A.