MS in Criminal Justice
Become a Mason Graduate Student
All applicants for graduate study at George Mason University must meet the admission standards specified in the Admission chapter of the University Catalog.
You are responsible for submitting all required application materials by the posted deadline. Review your program's Admissions Requirements and Deadlines before you begin your application. You can also visit our Grad Admissions page for helpful hints on how best to prepare your transcripts and other Admissions materials.
Step 1: Complete and submit the online Graduate Admissions application. George Mason University requires all graduate applicants to upload all possible required supplementary materials, such as unofficial transcripts, goals statement and writing sample, at the same time you submit your application. Online applications require a non-refundable $75 application processing fee.
Step 2: Within a few days of submitting your online application, you will receive an email with your Mason G number (G#). This is a tracking number provided to all applicants that allows us to match your supporting documentation to your completed application.
Step 3: Check your application status and requirements checklist in your application portal. Initial processing takes 3 to 5 business days from the date of submission. You can use your application log-in and password to access your information throughout the application process. Graduate Admissions may send updates or notify you of issues with your application through your admissions portal, so it is best to log in periodically to monitor your application status.
Step 4: For newly admitted students, refer to the CHSS New Graduate Student webpage for tips on confirming enrollment, submitting official transcripts, registering for class and more.
The fall graduate degree seeking application opens September 15.
The spring graduate degree seeking application opens April 15.
The summer graduate degree seeking application opens September 15.
Program Specific Requirements
| College Transcripts | Goals Statement | GRE | Portfolio | Recommendation Letters | Resume | Writing Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Additional Information
The submitted goals statement should be 200-300 words in length describing what you intend to do with your MS degree in Criminal Justice.
The writing sample is an essay of 500-750 words that identifies a current problem or issue in criminal justice and examines promising approaches to mitigating or resolving it. The essay should be original work and not have been written prior to this application. It should be persuasive to a criminal justice policy maker or practitioner. The essay can include references (not counted toward the word limit), but these are not required.
The online application requires the names and email addresses of the two faculty members or individuals who have first-hand knowledge of the applicant's academic or professional capabilities who will be submitting required recommendations. These individuals will then receive an email directly with a unique link to upload the letter of recommendation to your application.
The Office of Graduate Admissions, in coordination with the MS in Criminal Justice review committee, will consider requests from admitted students to defer their enrollment to a future term if they choose not to enroll in the semester for which they were accepted. Offers of funding are not guaranteed for deferrals and are at the discretion of the program of admission. All requests for deferral must be submitted using the directions in the Self-Service Center by the enrollment deadline listed in the student’s offer of admission. Deferrals are only granted for a period up to one full academic year (Ex. Fall to Fall).
Application Deadlines
Fall Application Review Period: March 15 - April 15
Spring Application Review Period: September 15 - October 15
Summer Application Review Period: February 1 - March 1
Applications submitted after the end of the review period will not be considered. Applications that remain incomplete after the last day to submit materials will not be considered.
|
|
Application Review Begins |
Last Day to Submit an Application |
Last Day to Submit Supplemental Materials |
|
Applying for Fall |
March 15 |
April 1 |
April 15 |
|
Applying for Spring |
September 15 |
October 1 |
October 15 |
|
Applying for Summer |
February 1 |
February 15 |
March 1 |
Additional Requirements for
English Proficiency Requirements
All Mason students must have a full command of academic English to be successful in their studies. For this reason, Mason requires applicants to demonstrate English proficiency for admission consideration, regardless of citizenship. Click here to view the requirements.
International Transcript Requirements
All transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be translated into English, if applicable, and submitted for evaluation to the Mason Office of Admissions. Mason will provide evaluation service free of charge for all international transcripts, however, some programs may request an outside evaluation be completed. Because of volume, more time may be needed to process applications requiring a Mason evaluation. You should submit your application 6 weeks prior to the deadline if you plan to utilize Mason’s free evaluation service. For expedited service, students may submit their documents to any NACES member organization at their own expense. If you decide to use an external evaluation service or if your program requires an outside evaluation, GPA and Degree equivalences must be included with your course-by-course evaluation. Mason evaluations are used for internal purposes and are not released to applicants. For information on international transcript requirements, go here.
International student visa questions should be directed to the Office of International Programs and Services.
You have the option to take graduate courses in non-degree status. To apply, you must complete an online application for your intended start term and include transcripts as well as a resume. You will also be required to indicate on the application which courses you plan to take for approval during the application review process. Credits earned in non-degree status may potentially transfer to a degree program at a later date so long as it meets the program requirements and the program director approves the transfer. For information on transfer credit policies, please refer to the University Catalog.
Non-Degree Requirements
| College Transcripts | Goals Statement | GRE | Portfolio | Recommendation Letters | Resume | Writing Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Required |
Application deadlines for graduate non-degree coursework differ from program deadlines. For additional information on the non-degree application process and deadlines please refer to Applying for Non-Degree Graduate Study.
