Pathways Bachelor of Arts - Master of Criminal Justice

BA/MCJ

This pathway program is designed to allow students to work concurrently toward the bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice, offering high-achieving students the opportunity to complete their degrees in just over five years.

The Program at a Glance

School: School of Public Affairs Campus: CU Denver Classroom: Online and on campus classes Recommended completion time: 5 Years Credits required for completion: 144 Maximum transfer credits: 9 Application deadline: Fall: July 31; Spring: December 31; Summer: May 31

The Details

General requirements

To earn the pathways degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the three areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.

Review CU Denver's Undergraduate Academic Policies.
Review CU Denver's Graduate Academic Policies.

Program requirements

  • The Pathways Bachelor of Arts/Master of Criminal Justice degree requires 144 credit hours of coursework.
  • A maximum of 9 transfer credit hours may be applied to the degree requirements
  • Students must complete the following:
    • 37 - 38 credit hours in the CU Denver Core Curriculum.
    • 46 - 48 credit hours in general electives.
    • 21 credit hours of undergraduate criminal justice coursework.
    • 45 total credit hours of upper-division (3000-level or higher) undergraduate coursework, of which 18 credit hours must be criminal justice coursework.
    • A minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate-level (5000-level and above) coursework. 
  • Students at the University are expected to maintain progress in their degree program, as defined by being in "good academic standing." Good academic standing requires minimally a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on all University of Colorado course work.
  • Students must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in undergraduate criminal justice courses.
  • Students must earn a B (3.0) or higher in each required MCJ course.

Students are eligible to receive the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree once they have successfully completed 120 semester hours and all CU Denver undergraduate degree requirements. The Master of Criminal Justice will be conferred once the student has completed all requirements of the Master of Criminal Justice degree.

Admissions Requirements

View the admissions requirements for the School of Public Affairs.