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Admission


All applications are completed online. The following materials are required for the application for admission into the Master of Arts program at the School of Criminal Justice.

Program Requirements
All applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or a comparable institution in another country. Applicants must provide an official undergraduate transcript, personal statement, CV/resume, and three letters of recommendation.

Materials include the following:

  • $70 application fee payable to Rutgers University

  • Official undergraduate transcripts for colleges and from each institution attended (a bachelor's degree from an accredited recognized institution of higher education is required)

  • Three letters of recommendation (academic preferred)

  • Personal statement - two to three pages (see below for more details)

  • Current résumé

  • Standardized test results (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or equivalent) or answer the program essay question (see below for more details).

  • TOEFL score if undergraduate degree is from a non-English speaking institution

Test Requirements

Results from a GRE, LSAT, or GMAT can be optionally submitted. International students: TOEFL or IELTS test scores is required if undergraduate education was completed in a non-English speaking country. Rutgers University-Newark accepts the Duolingo English Test. The Duolingo English Test is an online English language proficiency test that can be taken via a camera-enabled computer. When you receive your results, you can share your scores with Rutgers-Newark. The minimum Duolingo score is 115.

Personal Statement Instructions

Please address each of the questions below in a typed narrative. You may add any additional information that may be helpful to the admissions committee. The personal statement must be typed and be close to the approximate word counts for each question.

  1. (approx. 250 words) What are your reasons for applying to the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University? Discuss how your personal, professional, and/or community experiences and values affected your decision.

  2. (approx. 750 words) Select and describe a crime or justice problem and explain how social or criminal justice policies and practices can help alleviate the issue. [This is the modified GRE replacement question]

  3. (approx. 250 words) What skills and strengths do you expect to gain from the Master's Program at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University that would help advance the fields of criminal justice and public safety and improve society?

To view the application deadlines, visit here.