Prospective Graduate Students

Yes. Financial Aid applies equally to on-campus and online students. Financial aid may be available for matriculated students enrolled in 6 or more credits per semester. You may contact the Financial Aid Office at 978-934-4220 for more information. For a list of options please click on the Financial Considerations link at the top of this page. 

1. If you are an unmarried graduate student, you may live in a traditional on-campus residence hall where graduate students reside with other graduate students and undergraduate students who are at least 23 years of age. 
2. If space is available, you may also live in any of the traditional or suite-style halls with other graduate or undergraduate students. 
3. The residence halls may have one to four bedrooms (housing one to eight people).
4. If you are married, you may have the opportunity to reside with your family at the East Meadow Lane Apartments. These apartments are either furnished studio, or unfurnished one and two bedroom units. If you wish to apply for this option, you should contact the Office of Residence Life at 978-934-2112 
5. If you have any questions about housing, please visit the Office of Residence Life website. You can also e-mail Reslife@uml.edu, call them at 978-934-5160 or write: Office of Residence Life, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 100 Pawtucket Street, Lowell, MA 01854.

1. A limited number of Teaching Assistantships are available for qualified graduate students.
2. If you are interested, you should contact the Criminal Justice Graduate Department (978-934-4106) as soon as possible, and file both your application materials and your request for consideration as a Teaching Assistant.
3. There are two (2) types of Teaching Assistantships: Full-Time (18 hours/week) and Part-Time (9 hours/week).
4. The Teaching Assistantship will cover all of your tuition and will provide a bi-weekly taxable stipend. Fees may apply.
5. Teaching Assistantships are not guaranteed and are based on merit, not financial need. 

Yes. There is no restriction on your course location. You may take any combination of on-campus and online courses. This allows you to tailor your schedule to meet your needs. (Please note that tuition for Online courses and On-campus courses vary.) 

1. Yes! You may elect to take courses in other departments, as long as you can demonstrate relevance to your own course of study.
2. You can take a maximum of three courses (nine credits) from other departments.
3. The Graduate Coordinator and/or your advisor can discuss these options with you, and determine the number and type of courses which would be acceptable for your Master's Degree in Criminal Justice.

1. Under certain circumstances, graduate credits earned from other colleges and universities may be transferred. Only graduate courses taken from an accredited Graduate School in the United States or Canada within a five-year period prior to the date of admission to one of the Criminal Justice graduate degree programs may be considered for transfer. 
2. For the doctoral program, the Graduate Admissions Committee can accept transfer credit for graduate courses from an accredited university with a grade of "B" or better. Transfer credit can be awarded: (1) up to 24 credit hours if the applicant has not completed a master's degree; and (2) 30 hours for a completed master's. Transfer credit will only be awarded for courses that are substantially similar to those at UMass Lowell.  Applicants are required to submit course descriptions and course syllabi for each course. 
3. A maximum of 12 graduate credits [four graduate courses] earned with a grade of "B" or better may be transferred toward the master's degree program at the UMass Lowell. A separate assessment is made of each course to determine its suitability for transfer.
4. These graduate level courses must not have been used in earning another master's degree.  
5. The courses presented must be appropriate to the Criminal Justice Graduate degree program. 
6. Transfer graduate credits may not be granted for research seminars, clinical courses, practica, internships or special projects. 
7. An official transcript and description of the course(s) must be submitted directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.
8. If you wish to transfer graduate credits from an accredited graduate school, you must file a Graduate Academic Petition (pdf) form within the first semester of matriculation.

1. You can work full time and pursue a doctoral degree but it will certainly extend the time necessary to complete the program. 
2. As a part-time graduate student, you will take 1 to 2 courses (3 to 6 credits) per semester and it will likely take five (5) to seven (7) years or longer to complete the degree. 

1. You certainly can! Over one half of the graduate students in the Criminal Justice Program are already employed in law enforcement, probation, the courts, corrections, private security or social/human services (or even other unrelated jobs).
2. You will have to learn to budget your time well, so that you can complete all of the required reading and assignments which graduate school requires. 
3. But, with a bit of organization, self-discipline and motivation, and learning how to balance the many parts of your life, you can successfully complete course requirements and obtain your master's degree, all while working full-time.
4. The Graduate School advises you to start slowly, by taking one (1) graduate class per semester, in order that you can more effectively gauge the demands of graduate study, and make necessary adjustments as necessary. 

The GRE cannot be waived for admission to either the doctoral or master's program. 

However, the GRE/MAT test score admissions requirement for the master's program is currently being waived for UMass Lowell alumni who have graduated within the past five years with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The GRE or MAT may be waived for students who already possess a master's degree from an accredited U.S. University and who are applying to one of the six certificate programs.

1. If you live within 60 miles of campus, you will be required to take exams at the University. Continuing Education will assist you in scheduling a time. 
2. If you live more than 60 miles from campus, exams will be faxed to your selected proctor. Continuing Education will help you select a proctor and schedule exams. 

Visit the Continuing Studies website for information on preparing for on-line leaning, registration and more. 

You may obtain materials to apply to Graduate Admissions at UMass Lowell in one of three ways: 

You can apply on-line at Graduate Admissions.

You can obtain applications and forms by writing to the University of Massachusetts Lowell Graduate Admissions, 883 Broadway Street, Dugan Hall, Lowell, MA 01854

You can obtain applications and forms by calling 1-800-656-GRAD (1-800-656-4723) or 978-934-2390.

All applications must be accompanied by a non-waivable and non-refundable application fee: 

• $20.00 for In-State (Massachusetts) residents 
• $35.00 Out-of-State and International residents.

No application will be processed without receipt of this fee.

You will need to complete a MINIMUM of 20 courses (60 credits) to earn the Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology.

1. You can take classes during the two (2) sixteen week semesters (Fall and Spring) and also during the Summer Session.
2. As a full-time graduate student, you will take 3 courses (9 credits) per semester.
3. If you take nine (9) credits per semester, and also take one course during the Summer Sessions, you may be able to complete the course requirements in about thirty six months.  It will take approximately one more year to complete the doctoral dissertation.
4. If you choose to take courses part-time, 1 to 2 courses or 3 to 6 credits per semester, it will likely take four (4) to seven (7) years or longer to complete the degree.
5. You have a total of nine (9) years from the time of acceptance into the program to complete the degree.

You need to complete 11 courses (33 credits) to earn the M.A. in Criminal Justice. 

1. You can take classes during the two (2) sixteen week semesters, Fall & Spring, and also during the Summer Session.
2. As a full-time graduate student, you will take 3 courses (9 credits) per semester. You may elect to take 4 courses (12 credits) with permission of the Graduate Coordinator or Department Chair.
3. If you take nine (9) credits per traditional semester, and also take courses during the Summer Sessions, you may be able to complete the program in about eighteen months.
4. If you choose to take courses part-time (1 to 2 courses or 3 to 6 credits), it may take two (2) through three (3) years or longer to complete the degree. 
5. You have a total of 5 years from the time of acceptance into the program to complete the degree.

You are not allowed to enroll in doctoral courses without having been accepted into the program. 

Student may take up to 2 courses (6 credits) as a non-matriculated graduate student prior to being formally accepted into the master's program. These courses will count toward degree requirements as transfer credit when you choose to apply to the program provided you receive a grade of "B" or better. 

Although the GRE is required for admission to the doctoral program, and the GRE or MAT is a requirement for admission to the master's program, it is not the only criterion when considering an applicant for admission. Please visit the GRE website for information regarding the GRE. Both exams are offered daily in some areas. 

UMass Lowell does not have a qualifying score for the GRE or MAT. The exam is one factor of many when considering a student for graduate admission. 

We are nationally recognized as a leader in criminal justice education. In twenty-first century America, the criminal justice professions are one of the largest growing segments within the labor market. As such, our Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice program may provide you with a number of opportunities:

1. You may want to earn a the Master of Arts degree because it is now a pre-requisite for many positions in the criminal justice field. 
2. You may be currently working in the criminal justice field, and want to broaden your skills and expertise, and possibly prepare for career advancement into management positions.
3. You may be currently working in the criminal justice field, but may wish to specialize in a particular area of the system and/or prepare yourself to work in another area of the criminal justice system.
4. There is an increased demand for teaching criminal justice at the community college level, and the Master of Arts degree may provide you with the necessary training and experience to take this career path. 
5. If you wish to pursue a Doctoral degree in Criminal Justice or related fields, the Master of Arts degree you receive from the University of Massachusetts Lowell will prepare you for doctoral level work.

By enrolling in the Graduate Programs of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, you can obtain:

1. A Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology 
2. A Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice (33 credits) and/or 
3. Graduate Certificate(s) in Domestic Violence Prevention, Leadership and Policy Development, Forensic Criminology, Criminal Justice Informatics, Security Studies, and/or Victims' Studies.

Overview of Options:

• FAFSA 
• On-Campus Employment 
• University Scholarships 
• Private Scholarships 
• Teaching/Research Assistantships

• FAFSA and On-Campus Employment
  • As a graduate student you may qualify for loans (money lent to a student that requires repayment during a specified period, usually following the termination of studies) or Employment (Federally funded on campus work for all or a portion of an academic year). To qualify for financial assistance you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available from any high school guidance office or UMass Lowell's Office of Student Financial Assistance. You can also choose to apply on-line at The U.S. Department of Education FAFSA website. 
• University Scholarships
  • A list of University of Massachusetts scholarships is available on-line.
• Private Scholarships
  • These can be found on the UMass Lowell Scholarships Database, or on Fastweb.com.
• Teaching and Research Assistantships
  • A limited number of Teaching Assistantships are available for qualified graduate students. Teaching Assistantships are based on merit, not financial need. For further information, please contact the Criminal Justice Department at 978-934-4106 

1. If you formerly matriculated, and then withdrew in good standing from the University, you may be re-admitted to the program by completing a Graduate Academic Petition(pdf), signed by the Graduate Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Department and submitted to the Graduate Admissions office within two (2) years of your initial withdrawal. 
2. If you were accepted into the program and did not matriculate, and you were dropped from the Program because you failed to register, you can submit a Graduate Academic Petition (pdf) to Graduate Admissions within one year requesting re-instatement. Beyond the one-year time period, you must submit a new application and fee. 
3. If accepted to the program, you may request a deferment of acceptance up to one year beyond the date when you were scheduled to begin your graduate program. Beyond the one-year time period, you must submit a new application and fee. 

The current cost per 3-credit course can be found at Continuing Education. There is a $30 course registration fee. There are no other fees or charges (excluding textbooks) associated with doing your course work online. Massachusetts and out of state residents pay the same fees for online courses. 

1. Tuition and fees vary depending on residence as well as how many courses you will be taking. (In-state is approximately about half the cost).
2. On-line course tuition can be found at Continuing Education.
3. To view tuitions and fees, go to Student Financial Services.

1. A limited number of Teaching Assistantships are available for qualified graduate students.
2. If you are interested, you should contact the Criminal Justice Graduate Department (978-934-4106) as soon as possible, and file both your application materials and your request for consideration as a Teaching Assistant.
3. There are two (2) types of Teaching Assistantships: Full-Time (18 hours/week) and Part-Time (9 hours/week).
4. The Teaching Assistantship will cover all of your tuition and will provide a bi-weekly taxable stipend. Fees may apply.
5. Teaching Assistantships are not guaranteed and are based on merit, not financial need.