Accelerated Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice and Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)

The accelerated B.S. and M.P.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Criminal Justice and Master of Public Administration in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Note: Students with a concentration in forensic crime scene investigation are not eligible to participate in the accelerated opportunity. Students in the program may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.P.A. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 144 or 147 credits rather than the 156 or 159 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.Students holding these degrees are prepared for effective careers in public service related to criminal justice policy, especially forensic crime scene investigation, by broadening and refining their understanding of criminal justice and organizational and management issues. Students become prepared to apply theory to practice as professional public managers, public officials and citizens who are able to meet the challenges of public service in both government and nonprofit sectors and serve the profession and local, state, federal and international communities.

Admission to a VCU undergraduate degree program requires graduation from a secondary school or the equivalent (lyceum, senior middle school, university preparatory school, completion of GCSE exams, Standard 12 graduation, etc.), which typically consists of at least 12 years beyond kindergarten.Your secondary education should be the type that would prepare you for entrance to a recognized university in your home country.VCU also requires you to have completed the following academic units by the final year of your high school curriculum:MathematicsNatural scienceHistory or social scienceEnglish or foreign languageYou must complete any special departmental requirements in advance, including standardized tests, and the appropriate testing agency must send your official test results to international admissions.