Master of Public Administration - Criminal Justice Specialization

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a 36 credit hour program consisting of a 24-credit-hour core plus a 12-credit-hour specialization. With a strong emphasis on social responsibility and civic engagement, the MPA program at Indiana Wesleyan University gives students the skills necessary to effectively and compassionately confront the challenges of today’s diverse populations. It prepares students to assume leadership and management roles in local, state, and federal levels of government, and similar roles in nonprofit organizations. The curriculum emphasizes the skills necessary for ethical and efficient public management, including planning, policy analysis, and decision-making.

Upon completion of the MPA program at Indiana Wesleyan University, students will be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to lead and manage in public governance.
Participate in the policy process to facilitate positive outcomes.
Utilize critical thinking skills to solve problems and make decisions within the public administration context.
Articulate a public service perspective.
Apply the practices of productive communication and interaction with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.
Integrate biblical perspectives into the evaluation and execution of administrative processes involved in today’s public sector organizations.
Evaluate complex problems with the specialized knowledge and skills needed for criminal justice organizations.
Explain a foundational knowledge of criminal justice as a field of inquiry.
Articulate the importance of strategic and effective criminal justice organizations in benefitting society and creating hope in the world.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for the master's degree program are as follows:

A baccalaureate or graduate degree from a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) verified on original transcripts sent by the institution directly to Indiana Wesleyan University.
An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher from the baccalaureate degree granting institution at which at least a minimum of 30 hours was completed. If an applicant’s GPA is below 2.5, the student may be admitted on a probationary basis, as established by the guidelines of the college.

Program Requirements

Students must successfully complete POL-521 (minimum grade of "C") in order to continue in the program.
Students must successfully complete all other program core and specialization courses prior to taking the capstone course.
Credit may be transferred in from a regionally accredited institution (maximum of six hours) for any core or specialization course except for POL-587. The curriculum will be completed in the order established by Indiana Wesleyan University. Indiana Wesleyan University reserves the right to modify the curriculum as necessary.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate with a master's degree the following requirements must be met:

All credits required in the curriculum sequence with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a minimum grade of "C" in each course. A grade of "C-" or below will require the course to be repeated.
Overall GPA of 3.0 in all IWU graduate work.
Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

Master of Public Administration (Criminal Justice Specialization) - Program of Study

Core Courses

POL-521	Public Institutions and Values	3
POL-523	Organizational Management and Behavior	3
POL-531	Financing Public Services	3
POL-533	Ethical Leadership in the Public Sector	3
POL-535	Public Policy Processes and Strategies	3
POL-541	Research Methods and Inquiry	3
POL-543	Scholarly Research and Writing	3

Specialization Courses - Criminal Justice

CRJ-526	Criminal Justice Policy	3
CRJ-534	Criminal Justice Administration	3
CRJ-542	Economic Analysis of Crime	3
CRJ-586	Criminal Justice Leadership	3

Capstone Experience

POL-587	MPA Capstone	3
Total Credit Hours:		36