skip to content
  • Calendar
  • Maps

MCJ Admission

The Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program is open to students with bachelor's degrees from all fields. GRE scores are not required.

Apply Now

Required Application Materials

The admissions committee makes decisions after a complete evaluation of your application materials. They must receive all application materials before reviewing your application.

Application Deadlines

Admission applications for entry into the Master of Criminal Justice Program are accepted for the fall, spring and summer semesters. The Graduate Admissions Committee meets at the end of each application period.

March 1 | Summer application deadline

  • Admitted applicants may start in the summer semester (May)

June 1 | Fall application deadline

  • Admitted applicants may start in the fall semester (August)

November 1 | Spring application deadline

  • Admitted applicants may start in the spring semester (January)

Student Expectations

The Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program at Weber State University conducts advanced graduate work. Our faculty does not teach or refresh introductory skills obtained in undergraduate programs. Criminal justice professors expect MCJ students to:

  • Possess a heightened level of independent motivation, abstract reasoning and problem-solving and an ability to synthesize complex information to formulate an answer; in short, develop self-created solutions independent of a text
  • Read critically, clearly articulate a position on a given topic and then be able to defend that position using expanded thought and empirical detail (10 to 15-page papers are commonplace in graduate school)
  • Write at an advanced level (excellent spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, flow of ideas, etc.)
  • Understand how to use a library to acquire academic materials
  • Have a working knowledge of what constitutes an empirical study
  • Interpret the findings of an academic research paper, including tables, graphs and charts
  • Independently learn and apply the American Psychological Association’s (APA) format (style, in-text citations, references, etc.) to all written materials
  • Differentiate between writing a literature review paper, an argumentative essay and an expository essay
  • Possess a basic understanding of statistics and social science research methods
  • Know the three basic elements of the American criminal justice system
  • Maintain professional, graduate-level academic integrity, which includes responsibility with AI generative tools; plagiarism and AI-generated material are unacceptable

Grading of all graduate-level work will follow these expectations.

Contact Information

McKenzie Wood
Graduate Program Director
mckenziewood@weber.edu

Department Mailing Address:
Master of Criminal Justice Program
1299 Edvalson St. Dept. 1206
Ogden UT 84408-1206