Joint Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Juris Doctor

Wayne State's Joint Master of Science in Criminal Justice (online) and Juris Doctor (in-person) program equips students with knowledge and competence in both law and criminal justice for professional work where legal issues intersect with matters of crime and justice.

Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Juris Doctor (M.S./J.D.) requirements and curriculum

Online Master of Science (M.S.) requirements

• CRJ core course requirements, modified to include CRJ 7010: Contemporary Criminal Justice, CRJ 7860: Research Methods, CRJ 7400: Data Management and Analysis in Criminal Justice and CRJ 7999: Master's Essay Direction (13 credits)
• Criminal justice electives limited to 7000-level CRJ courses (nine credits)
• Law school courses from the approved list (10 credits) that apply toward the M.S. degree

Note: Up to four criminal justice courses are applied toward a student's satisfaction of the Law School's elective credits. Nine additional credits (three courses) beyond the 86 credits required for the J.D. degree are necessary to complete the M.S. in Criminal Justice.

M.S. in Criminal Justice graduate courses are available online or in traditional classes.

Juris Doctor (in-person) requirements

• Receive J.D. degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Courses

• Criminal justice

  The following criminal justice courses will ordinarily count toward a student's J.D. degree:

  Course	Title	Credits
  CRJ 7010	Contemporary Criminal Justice [core/required]	3
  CRJ 7020	The Nature of Crime	3
  CRJ 7200	Public Policy and Criminal Justice	3
  CRJ 7220	Delinquency and Justice	3
  CRJ 7230	Policing and Society	3
  CRJ 7240	Corrections	3
  CRJ 7400	Data Management and Analysis in Criminal Justice [core/required]	3
  CRJ 7405	Wrongful Conviction	3
  CRJ 7860	Research Methods in Criminal Justice [core/required]	3
  CRJ 7990	Directed Study	3
  CRJ 7995	Special Topics in Criminal Justice and Criminology	3
  CRJ 7999	Master's Essay Direction [core/required]	3

• Law

  The following Law School courses will count toward a student's M.S. (criminal justice) degree:

  Course	Title	Credits
  CRJ 6300	Criminal Law	3
  CRJ 7075	Child Abuse and Neglect	2
  CRJ 7112	Comparative Criminal Procedure	2-3
  CRJ 7160	Criminal Pre-Trial Advocacy	3
  CRJ 7230	Criminal Pre-Trial Advocacy	3
  CRJ 7161	Criminal Procedure: Investigation	3
  CRJ 7166	Criminal Procedure: Adjudication	3
  CRJ 7413	International Prosecution of State Actors	3
  CRJ 7435	Juvenile Delinquency	2
  CRJ 7941	White Collar Crime	3
  CRJ 8043	Criminal Law: Advanced Topics Seminar	3
  CRJ 8044	Advanced Topics in Criminal Law and Procedure	3
  CRJ 8101	Family Violence: Seminar	3
  CRJ 8280	National Security Law Seminar	3
  CRJ 8505	Criminal Justice Externship Practicum	2
  CRJ 8506	Criminal Justice Externship: Colloquium	2
  CRJ 8601	Criminal Appellate Practice Clinic	3

Scholarships, financial aid and tuition

Online M.S. courses that do not count toward the J.D. degree are charged at the lower Graduate School tuition rate rather than the Law School tuition rate.

Joint degree students are eligible for criminal justice and Graduate School scholarships and compensated positions such as graduate teaching assistant or research assistant positions. The Justice Scholars Program in Criminal Justice covers all tuition and fees for two master's students per year.

Timelines for degree completion

It is possible to complete the C.J. degree within the time in which a law student completes the law degree by taking online M.S. courses in the summer. The online M.S. degree can also easily be completed within a year after graduating with the J.D. degree.

Degree time limit

All M.S. coursework, including the master's essay, must be completed within six years, commencing from the first term in which a grade is recorded for graduate coursework.

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree

For more information about the J.D. portion of the J.D./M.S. in Criminal Justice program, contact Academic Affairs at lawsao@wayne.edu or 313-577-3997.

Career insights

A joint degree in criminal justice and law can lead to a variety of career paths. Here are just a few of the many opportunities available in this field.

This data provides a broad overview of how major selection can lead to careers and is provided without any implied promise of employment. Some careers will require further education, skills or competencies. Actual salaries may vary significantly between similar employers and could change by graduation, as could employment opportunities and job titles.

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