Quick Links

About the Program

• Admissions Information
• Admission and Program Contacts
• Program Factsheet

Mission

• The program focuses on contemporary issues in criminal justice management and the challenges facing the criminal justice sector of contemporary government.
• As a graduate degree, its mission is to develop leaders in the criminal justice professions.

Design

• The program consists of 10 graduate courses, 33 credits.
  • 5 core courses, which must be taken in sequence
  • 5 electives
• The program is designed for students to take 2 courses a term, over 5 terms.
  • It is best to begin the program in the fall semester. Fall entry allows students to take one core class and one elective each term.
  • Students can also begin in the spring semester. Spring entry requires students to take 2 core courses in their third term and 2 electives in their fifth term.
  • Students should avoid beginning the program in the summer. Students beginning in the summer will require 6 terms to complete the program. If they have financial aid, they will need to skip the fourth term. If financial aid is not involved, they may elect to take 1 elective in the fourth term and one core course in the fifth or sixth term.
  • Not following the correct pattern for the term of entry, or not taking the core courses in their sequence can cause significant delay and problems with completion.
• All courses are online; most courses combine the online delivery with several traditional class sessions on campus.
• Dates of the on-campus sessions, usually scheduled on Saturdays, are provided at least 2 months in advance.
• Students are assisted in details of registering and progress toward graduation by a graduate academic advisor.
• Students in the program are also mentored on issues related to career objectives by a faculty advisor, who is assigned to each accepted student.
• Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to be in good standing throughout the program, and have at least a 3.0 to graduate.
• At the start of each fall semester, an orientation will be held to introduce students to the faculty and to provide them with an overview of the goals and expectations of the program.  Students who elect to begin in the spring or summer should also attend the fall orientation.  The 2013 orientation is scheduled for Saturday, August 24, 10am-12 noon.

The Curriculum

• Courses cover major ideas, issues, theories, and research in the field of Criminal Justice Administration.
• Emphasis is on development of theoretical reasoning and research skills, as well as the application of theory to practice.
• A carefully constructed “core” of courses, leading students through the “real world” experience of creating and presenting a grant proposal, develops the competencies needed by those with administrative responsibility in public agencies.
  

Resident Faculty

• Dr. Fawn Ngo
• Dr. Ernest Scott
• Dr. James Unnever