The Justice Studies Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) Scholars Program enables qualified students in the Bachelor in Science in Justice Studies program to simultaneously complete the requirements for both the baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Students can progress from undergraduate to graduate status seamlessly, with a simplified application process and no application fee, and complete both degrees in a year’s less time as compared to completing them separately. This will provide significant cost savings to the student. 

Admissions Requirements

Most students will become eligible to apply for the SAGE program in the Fall semester of their Year 3 and enter the pathway during the Spring semester of Year 4. To be eligible, students must: 

1. Successfully complete a minimum of 60 undergraduate degree applicable units and not more than 120 undergraduate degree applicable units at the time of admission into the SAGE program;
2. Have completed the undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (Writing in the Disciplines/100W/GWAR) prior to admission into the SAGE program;
3. Completion of JS 10 , JS 12 , and JS 25 ;
4. Completion of JS 15  or STAT 95 ;
5. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, or GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 semester units;
6. Completed all lower division GE requirements; 
7. Must not be declared in another major;
8. 2 academic letters of recommendation addressing the applicant’s qualifications and potential for success in the combined SAGE program;
9. A 1,250 word, double-spaced essay responding to the following prompt: Describe and discuss a justice-related issue you see as important to our society and/or particularly relevant to contemporary times. In your essay, you may want to focus on one or more of the following questions: What are the social causes of this issue? What are its historical origins? What explains its persistence? How does it impact the human rights of individuals involved? How is this issue being addressed by our society? Could it be addressed differently? What policy changes would be needed? (Students should cite and reference any sources used.)

Graduate Standing Requirements

Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, with no individual grade below a C. Students not maintaining these standards will be placed on probation initially, followed by disqualification if the grades are not improved within two semesters. To advance to candidacy in the graduate program, students must have completed 9 units of graduate coursework in the MS Justice Studies program and have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate coursework. 

SAGE students must meet the same undergraduate graduation requirements as BS Justice Studies majors, including University and GE requirements, to be conferred the BS. As graduate students, SAGE students must meet all current graduate program requirements including having a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in their graduate work.

Advising Roadmap

The following roadmap is a sample advising map to complete the SAGE Scholars program in 5 years. Please consult your major advisor  as you develop your individualized academic plan. Students must have completed 60+ units in order to enroll in SJSU Studies courses.

Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5