The goals of the Department of Justice Administration are for students to achieve a sound liberal arts education and a specialized understanding of the criminal justice system, criminal behavior, legal processes and the relationship of these phenomena to society.

Graduate studies in the Department of Justice Administration provide students with advanced social and behavioral science skills as well as a detailed and thorough understanding of crime, criminal justice and related processes. Graduates of this program are prepared to continue advanced studies in criminal justice or other social sciences and to assume mid and upper-level leadership positions within criminal justice programs and agencies.

The interdisciplinary nature of the program maintains the dynamic posture that allowed this crime-related discipline to emerge and to mature quickly and successfully. Graduate students are given latitude in choosing elective courses in the Master of Science in the Administration of Justice. Elective courses related to the student's program of study are selected from the resources of the entire University. Courses in social work, public administration, law, business, and the various departments of the College of Arts and Sciences are possible electives that the student and his or her advisor may consider. With proper selection, the electives can complement the core criminal justice courses and produce a balanced, interdisciplinary program which is tailored to meet specific professional and career goals.

The combination of three elements, the degree programs, the Southern Police Institute and the National Crime Prevention Institute, makes the program in Justice Administration a unique blend of theory and practice.

• The Southern Police Institute, one of the oldest, most respected police management and administration educational programs in the United States.
• The Institute for Community Security and Public Safety, formerly The National Crime Prevention Institute, the only center in the country devoted exclusively to training and educating crime prevention and loss prevention specialists and managers.

Our programs are offered in two formats:

• evening courses on campus, and
• on-line via the internet

Admissions
Anyone seeking admission to the Graduate School, University of Louisville, for purposes of pursuing the Master of Science in the Administration of Justice must provide the following:

• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work completed. The minimum requirement for admission is the Baccalaureate degree or its equivalent.
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the applicant's academic or professional capabilities.
• Scores on the General Test Section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• An original essay identifying the applicant's background, professional interests and goals. The essay should be 300-500 words and should allow the faculty to better understand the applicant's motivation and potential for graduate work.
• Completed application for admission to the Graduate School, University of Louisville at http://graduate.louisville.edu/apply/.
• $50.00 application fee, check or money order made payable to the University of Louisville.

The faculty in Justice Administration consider applications and supporting materials and recommend a disposition. The minimum requirements for admission to degree status are a grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4-point scale in senior-college courses and at least 900 on the combined verbal and quantitative scores of the GRE as well as a positive evaluation of the letters of recommendation and the essay.

General Requirements
The general requirements for the Master of Science degree in the Administration of Justice are the completion of at least 36 graduate credit hours. The completion of these credit hours may include either thesis or non-thesis option. The thesis option requires the completion of 30 semester hours of graduate level courses and a thesis for a total of 36 credit hours. The non-thesis professional paper option requires the completion of 33 semester hours of graduate courses plus a professional paper for a total of 36 credit hours. At least a 3.0 grade average must be maintained for all graduate coursework. Core or specific courses required for graduation total 15 semester hours with the remaining courses being electives. The composition of the list of elective courses will vary from student to student depending on the student's undergraduate major, aspirations and background.

The degree is offered in two formats, our traditional on campus classes and also via the internet, see department web-page for more information. Students may choose either format or a combination of both methods of delivery.