Program Overview

Executive Master of Science in Justice Administration and Leadership

The Executive Master of Science in Justice Administration and Leadership program at The University of Texas at Dallas is designed to deliver high-quality education to working professionals. The program aims to prepare students to examine the role of leadership within justice agencies and organizations, evaluate and apply relevant research findings on leadership and administration, and advance the understanding of the consequences of change within justice organizations.

Mission

The mission of the program is to:

• Deliver high-quality education to working professionals
• Prepare students to evaluate and apply relevant research findings on leadership and administration
• Advance the understanding of the consequences of change within justice organizations
• Prepare students to apply relevant techniques of leadership, management, conflict resolution, and negotiation

Objectives

The Executive Master of Science in Justice Administration and Leadership (MS-JAL) is housed in the Criminology Program and provides students with a coherent and intellectually challenging degree that prepares a new generation of leaders to manage and administer justice and other social service organizations. The program will deliver an innovative and integrated curriculum that connects key components of leadership and administration in the justice setting.

Facilities

Students have access to the computing facilities in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, and the University's computer labs. The school has four computing laboratories which have 24-30 computers that are network linked and equipped with major social science software packages.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate teaching and research assistantships will not be available.

Admissions Requirement

The Executive Master of Science in Justice Administration and Leadership (MS-JAL) seeks applications from students with a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education or college. Although applications will be reviewed holistically, in general, entering students have earned a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (on a 4.0 point scale). Students should also submit:

• An online application
• All transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation
• A resume
• A one-to-two page essay outlining the applicant's background, education, and professional objectives No GRE is required for admission, and no thesis is required for completion of the degree.

Prerequisites

For the Executive Master of Science in Justice Administration and Leadership, students with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Public Administration, or general business will have the necessary foundation for the master's degree. Students who lack this foundation should complete the following undergraduate courses at UT Dallas or their equivalents at another institution:

• CRIM 3302 Advanced Criminology
• CRIM 3303 Advanced Criminal Justice
• CRIM 3304 Research Methods in Crime and Justice Studies

Degree Requirements

Students seeking an Executive Master of Science in Justice Administration and Leadership degree must complete 30 semester credit hours of coursework in the program. The Core curriculum includes:

• 12 semester credit hours in criminal justice policy and criminology
• 9 semester credit hours in public administration and practice courses
• 6 semester credit hours in legal aspects of administration and dispute resolution
• 3 semester credit hours of independent research acting as a capstone project to satisfy a writing requirement Students must achieve at least an overall grade point average of 3.0 to graduate.

Core Courses

The Core courses include:

• Criminology (12 semester credit hours)
  • CRIM 6311 Crime and Justice Policy
  • CRIM 6390 Administration of Justice Agencies
  • CRIM 6395 Contemporary Issues in Justice Administration
  • One 3 semester credit hour CRIM elective (6000 level course)
• Public Administration (9 semester credit hours)
  • PA 6316 Leadership in Public and Nonprofit Management
  • PA 6345 Human Resource Management
  • PA 6351 (CRIM 6351) Introduction to Homeland Security
• Legal Aspects and Dispute Resolutions (6 semester credit hours)
  • CRIM 6312 Legal Aspects of Justice Administration
  • PA 6319 Topics in Public Affairs [when topic is Negotiation and Dispute Resolutions]
• Capstone Course Requirement (3 semester credit hours)
  • CRIM 6399 Capstone in Justice Administration Other courses may substitute for those listed with the approval of the Executive MS-JAL Director or the Criminology Program Head.