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 the link to the left entitled: 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. Admission is based on a 2.75 or better undergraduate quality point average or satsfactory scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
Degree Requirements (36 Credits)
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, 3-9 credits of 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 not permitted to schedule 400-level courses as graduate credits.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are available to students who want to enhance their learning experience by assisting the faculty with research, teaching and other tasks during the academic year. Graduate assistantships may be available during the fall, spring, and summer. For more information about graduate assistantships contact the Department of Criminal Justice's Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Matthew Fetzer - mdfetzer@ship.edu or telephone at (717) 477-1630. To complete an application or check the availability of Graduate Assistantships, please click here.