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5th Year MACJ Dual Degree Program

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Earn Two Degrees in Five Years

Curry College Criminal Justice student outside the Police Station

Massachusetts Department of Higher Education logoQuinn Bill Certified: Curry College Criminal Justice programs are Police Career Incentive Pay Program (PCIPP) certified by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. The PCIPP Program, also known as the Quinn Bill, was enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature to encourage police officers to earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice. It provides educational incentives for regular full-time officers in participating cities and towns through salary increases.

Read More about PCIPP

The 5th Year MACJ program is an "honors" level program for students that are interested in earning both an undergraduate degree in any discipline and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice. This program is available to Curry College students, regardless of which bachelor's degree they are working toward earning, who have successfully completed prerequisite Criminal Justice courses and maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Through this program, undergraduate students will take both undergraduate and graduate courses during their senior year. Graduate level courses are offered in hybrid and online formats.

Fall Info Session Dates Coming Soon

Current students with questions regarding the 5th Year MACJ Program should contact Professor Adam Stearn, MACJ Director at astearn0815@curry.edu.

Program Requirements and Information

Undergraduate students must complete the following course by the spring of their junior year at the College to qualify for the program:

  • CJ/SOC 2600: Methods in Social Research

Senior Year - Fall Semester (carrying 18 credits – 12 undergraduate and 6 graduate):

  • 4 Undergraduate Courses Needed to Complete Bachelor Degree Program
  • MCJ 6005: Leadership in the 21st Century
  • MCJ 6015: Methods of Inquiry (fully online)

Senior Year - Spring Semester (carrying 18 credits – 12 undergraduate and 6 graduate):

  • 4 Undergraduate Courses Needed to Complete Bachelor Degree Program
  • MCJ 6080: Writing Intensive
  • MCJ 6010: Social Policy and the Administration of Justice

Summer Post Graduation:

  • MCJ 6025: Quantitative Data Analysis
  • MCJ 6036: Change Management and Resource Allocation (fully online)

Fall 5th Year:

  • MCJ 6020: Criminology (fully online)
  • MCJ 6040: Contemporary Issues

Spring 5th Year:

  • MCJ 6045: Contemporary Issues, Analysis and Application
  • MCJ 7000: Innovations in Justice – Capstone

Eligibility for Prospective Curry Students

Students who are interested in the 5th Year MACJ program will formally apply for the program during their junior year of study. Prior to submitting a formal application to the program, advisors will meet with students to assist them in selecting appropriate courses to fulfill prerequisites and to prepare for their timely entry into the 5th Year MACJ program. Students will also be invited to attend on-campus events including guest speakers and MACJ capstone presentations.

Prospective students with questions regarding the program may contact the Admissions Office.

Eligibility and Application Process for Curry Students in their Junior Year

Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (or better) in order to begin taking MACJ courses in the fall semester of their senior. Students earn the bachelor's degree at the end of their senior year and complete their MACJ the following spring semester.

Students must submit the following:

  • 5th Year MACJ Application and supporting materials – writing sample and personal essay
  • One Recommendation from a Curry College faculty member
  • Interview with the MACJ Director during the first semester Junior Year

The priority application deadline for the 5th Year MACJ program is March 15 of a student's junior year of study.  Current students with questions regarding the   Year MACJ program can contact Professor Adam Stearn, MACJ Director, at astearn0815@curry.edu.

Save on Tuition

Students participating in the 5th Year MACJ program benefit from taking graduate level courses while they are undergraduate students and save more than $7,000 in tuition costs by participating in this accelerated MACJ program rather than taking the standard MACJ after graduating with a bachelor's degree.

During the fall and spring semester of their senior year, students will take 6 credits of MCJ courses during each semester at no additional charge to their undergraduate tuition cost. These credits are built into the degree map to be 6 of the students 18 credits (full-time tuition is between 12 and 18 credits).

If a student enrolls in more than 18 credits, the College's standard per-credit billing rates policies would apply for each credit beyond 18 at the undergraduate per-credit tuition rate.

Financial aid is awarded to students based on their undergraduate enrollment status only.

After a student graduates at the end of the spring semester, they qualify for a 20% alumni tuition discount off the MACJ tuition rate (currently $742 per credit). Current Alumni Tuition rate for MACJ is $594 per credit.

For the summer following senior year, and subsequent semesters, students may be eligible for graduate student loans.