Program Overview

Overview of the Law Enforcement Administration Graduate Certificate

The Law Enforcement Administration Graduate Certificate is designed to provide law enforcement professionals with a solid understanding of law enforcement agency administration, leadership, and policy analysis. This program is ideal for those looking to enter leadership positions in public agencies, address management challenges, and develop and implement public policies.

Program Details

• The certificate program consists of 5 courses, each lasting 7.5 weeks, and totals 15 credit hours.
• The program covers topics such as policing strategies, police accountability, public management, and related fields like public administration.
• Graduates can develop skills in public administration, public agency management, policing program analysis and development, and policy analysis and development.

Courses

• Seminar in Policing: A graduate-level review of policing and police organizations, examining research on police strategies and practices designed to address crime.
• Police Accountability: An examination of the authority of police, the various ways police abuse that authority, the consequences of those abuses, and accountability mechanisms to prevent those abuses.
• Public Management: An exploration of the management process in government and public agencies, with an emphasis on executive leadership within the public sector.

Career Opportunities

• A law enforcement certificate can help advance careers as law enforcement officials, with graduates finding careers in U.S. law enforcement agencies, such as the police force, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and state troops agencies.
• Potential career paths include court clerk, environmental compliance inspector, first-line police supervisor, law enforcement teacher, and parking enforcement officer.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• A minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA in an applicable master's degree program, is required.
• All applicants must submit a graduate admission application and application fee, as well as a personal statement.
• Non-degree seeking students must also submit official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and an up-to-date resume.

Tuition and Fees

• The cost per credit hour for this program is $619.
• An additional mandatory Student Initiated Fee applies each semester and varies based on the number of credit hours taken.

Faculty and Accreditation

• The program is part of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, which is dedicated to addressing social problems through teaching, research, and service.
• The college is recognized for its public service programs, including being ranked #2 in the nation for graduate homeland security and emergency management programs by U.S. News & World Report.