The number of openings in the integrated B.S./M.A. program is limited. Admission will be selective based on specific criteria and the unqualified recommendation of faculty. To initiate the application process, students must submit a resume, a personal statement including career goals and how the MACJ will enhance their career goals, transcripts of courses taken outside Penn State, two letters of recommendation, with at least one from a Criminal Justice faculty member, and a plan of study that integrates both undergraduate and graduate requirements. A Graduate Faculty adviser in collaboration with the MACJ Program Coordinator will help undergraduate candidates determine a sequence of courses that will prepare them for acceptance into the Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) degree program.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the integrated program:

  1. Must be enrolled in the B.S. program in Criminal Justice and meet the admission requirements of the Criminal Justice M.A. program at Harrisburg.
  2. Must apply and be admitted to the Graduate School.
  3. Shall be admitted no earlier than the beginning of the third semester of undergraduate study at Penn State (regardless of transfer or AP credits accumulated prior to enrollment) and no later than the end of the second week of the semester preceding the semester of expected conferral of the undergraduate degree, as specified in the proposed IUG plan of study.
  4. Must submit transcript(s) of undergraduate work taken outside of Penn State, recommendations from two faculty members, writing sample, and statement of goals.
  5. Must have an overall GPA at or above 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in undergraduate coursework and a GPA at or above 3.25 in all coursework completed for their major.
  6. Must present a plan of study approved by the student’s adviser in the application process. The plan should cover the entire time period of the integrated program, and it should be reviewed periodically with an adviser as the student advances through the program.

To formally apply, students must submit a completed Graduate School application. The students should mention in the notes section that the application is for the IUG program in Criminal Justice. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission into the program, however, if students are interested in applying for a graduate assistantship, GRE scores must be submitted by the end of the eighth semester.

Student applications will be evaluated based on their overall portfolio, in addition to the above requirements. In all cases, admission to the program will be at the discretion of the Criminal Justice Graduate Admissions Committee.