Master's Admission Requirements
Doctoral Admission Requirements
Our admissions process is based upon a comparison of qualifications among those who apply. We consider a broad range of information about each candidate. Our objective is to enroll a cohort each year that is both academically accomplished and diverse in interests, background, and experience.
Our primary considerations for admissions are previous academic performance; graduate performance potential and research interests. Applications include university transcripts, three letters of reference and a statement of area of research interest. The cumulative grade point average is a measure of past academic performance and potential performance as a graduate student. Assessments from qualified referees of an applicant's ability to undertake advanced work in criminology is another indicator or future academic performance. The Statement of Interest reflects what an applicant's areas of research interest are and why s/he wants to pursue graduate studies in criminology.
Prospective Aboriginal Students: The School of Criminology actively invites applications from Aboriginal applicants – Aboriginal persons may self-identify by attaching a letter to their application.
The School of Criminology is currently accepting applications to their MA and PhD programs starting in September. Applicants must ensure that all components of their applications are received by the school on or before January 31st.
English is the language of instruction and communication in the University. Accordingly; an applicant whose primary language is not English or whose previous education has been conducted in another language must demonstrate command of English sufficient to pursue graduate studies in the chosen field.
Applicants normally will be required to achieve a satisfactory score on a standardized English test acceptable to the University. This test must include a written component. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) combined with the Test of Written English (TWE) is acceptable for this purpose. The minimum University requirements for scores on computerized tests are TOEFL=570 (computer-based score is 230) and TWE=5.
Ideally references should be from faculty or people in a related professional field who hold at least a Master’s Degree.
Referees should be made aware of the following:
The British Columbia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act allows an applicant to have access to the information contained in his/her letters of reference where that can be done without disclosing the identities of the referees who supply a reference in confidence. It is understood between Simon Fraser University and yourself that the letter of reference is supplied in confidence unless you state otherwise.
*Time limits may vary due to individual circumstances
Admission requirements for the M.A. program in criminology are the same as those for other disciplines offered at Simon Fraser University (i.e., applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) from a recognized university, or the equivalent). Admission is on a competitive basis, thus, meeting the minimum criteria does not, in and of itself, guarantee admission. In the recent past the average GPA for admission has been over 3.6. For details please consult the Simon Fraser University Calendar (obtainable from the University Bookstore, 604-291-3656 for a fee). All applicants are required to forward official copies of their transcripts and to send a short statement of research interests (not less that 350 words and not more than 600 words). Note, a GRE test score is not required.
Normally, an applicant should have at least one course in social science research methods and one undergraduate introductory course in statistics.
Thesis Option:
Candidates for an M.A. degree via this option must take a minimum of eighteen (18) hours of coursework consisting of:
1. Crim. 800-3 (Theories of Crime I)
2. Crim. 840-3 (Proseminar)
3. Crim. 860-3 (Research Methods I)
4. Crim. 861-3 (Research Methods II),
Crim. 862-3 (Research Methods III)
or
Crim 863-3 (Research Methods IV)
5. At least six (6) hours selected from additional graduate curriculum offerings;
6. Satisfactory completion and oral defence of an original M.A. thesis.
The thesis will normally not be more than 100 pages in length, including bibliography and footnotes, but exclusive of appendices.
Course, Practicum and Project Option:
Candidates for an M.A. degree via this option must take a minimum of twenty-one (21) hours of coursework consisting of:
1. Crim. 800-3 (Theories of Crime I)
2. Crim. 810-3 (The Phenomena of Crime I)
3. Crim. 840-3 (Proseminar)
4. Crim. 860-3 (Research Methods I)
5. Crim. 869-3 (Professionalsim and Criminal Justice)
6. At least six (6) hours selected from additional graduate curriculum offerings;
7. Satisfactory completion of a supervised one semester field placement in criminal justice related agency;
8. Satisfactory completion of research project related to the field placement and preparation of a project report.
9. Satisfactory public presentation of practicum project.
The minimum University requirements for admission to the Doctoral Program are provided in the general regulations, Graduate Program Section 1.3.3.
Although applicants with two degrees from the School of Criminology may be accepted into the Ph.D. program, the School emphasizes that this is not considered a good practice.
Normally, an applicant should have at least one course in social science research methods and one undergraduate introductory course in statistics.
All applicants are required to submit a statement of research interests (not less than 500 words and not more than 750 words), and at least two examples of previous academic work they have authored in English (e.g., research publications or other academic papers).
Candidates for a Ph.D. degree must take a minimum of thirty-three (33) hours of coursework consisting of:
1. At least three Research Methods courses (Crim. 860-3, 861-3, 862-3 and 863-3);
2. Crim. 800-3 (Theories of Crime I);
3. Crim 840-3 (Proseminar);
4. At least eighteen (18) hours selected from additional curriculum offerings;
5. Two comprehensive examinations; and
6. Satisfactory completion and oral defence of an original Ph.D. dissertation.
NOTE: While two of the core areas are entitled "Methods" and "Theory", methodological and theoretical issues are relevant to all of the core areas.
Up to 15 of these 33 required hours may be waived on the basis of course equivalency at the time of admission, at the discretion of the Criminology Graduate Programs Committee (GPC).
A maximum of nine semester credit hours of course work may be taken in another department or at another university with the prior approval of the student's Supervisory Committee and the Graduate Programs Committee. If such course(s) leave students with 1 or 2 credits remaining, they will generally not be waived.
All doctoral students will be required to write comprehensive examinations in two of the five core areas of the graduate program curriculum. Normally, students will be expected to finish courses and comprehensives within two years of entering the program.
Each candidate is required to develop a prospectus for a dissertation, based on original research, in the semester following that in which the comprehensive examinations have been passed. The prospectus will define the proposed investigation and demonstrate the relationship between it and existing scholarship. The prospectus will be presented to the supervisory committee for approval. On approval, the dissertation prospectus shall be available to faculty and resident graduate students and presented at a school colloquium.
The completed dissertation will be defended in an oral examination by an examining committee constituted under the provisions of the general regulation (Graduate Programs section 1.9.3 University Calendar)