Appointments must be made online.
All appointments must be scheduled through the MSU's Student Information System. Please refer to this reference guide if you encounter any issues.
Check MSU’s academic calendar frequently to verify deadlines for adding or dropping courses or withdrawing from the university. Generally, students have until the end of the first week of class to add a course, and the middle of the semester to drop with no grade penalty (although the period for receiving a tuition refund is before the middle of the semester).
An independent study can be completed when a student wishes to study a specific topic for which a course is not available. Independent studies are not done often, and students are expected to have a high GPA and evidence of strong work in prior classes. Interested students must identify a faculty member and work with them to develop the following:
Students and instructors must submit an Application for Independent Study. Once the form has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate parties, an advisor will issue an override for CJ 490, which will allow the student to enroll in the course.
Meet with your academic advisor for recommendations and identify the course(s) that you plan to take. You may also use transfer.msu.edu to identify courses that can be transferred to MSU. If completing courses MSU hasn’t yet evaluated, please contact your advisor for instructions regarding the process to have courses evaluated.
Transcripts can be ordered online through the Registrar’s Office.
If you are a Freshman or Sophomore, you may change your major with University Advising.
Students with 40 credits or more should make an appointment to see a Criminal Justice Advisor to review degree requirements and get instructions on how to change majors.
Please see our Academic Programs page for more information on double majoring in Criminal Justice or receiving a second degree.
Students wishing to complete either the additional major or the second degree must meet with an advisor to complete the necessary paperwork and to review requirements.
Please visit the School of Criminal Justice Career Services and Internship webpage to learn more.
You may also make an appointment with our Career Placement Specialist Tim Homberg (hombergt@msu.edu).
Visit our undergraduate Research Opportunities page for the latest opportunities available.
Yes, students must apply for graduation under the Academic Progress Tile on student.msu.edu, preferably before the start of their graduating semester. Students who cannot access their graduation application should contact their advisor immediately.
Students intending to participate in a commencement ceremony can register on the commencement website.
Click here for more information.
No, 120 credits is the minimum number of credits an MSU student needs to graduate. There is no penalty or negative association with having more than 120 credits.
Yes, students completing degree requirements in the summer can still participate in spring commencement, since there is no summer commencement offered. However, when applying to graduate, students will need to apply to graduate for the summer semester. Those students’ names will appear in the commencement program under the list for summer graduates, and they will receive diplomas at the end of the summer semester. These degrees are usually mailed out at the end of the second summer session.
Keep in mind that not all classes are offered during the summer sessions. Check the Descriptions of Courses or speak to an advisor to determine what will be offered for students who are planning to graduate in August.
Interested students learn more about the on-campus program HERE or the online programs HERE.
Each instructor makes their own decisions about how to teach a course, within the bounds of MSU's Code of Teaching Responsibility. Not liking the instructor's decisions or teaching style is not unfair in and of itself. Should a grade be considered unfair you can contact the Undergraduate Director of the School of Criminal Justice, who is responsible for assisting students with petitions, waivers, and transfers, as well as grievances related to course issues.
Grievances that can be brought to the Undergraduate Director include whether you think the instructor has violated MSU's Code of Teaching Responsibility or a Grade Grievance if you believe the grade was based on inappropriate or irrelevant factors, or violated the course grading policy as stated in the course syllabus. We highly recommend students first contact the instructor responsible for their specific course to seek resolution before contacting the Undergraduate Director. Should a resolution not be possible, the Undergraduate Director can provide assistance, which may include directing students to the Office of the University Ombudsperson for assistance.
While advisors are valuable sources of information, students are ultimately responsible for knowing graduation requirements and ensuring these have been met. All students should regularly check MSU’s Registrar's Website to review requirements for their degree program.
Students can also speak to the Director of Undergraduate Affairs in the College of Social Science if they are unhappy with advising in their major.
See an academic advisor immediately—there may be a solution. To avoid this problem, students should always print a completed copy of their course schedules after they have completed enrollment.
Students who wish to withdraw completely from the university during a semester in which they are enrolled should go to the Office of Undergraduate Affairs in the College of Social Science.
Unauthorized withdrawal, or leaving the university without obtaining an official withdrawal, will result in the student being reported as having failed all courses and the forfeiture of any fees or deposits that might otherwise be refunded.