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 Advance your career and increase your earning potential with a 100% online Master of Science in the Administration of Justice degree from the University of Louisville. Our innovative curriculum and award-winning faculty provide an educational experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Why choose UofL? You will…

• Learn from faculty with distinguished academic credentials, industry experience and a strong commitment to applied research
• Earn your degree in as little as two years
• Interact with other online learners across the globe
• Increase your earning potential and career opportunities
• Receive academic credit for previously completed leadership training

Flexible NEW Format

Our convenient new block-format allows you to take only one class every 6-week term, giving you more time to focus on class material, as well as the flexibility to spend time with family and pursue your career. You can earn your Master of Science in Administration of Justice in as little as two years, taking 100% of your courses online.

The program requires a minimum of 36 credits for completion: a core of 15 hours, 18 hours of electives and 3 credits for the completion of a professional paper. The core curriculum includes an overview of the criminal justice system, theories of crime and delinquency, legal issues in criminal justice and advanced statistics and research methods. Elective courses cover specialized topics within criminal justice such as capital punishment, violent crime, domestic violence, criminal justice in media, international terrorism, substance abuse and justice policy, and issues in policing and ethics in criminal justice practice.

If you have received graduate credit from another institution, six credits may be transferred. If you are a graduate of the Administration Officers Course (AOC) offered by the Southern Police Institute at UofL, you have already earned 12 hours toward your degree! You do not need to submit documentation of your AOC credit; it is already on file at UofL. To learn more about transferring credit, contact us and an advisor will be happy to look over your transcripts.

For a complete list of course requirements, see the graduate catalog. Course descriptions can be found in the online schedule of courses.

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Career Opportunities

Nationally, almost 2 million individuals are employed in the criminal justice system. These jobs include police officers, special agents, criminal investigators, corrections officers, probation and parole officers, correctional treatment specialists, criminal records managers, court referral officers, court managers, security specialists, crime prevention officers, victim advocates, juvenile service workers, and criminal justice planners. Careers in criminal justice are rewarding, providing practitioners with ever changing challenges.

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Faculty

The foundation of this educational program is a committed and active faculty. Due to the expertise of the faculty, a number of partnerships have been developed between the Department of Justice Administration and national, state, and local criminal justice agencies. Through these partnerships, faculty provide timely and essential research, service and advisement on current issues within criminal justice. This active practical involvement serves to enhance the relevance of classroom instruction and the currency of educational material offered by the program.

Faculty are currently actively involved with the U.S. Department of Justice in the development of an F.B.I. Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory in addition to ongoing research with local, state and federal law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies.

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Admission

Anyone seeking admission to the Graduate School, University of Louisville, for purposes of pursuing the Master of Science in 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 applicants 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 interest and goals and the applicant's motivation and potential for graduate work
• Complete application for admission to the Graduate School, University of Louisville
• $60 application fee, check or money order made payable to the University of Louisville
  

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be admitted to the program:

• 3.0 (GPA) on a 4-point scale and 900 combined quantitative and verbal scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or
• Completion of 12 hours of graduate course credit with a minimum of a 3.0 (GPA) on a 4-point scale.  GRE will additionally be waived for applicants meeting these conditions.
  

For individuals who cannot meet these conditions, provisional admission is an option.  Provisional admission allows students to take graduate classes and, if they attain a 3.0 or higher grade point average in the first semester of their graduate course work, be admitted to the program.  All courses taken by students while they are in provisional admission status “count” toward completion of the Master of Science Degree.  Provisional status is determined on a case-by-case basis.  Generally, the following factors are taken into consideration:

• Grade point average in the applicant’s major and/or final 60 hours of undergraduate work.

• Amount of time that has transpired between the applicant’s undergraduate degree completion and application to the graduate program in Justice Administration.
• Applicant’s work experience and accomplishments in their profession.
• Grade point average in graduate work at other accredited academic institutions.
• A less than 3.0 grade point average that is “offset” by a combined GRE score greater than 900 OR a combined GRE score less than 900 that is “offset” by a greater than 3.0 grade point average.

 Non-degree status is also an option for individuals who are interested in “testing the waters” or simply taking a graduate course.  Contact us if you would like more details on provisional or non-degree admission.

If you live outside of the United States and intend to complete an online academic program from your home country, be sure to view special requirements for international students.

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