Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must also meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree in criminology, law, and justice or a related field from an accredited college or university.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00^a for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required GRE not required.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score (for International applicants only)
  • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21, OR,
  • IELTS Academic 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required, preferably from professors familiar with student’s recent work or in case of the applicants with professional experience, from supervisors.
• Personal Statement Required; 2-3 pages. The statement should address the applicant’s reasons for wanting to take graduate work in criminology, law, and justice and the relationship of this advanced training to the applicant’s professional and other goals. See https://clj.uic.edu/academics/graduate-studies/graduate-admissions/guidelines-for-statement-of-purpose/
• Other Requirements Applicants must submit a sample of their academic writing (complete paper). Applicants should also submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
• Nondegree Applicants The department will consider applicants for nondegree status who hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College.

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In exceptional situations, students with GPAs less than 3.00/4.00 but higher than 2.75, or without strong backgrounds in the social sciences, may be admitted on limited status and will be required to remedy academic deficiencies before being admitted to regular status.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the minimum requirements of the Graduate College, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 40.
• Coursework

• Comprehensive Examination Required.
• Thesis, Project, or Coursework-Only Options Coursework only with comprehensive examination required. No other options are available.

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include:

• Black Studies
• Gender and Women's Studies
• Latin American and Latino Studies
• Survey Research Methodology
• Violence Studies