Overview
Northeastern University is a world leader in practice-oriented education and recognized for its expert faculty members and first-rate academic and research facilities. Northeastern has six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate and professional schools, two part-time undergraduate divisions, and an extensive variety of research institutes and divisions. Northeastern's graduate programs offer both professional and research degrees at the masters and doctoral levels.

Last year, 14,618 undergraduate and 4,361 graduate and professional students were enrolled at the University. Sixty-two students were enrolled in the Graduate School of Criminal Justice, approximately 75 percent on a full-time basis.

The Location and Community
Northeastern University is set in the heart of the ultimate college town. Boston is a high-energy hub of cultural, educational, and social activity, more than 300,000 college students from around the county and the world call Boston home, and the city is alive with people of every race, ethnicity, political persuasion, and religion. Within walking distance of Northeastern are the world-renowned Museum of Fine Arts; Symphony Hall; and stylish Newbury Street, with great shopping and dining.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The College of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University offers full- and part-time programs leading to either a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in criminal justice or a Ph.D. degree in criminology and justice policy. The College of Criminal Justice has also inaugurated a joint program in management information security assurance in conjunction with the College of Computer Science; for updates on this innovative program, interested students should visit the Web site listed in the Correspondence and Information section of this description.

The purpose of the master's program in criminal justice is to develop innovative perspectives in the study of crime and the criminal justice process. The program concentrates on crime as a form of deviant behavior and on the system established in response to that problem. The multidisciplinary academic program emphasizes a systems approach to criminal justice and stresses organizational and management theory. Broad in concept, the program encompasses such related disciplines as law, sociology, political science, psychology, criminology, and public administration. The primary educational objective is to offer individuals an opportunity to prepare themselves for public policy and administrative positions within a changing criminal justice system. The goals of the program are: to develop leaders capable of assuming responsibility for policy planning, administration, and leadership positions; to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to do applied research and to discern problem areas; and to provide a foundation for more advanced graduate study. Graduate study in criminal justice may be pursued through either a full- or part-time program. The curriculum is designed to permit full-time students to complete the degree in fifteen months. Close consultation with a faculty adviser can assist the part-time student in completing the program in a reasonable amount of time. All requirements must be completed within seven years of the date of enrollment. Completion of a master's thesis is an option except for those students awarded stipend graduate assistantships with stipends. Successful completion of a comprehensive examination is required of all master's candidates.

The Ph.D. program in criminology and justice policy prepares students for academic careers as well as careers in senior research and policy development. The program is small and student-centered. It is expected that full-time students entering the program with a bachelor's degree can complete the program in five years, and students with a master's degree can complete the program in three years. In keeping with Northeastern's long-standing, practice-oriented approach to education, the program includes two practicum courses. All students are required to participate in a research practicum that further prepares them to successfully complete their dissertation research. In addition, each student chooses between a teaching practicum and a policy practicum. Those students interested in pursuing academic careers participate in a teaching practicum; students who are interested in research or policy careers participate in a policy practicum that is located off campus or at one of the College's research institutes.

The College of Criminal Justice faculty members have a wide range of areas of expertise, ranging from policing, juvenile justice, and law to serial murder, hate crime, and homeland security. In addition to teaching a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, members of the faculty are involved in funded and nonfunded research and publishing books and articles widely read by students, criminal justice professionals, and policy makers.

Facilities & Resources
The College is home to the Center for Criminal Justice Policy Research, the Institute on Race and Justice, and the Institute for Security and Public Policy. For additional information on current research activities in the College of Criminal Justice, students should visit the Web site listed in the Correspondence and Information section.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition for the 2004/05 academic year was $825 per semester hour of credit. Other charges include the Student Center fee and health and accident insurance fee required of all full-time students.

Financial Aid:
Northeastern awards need-based financial aid to graduate students through the Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Stafford Student Loan Programs. The University also offers a limited number of minority fellowships and Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarships. The Graduate School offers financial assistance through teaching, research, and administrative assistantship awards that include tuition remission and a stipend of $12,500 for M.S. students and $15,000 for Ph.D. students. These assistantships require a maximum of 20 hours of work per week and are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, not financial need.

Housing/Living Expenses:
For 2004/05, semester on-campus room rates for a single bedroom within an apartment ranged from $2950 to $3265. Other options are available. On-campus housing for graduate students is limited and is granted on a space-available basis.

How to Apply
Applications for admission must be accompanied by a nonrefundable $50 application fee. Academic transcripts, test scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations, three letters of recommendation, and an essay expressing academic and personal objectives are required. Ph.D. applicants must also submit a writing sample and a statement of research interests. The deadline for M.S. applications is May 1 and the deadline for Ph.D. applications is February 1.

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