Students in the combined program continue with their graduate work during the summer following their senior year. At this point, and after consultation with the program director and other faculty, the student will select one of the three program options: thesis, internship, or comprehensive exam. Individualized work in the chosen area will begin during the summer.

Thesis Option

Students selecting the thesis option will submit a proposal and ask two members of the graduate faculty to sit on their Thesis Committee. This committee will supervise the student’s thesis work through completion. Students should request regular meetings with thesis committee members as the work proceeds, and progress reports and working drafts should be submitted on a timely basis.

Internship Option

Students selecting the internship option should meet with the program director and internship coordinator during the second semester of their senior year. Approved field placements will be discussed and students will request an internship setting consistent with their learning objectives and career goals. The field experience must occur during the Summer between the fourth and fifth years. Students should ask a second graduate faculty member to join the internship coordinator as a member of their supervising Internship Committee. Weekly learning reports should be prepared and submitted to committee members.

Toward the end of the field experience, the student should submit a proposal to his/her committee regarding the topic of the required analytic paper and an outline of how the topic will be developed. The analytic paper will examine some aspect of the field learning experience in the context of the scholarly literature in criminal justice relevant to the proposed topic. When the proposal is approved, faculty will suggest readings and supervise the progress of the student’s paper through completion.

Comprehensive Exam Option

Students who select the comprehensive exam option should ask a graduate faculty member to supervise a directed study during the summer. For students doing the five year BA/MA option, students will generally take the normal load of three graduate courses during the fall and spring semesters of their fifth year. Regular meetings with their graduate advisor are necessary to ensure that all curricular requirements are satisfied.  Contact the Program Director for details about the exam option.