USC: Academic Bulletins

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Geoffrey P. Alpert, Chair
Kathy R. Smiling, Director of Academic Programs

Professors
Geoffrey P. Alpert, Ph.D., Washington State University, 1975
Andrew J. Chishom, Ed.D., University of Georgia, 1975
Pamela K. Lattimore, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 1987

Associate Professors
Robert Brame, Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1997
J. Mitchell Miller, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, 1996

Assistant Professors
John D. Burrow, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1998, J.D., University of Wisconsin, 2001
Robert Kaminski, Ph.D., State University of New York at Albany, 2002
Barbara A. Koons-Witt, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2000
William V. Pelfrey Jr., Ph.D., Temple University, 2001

Overview

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers a program leading to the degree of Master of Arts degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Drug and Addictions Studies with the College of Social Work. Faculty research and teaching interests span a wide variety of crime- and criminal justice-related topics, including policing, courts, corrections, legal studies, macro- and microlevel criminological theory, drug policy, victimization, and program evaluation.

Admission

Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. An undergraduate major in criminology, criminal justice, or a related social science is desirable. In addition to meeting all admission requirements of the University's Graduate School, applicants must submit scores obtained on the Graduate Record Examination (general test only) and a written statement outlining academic and/or professional objectives.

Admission to the program is competitive and is based primarily upon the following criteria: 1) undergraduate academic performance (expected minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale), 2) GRE scores (expected minimum score of 1000 points on the quantitative and verbal sections of the general test), 3) the strength of two letters of recommendation, and 4) the department graduate committee's assessment of students' interests and objectives. Criteria 1 and 2 should be viewed as general guidelines and not absolute requirements for admission to the program.

Graduate Certificate in Drug and Addictions Studies

The 18-hour Graduate Certificate in Drug and Addictions Studies is for graduate students at the master’s and doctoral levels and for post-baccalaureate students who choose not to pursue a degree program but want broad competency in the field with opportunities for areas of special interest. This interdisciplinary program is coordinated in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice and involves faculty and courses from multiple academic departments.

Degree Requirements and Regulations

Requirements for the M.A. degree in criminology and criminal justice include:

1. fifteen hours of core courses, each of which must be completed with a grade of B or better: CRJU 701, 703, 704, 705, and 741.
2. electives: 9 hours of courses with no more than two courses (6 credit hours) below the 700 level and no more than two courses outside the department.
3. comprehensive examination: each student must successfully complete the general comprehensive examination, which will test students' knowledge of major philosophical, scientific, theoretical, and policy issues related to criminology and criminal justice. Students who fail the exam will be permitted to retake it one time.
4. thesis: students must complete a 6 credit hour thesis. Successful completion of the thesis will require an oral defense before the student's thesis committee.
5. Students who accumulate more than 6 hours of graduate credit below the grade of B will not be permitted to continue the program. No course may be repeated more than one time.
6. core courses may not be audited. Other courses may be audited, but students must remember that audited courses cannot be repeated for credit.
7. students may transfer up to 6 credit hours from other programs and/or institutions provided they meet departmental requirements. Transfer credits may not be applied to core courses.

J.D./M.A. Joint Degree Program

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, in cooperation with the University of South Carolina School of Law, offers a combined degree program which permits a student to obtain both the Juris Doctor and the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice degrees in approximately four years. Through the combined program, the total course load may be reduced by as many as 15 credit hours from that required if the two degrees were earned separately, since 6 hours of electives toward the M.A. degree may be taken in law courses and 9 hours of electives toward the J.D. may be earned in the M.A. program.

Prior to obtaining admission to the combined degree program, a student must be admitted to both the School of Law and the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Upon admission to the combined degree program, the student will be assigned courses to be elected in both programs.

Graduate Certificate in Drug and Addictions Studies (18 hours)

Fifty percent of all courses taken have to be at the 700 level or higher.

Core:
CRJU 542 Drugs and Society
One of the following is required:
SOWK 758 Family Dynamics of Substance Abuse
PSYC503 Psychology of Drug Use and Effects
HPEB 540 Drug Education

Electives:
One of the following is required:
For students interested in counseling:
EDCE 510 Introduction to Counseling
EDCE 721 Techniques of Counseling
OR
For students interested in research or prevention:
HPEB 742 Alcohol, Drugs, and Public Health Policy

Additional Electives:
An additional 6 credit hours in electives will also be required.

Internship or practicum is required for all students and may be arranged through any of the participating disciplines. Examples of internships include appointments with local agencies involved with drug issues. Through practicums, students work closely with a faculty member or an active research project.

Financial Assistance

Applicants requesting graduate assistantships and fellowships should contact the department. Applicants requesting all other types of financial assistance should apply to the director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208.