Candidates looking for a challenging, rewarding, and high-earning position in the criminal justice field usually find themselves pondering whether to return to school via a Criminal Justice Master’s degree program. In researching the decision, many candidates stumble upon the decision of choosing between a thesis track and an internship track of study.
Below, we’ll discuss the different types of Master’s in Criminal Justice degrees, including the Master’s in Criminal Justice thesis track program and the Master’s in Criminal Justice internship program, to help you determine which would be best for your career.
What is a Master’s in Criminal Justice?
A Criminal Justice Master’s degree, like the Master’s in Criminal Justice and Human Security program at University of Bridgeport, is designed to give students knowledge and expertise in the worldwide political, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions contributing to crime and its attenuation. These programs also focus on the cultural, ethnic, religious, and ideological differences commonly found at the crossroads of criminal acts, violence, and terror.
Program prerequisites for Master’s in Criminal Justice degrees vary depending on the college or university. At University of Bridgeport, for example, students must:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or recognized international institution
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Have two years of college-level language study or fluency in a second language (Students who have not completed this requirement but feel that they have language competency to this level may take an oral and written exam confirming such competency, or they may complete the language requirement at University of Bridgeport or another regionally accredited institution of higher education before the conclusion of the degree program.)
- Submit an application
- Submit a personal statement (250-500 words) detailing why they are seeking this degree, how you expect to apply your degree to your professional career after graduation, and why you desire to pursue your degree through University of Bridgeport
- Submit a resume
- Submit their official transcript for the last degree earned
- Submit two letters of recommendation commenting on your work ethic, communication skills, and ability to complete a graduate degree program.
Master’s in Criminal Justice Thesis track
Criminal Justice Master’s degree programs often offer students the opportunity to choose between a Master’s in Criminal Justice Thesis track program or a Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship program.
Both of these tracks include eighteen semester hours of core courses and eighteen semester hours of electives. These courses often cover in-depth topics, including:
- Cybercrime
- Cyberterrorism
- Domestic, international, and comparative criminal law
- Human security
- Transnational crime
Furthermore, the Master’s in Criminal Justice Thesis track, as the name suggests, requires students to dedicate multiple semesters to focus on research and data collection.
Upon completion of their research, each student is then required to write a large-formatted paper sharing their methods, data, and discovery to be published.
At University of Bridgeport, students in the Master’s in Criminal Justice Thesis track take the following courses:
- Criminal Justice Research Methods
- Human Security and Approaches to Justice
- Law Enforcement Management
- U.S. Law and Criminal Justice
- Thesis 1
- Thesis 2
Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship track
The Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship track is another popular and common option for students, especially those who want to gain hands-on experience or do not have the time or desire to conduct multi-semester research.
While students in non-thesis degree programs may be required to write papers or complete large projects, there are no expectations that these papers will be published.
Internship track programs, like the one at University of Bridgeport, allow students to intern during their final semesters of the program, giving them hands-on skills and experience to use in their future careers.
At University of Bridgeport, students in the Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship track take the same courses as students in the thesis track, but instead of a thesis, they take:
- CJHS 591 – Internship
- CJHS 598 – Tutorial
Thesis track vs. internship track: Which one is right for me?
Deciding whether to enroll in a Master’s in Criminal Justice thesis track degree versus a Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship track degree ultimately depends on a student’s needs, interests, and goals.
Both types of Master’s in Criminal Justice degrees can lead to exciting, fulfilling, and rewarding careers as:
- Correctional caseworker
- Criminologist
- Cybersecurity investigator
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agents
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent
- Federal Marshall
- Forensic psychologists
- Intelligence analyst
- Police supervisors and detective supervisors
If you want to pursue a research-heavy field, submit your writing to academic journals, or obtain a Ph.D., a Master’s in Criminal Justice Thesis track program would be the best fit. But if you do not enjoy writing and thrive on project-based, real-world assignments, a Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship Program is a great choice.
Earn your Criminal Justice Master’s degree at University of Bridgeport
No matter if you choose the thesis track vs internship track, University of Bridgeport’s Criminal Justice and Human Security Master’s degree program makes sure graduates are well-prepared and ready to work in the area of criminal justice, international security, defense, intelligence, and transnational crime prevention or deterrence anywhere in the world.
Financial aid is available, and our comprehensive support services are here to help you get through college and into a great career.
Apply today or contact us for more information. The completed application and all supporting documents for our Master of Arts (M.A.) in Criminal Justice and Human Security degree must be received by July 15th for the fall semester and December 1st for the spring semester.
We can’t wait for you to join the Purple Knight family!