CJUS 680 - Criminal Justice Thesis I

Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory (or Other) Hours: 0

Prerequisite(s): CJUS 500 and CJUS 510
Corequisite(s): None
Restriction(s): Students must be enrolled in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program

This course will serve as the first stage toward the completion of a written master’s thesis. The main focus of this course is the conceptualization, and design, of a master’s thesis project. This course will guide students through the process of selecting a suitable research topic, developing a literature review, writing research hypotheses, designing an appropriate methodology, and addressing ethical issues, with the goal of completing the project in CJUS 690, Criminal Justice Thesis II.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course:

Design an original research project based on student’s interests, or current needs, in the criminal justice field.
Synthesize important themes, theories, areas of interest, and existing need for new research.
Apply ethical principles, as necessary, for social science/human subjects research, and apply necessary safeguards, to ensure that research projects minimize risk to those involved.