Administration of Justice M.S. Degree

Institutions of social control are in constant change due in part to the public's demand for a quality system of justice. In this climate, government at all levels is insisting on a higher level of intellectual and educational preparation for those who desire to significantly participate in the operation and administration of its criminal justice systems.

Juvenile Courts Judges' Commission

Working professionals in the field of Juvenile Probation and related fields may be eligible for a graduate degree fully subsidized by the Juvenile Courts Judges' Commission (JCJC) program held exclusively at Shippensburg University. For more information, please click on this link. Juvenile Courts Judges' Commission

The Program

In response to local and regional needs, the Department of Criminal Justice developed the master of science degree program in administration of justice in 1983. In 1999, the program was significantly revised to make it more consistent with its contemporaries yet unique enough to serve our special populations. The program is designed for in-service and pre-service students. Practitioners raise their level of education while adding research and theory to the in-field experiences. Pre-service students gain direct and indirect benefits from the program as they study and interact with experienced professionals. The program enhances career potentials for both groups of graduate students.

The program's major strengths are its applied perspective and strong emphasis on theory, policy, research, and analysis. Philosophy, format, and implementation stresses the practical application of a higher level of knowledge, skills, and strategies. The methodological and theory components are highly suitable as a preparation for entering advanced graduate studies and other professional programs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet all requirements of the School of Graduate Studies as defined in the current Graduate Catalog. Applicants should have a baccalaureate degree in criminal justice, administration of justice, or a related social science field from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 2.75 as a minimum.

Degree Requirements (36 Credits)

(Excel Document)

To qualify for the degree of master of science in administration of justice, you must complete as a minimum 36 hours of graduate work distributed as follows:

  • REQUIRED (24 Credits)
    • CRJ 501       Foundations of Criminal Justice
    • CRJ 520       Criminal Justice Administration and Management
    • CRJ 550       Graduate Seminar
    • CRJ 560       Theories of Crime and Delinquency
    • CRJ 590       Criminal Justice Policy Analysis
    • CRJ 600       Research Methods in Criminal Justice
    • CRJ 610       Quantitative Analysis in Criminal Justice
    • CRJ 635       Restorative Justice 
  • Electives (12 Credits)
    • CRJ 570       Legal Trends and Issues
    • CRJ 580       Juvenile Justice System
    • CRJ 585       Treatment and Rehabilitation
    • CRJ 593       Independent Study
    • CRJ 594       Selected Topics
    • CRJ 595       Practicum I (JCJC students only)
    • CRJ 597       Practicum II (JCJC students only)
    • CRJ 612       Thesis I
    • CRJ 613       Thesis II
    • CRJ 617       Internship I
    • CRJ 618       Internship II

With Department of Criminal Justice approval, and providing the student meets the requirements of the department offering the course, courses numbered 500 and above can be taken from one or more of the following: Counseling, Educational Leadership and Policy, Geography/Earth Science, History, Political Science, Psychology and Special Education. These courses may be substituted for criminal justice electives up to a maximum of nine credits.  Administration of Justice students are no longer permitted to schedule 400-level courses.

Resources

Shippensburg University is located near major cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. State government in the capital city, Harrisburg, provides numerous opportunities to study and do research with state and federal agencies.

Students have opportunities to work on research projects with departmental faculty. Computer resources and excellent library facilities are available.

Financial Aid

Graduate assistantships are available to four students who want to enhance their learning experience by assisting the faculty with research, teaching and other tasks during the academic year. One graduate assistantship is available during the summer. For more information about graduate assistantships, click here.