Graduate Student Opportunities

You've got options. And you've got opportunities. Keep reading for more information.

MSCJS Fellowship

The Sociology and Criminal Justice Department awards a Program Fellow every year to defray costs of graduate school in return for 8 hours per week of work. All enrolled MSCJS students may apply for this position by emailing the resume to Professor Rebecca Stone by August 1 of any given calendar year. A candidate will be selected before the Fall semester begins, and the candidate will serve as MSCJS Fellow for both Fall and Spring semesters.

Alpha Phi Sigma

Eligible students have the ability to be part of the national criminal justice honor society, Alpha Phi Sigma. Graduate students must have completed four courses in criminal justice, have a minimum GPA of 3.4 and be in the top 25% of their class. The annual induction ceremony for Alpha Phi Sigma takes place in April or early May of each academic year.

Crime and Justice Graduate Student Association

The Crime and Justice Graduate Student Association (CJGSA) is an organization that was created as a means for students to come together outside of the program, not only for a chance to relax but with the purposes of networking. These CJGSA meetings are open to MSCJS students as well as any and all who have a passion for crime and justice.

If you would like to help in the planning of the events, students should consider becoming a member of the The Executive Board (E-Board). As an elected position, anyone who is a member of the MSCJS program may run for any of the following positions:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
  • Public Relations
  • Recruitment
  • Secretary

As a member of the E-Board, it is a student's duty to guide the CJGSA and by extension assist the students of the MSCJS program. It is up to the E-Board to plan events, networking opportunities and plan the bi-annual finals gift. If you would like to run for one of the positions or take part in the open meetings please send an email to Professor Rebecca Stone.

Graduate Internship in Crime & Justice

Though not required, internships are ideal for students who wish to clarify their career objectives or expand their experiences within their current careers. If you are currently enrolled in the MSCJS program and are interested in applying for an internship or practicum placement, please contact Professor Felicia Wiltz.

The graduate internship is a one- or two-semester placement in a crime and justice-related agency where the student experiences criminal justice in action. Students receive 3 credit hours per semester for a maximum of 6 credit hours. In the semester prior to enrollment, students must meet with the director to explore possible placements prior to placement. Placements can range from advocacy to law enforcement agencies to penal institutions. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to enroll in an internship or practicum.

Recent placements include:

  • Local and State Nonprofits
  • County Courts
  • County Sheriffs Departments
  • State Correctional Institutions
  • Local and State Police
  • State Youth & Criminal Justice agencies
  • Federal Criminal Justice agencies
  • Suffolk Superior Court
  • Prisoner Education Network
  • Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services
  • Suffolk Country District Attorney
  • Office of the Commissioner of Probation
  • Suffolk County Sheriff
  • Boston Alcohol & Substance Abuse Programs
  • Portal to Hope
  • U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office
  • Massachusetts State Police
  • Massachusetts Department of Youth Service
  • Massachusetts State Fire Marshall’s Office
  • Suffolk County House of Corrections

Careers

Our alumni go on to a variety of rewarding careers. The following is a sampling of positions earned by recent graduates of our programs:

  • Adjunct Faculty Instructor, Salem State University
  • Advocate, Middlesex County Courts Child Abuse Unit
  • Annual Campaign Manager, Mercy for Animals
  • Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, CIBC US
  • Assistant Director, Boston Reentry Initiative
  • Assistant Director, Undergraduate Education at ROCA, INC.
  • Captain, Massachusetts State Police
  • Case Manager Supervisor, Community Resources for Justice
  • Caseworker, Department of Youth Services
  • CEO, Interfor, Inc., a private security and security consulting firm
  • Community Based Clinician, Wayside Youth and Family Support Network
  • Crime Analyst, Massachusetts State Police
  • Data and Research Manager, Heading Home
  • Director of Innovation, Implementation, and Development, Community Resources for Justice
  • Director of State House Security, Massachusetts State House
  • Emerging Technology Senior Consultant, Fifth9 Limited, Inc.
  • Family Advocate Program Coordinator, Northeastern University
  • Grants Manager, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center
  • Immigration Services Officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Intergovernmental Relations Senior Manager, Massachusetts Trial Court and Adjunct Professor at Suffolk University
  • Investigator, Massachusetts Attorney General's Office
  • Jail Diversion Clinician, Newton Police Department
  • Legal Intern, Cardozo School of Law Criminal Defense Clinic
  • Legislative Aide to Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr
  • Massachusetts Department of Corrections, US Border Patrol
  • Mental Health Professional, Massachusetts Department of Corrections
  • Paralegal, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
  • Paralegal, Tennessee Attorney General's Office
  • Policy Specialist; Teaching Assistant II & Lecturer, Crime and Justice Institute and at UMASS Boston
  • Probation Officer, Brockton District Court
  • Program Director, Care One
  • Program Manager, Roca, Inc.
  • Restorative Case Manager, Franklin Grand Isle Restorative Justice Center
  • SEEN Family Advocate and Case Manager, Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County
  • Social Justice Services Director, Community Resources for Justice
  • Social Worker, Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
  • Special Investigator, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.
  • State Trooper, New Hampshire State Police
  • Transitional Coordinator, Elliot Community Health Services
  • Treatment Program Supervisor, MCI Framingham
  • Victim Advocate, Mass Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA)
  • Violence Intervention Advocacy Program Coordinator, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • US Probation Officer

Events

Each Fall students, faculty, alumni and friends of MSCJS are invited to a networking reception. Students hear about career paths and networking opportunities for internships and future employment.

Throughout the academic year MSCJS invites practitioners and scholars in the field to present their work and meet our students. Recent presenters include:

  • Kara Hayes, Director, Restorative Justice Practices at Suffolk County District Attorney's Office
  • Maria V. D'Addieco, MSW, United States Probation Officer, District of Massachusetts
  • Felice J. Freyer, Reporter, Boston Globe