COURSE CURRICULUM

The Criminal Justice Theory and Research master’s program at the University of North Texas is designed to provide advanced academic training in the study of crime, criminal behavior, and justice system operations, with a strong emphasis on research, teaching, and professional service. The Department of Criminal Justice is committed to excellence in all three areas and is staffed by nationally recognized scholars who specialize in interdisciplinary approaches to understanding complex issues related to crime and social disorder. Students benefit from extensive academic and professional support services available exclusively to graduate students, including assistance from the Graduate Student Writing Support office for academic writing development and Research Consulting services for statistical analysis and research design. The Toulouse Graduate School also enhances student success through a variety of professional development opportunities such as workshops and Thesis Boot Camps, many of which are accessible online for convenience and flexibility. Financial support is available through competitive teaching assistantships offering an annual stipend of $16,746, as well as graduate student assistantships that provide hourly compensation for up to 25 hours per week, making the program more accessible for qualified students. Faculty members maintain strong professional relationships with criminal justice agencies and are experts in areas such as policing, juvenile justice, corrections, criminological theory, victimology, and sentencing policy. Students may also apply for scholarships such as the Tory J. Caeti Memorial Scholarship and additional funding opportunities through the College of Public Affairs and Health Sciences. Graduates of the program pursue diverse career paths, including roles as analysts, researchers, administrators, scholars, and practitioners such as police officers, probation officers, and caseworkers. The curriculum includes advanced coursework in criminal justice administration, criminological theory, research methodologies, criminal justice statistics, and policy analysis, equipping students with strong analytical, statistical, and theoretical skills necessary for careers in research, academia, or applied criminal justice professions.