Crime, Justice and Community, M.A.

The curriculum fosters the development of key competencies in conducting rigorous research, articulating and communicating findings, and applying data-driven insights to inform and shape community-based programs and public policy.  After completing the program, you will:

• Demonstrate a thorough comprehension of key concepts and theories related to crime, justice and community.
• Design robust studies, conduct empirical research and analyze data using appropriate and advanced methodologies pertinent to the field of crime, justice and community.
• Apply theoretical knowledge of crime, justice and community to inform and guide strategic planning and policy-making processes.
• Learn and implement effective strategies for community organization and advocacy aimed at addressing and resolving issues within the criminal justice system.
• Identify, analyze and critically evaluate the various forms of community inequality and their intersections with issues of crime and justice.

Prepare for real-world challenges through hands-on learning experiences, including community-based projects and collaborative research initiatives. The program’s emphasis on theoretical understanding and practical application ensures that you will be knowledgeable and capable of effecting meaningful change in your professional role. You will be trained in advocacy and organizing strategies and will leave the program equipped to lead efforts in reforming the criminal justice system, promoting equitable policies and fostering safer, more resilient communities.

• Our program combines all the advantages of a traditional master’s degree in criminal justice with additional expertise in community-based applications, which are vital to reforming and creating a just and equitable system.
• With its exclusive focus on community dynamics, this program is one of a kind.
• The faculty at SUNY Oneonta have international reputations for their scholarship in community, urban-rural dynamics, social justice and inequality and criminal justice. 

SUNY Oneonta delivers high-quality graduate programs at a competitive cost. View program costs and learn about financial aid, scholarships and teaching assistantship opportunities.

1. Submit your graduate application and the non-refundable fee.
2. Have your previous school(s) send us your transcript showing a B.A. or B.S. degree with a GPA of at least a 3.0.
3. Essay addressing the following topics (2-page, double-spaced, max):
   • Why are you applying to the M.A. in Crime, Justice, and Community?
   • What is one thing you would like to change about the criminal justice system?
   • What do you plan to do with this degree after graduation?
   • Do you have any unique qualifications or circumstances you would like to bring to our attention to help us decide on your application (e.g., gaps in school, personal struggles, illness, other reasons for low GPA, etc.)?
4. Submit up to three letters of recommendation (optional).

Get a head-start on your master’s while earning your bachelor’s degree! SUNY Oneonta students majoring in Criminal Justice can apply to the accelerated M.A. program during their junior year. Students who qualify for this program can complete a B.S. in Criminal Justice in their fourth year at Oneonta while simultaneously taking up to four (12 s.h.) graduate courses counting toward the M.A. during the spring semester. Upon completion of your bachelor’s degree at the end of the spring semester, you’ll already have four of the 10 required graduate courses completed. You will then continue in the graduate program, taking two courses in the summer, and finishing with four courses in the fall, unless you opt for a thesis pathway instead of the standard portfolio.

To be eligible, you must have a college transcript showing at least 90 credits toward your B.S. degree in Criminal Justice with a GPA of at least 3.0.