Dual Degree: Master of Science in Criminology

Program Profile: Penn is the only Ivy League institution to offer a Master of Science program in Criminology. Students receive not only a solid academic grounding in the framework of social science, but also the skills to analyze crime data, map crime patterns, and use research to make evidence-based decisions on how to address crime. Blending theory and application, the program enhances career advancement, and provides an opportunity to contribute to the public interest, in government, criminal justice agencies, legal settings, or criminal justice-related non-profit organizations. The program has an interdisciplinary focus, drawing on exceptional faculty from across Penn's departments and schools. It offers joint degrees — for example, with Penn's Law School and with the Fels Institute of Government — and takes advantage of other Penn assets, such as the medical school, to provide the broadest possible experience for students.

Student Profile: This program is intended for individuals who are passionate about making a difference in addressing crime — either those already involved in criminal justice or legal policy or practice (including government and non-profit agencies), or those intending to pursue such a career. We are looking for a select number of candidates who are interested in serving as "change agents," and who are energized by the challenge of solving real-world problems. A "next generation" of criminal justice professionals can bring research-based approaches into the worlds of practice and policy - and put research to work in the public interest (just what Penn's founder, Ben Franklin, had in mind).

Curriculum: Students complete eight required course units on topics such as Evidence-Based Crime Prevention, Quantitative Methods, Crime Prevention and Justice, and Criminal Law. They also attend a Criminology in Practice Seminar and the Criminology Colloquium Series. In place of a thesis, students instead pursue a semester-long crime analysis project, which concludes with an oral and written presentation to a small faculty committee.

Program Length: 8 months of full-time study.

Application: Applications must contain all of the following in order to be considered complete:

• Completed application forms, including a personal statement.
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
• Three letters of reference, with at least two from former professors or individuals who can evaluate academic preparation.
• Results from a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken in the last five years. LSAT or MCAT scores may be accepted in lieu of GRE scores if the test was taken in the last five years.
• Results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for those who do not have transcripts with one year of study at an English-speaking university.

Tuition: Approximate tuition costs for the 12 course units in this program are $52,250. Click here for more detailed information