Located in Macomb, Illinois, Western Illinois University teaches students practical knowledge and administrative skills for their master of arts in law enforcement and justice administration degree. The program offers a variety of courses specializing in research and quantitative skills, law, policing, security and corrections with a focus on criminal justice education. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for undergraduate studies or a 3.0 GPA or higher in the last two years of the student's undergraduate work is required for program admission. Students must decide upon coursework centered on a thesis plan of study consisting of 33 semester hours or a non-thesis plan of study with 24 semester hours.
Students obtain a master of public administration degree to learn professional skills of justice administration in the public service. Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, offers students 37 hours of course study that include 19 core hours and 18 hours of specialization in justice administration classes such as criminal and civil law, comparative analysis and law enforcement administration. Students must have a completed baccalaureate degree -- social or behavioral sciences is preferred -- for admission. Graduate students can also obtain their master of public administration degree from Columbus State University in Georgia. A GPA of at least 2.75 on all undergraduate work, a statement of purpose, and three letters of recommendation are necessary for admission.
Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, has an educational department focused on the teachings of criminal justice. Students learn how to examine issues related to the administration of justice counseling, management problems and research. The program allows students to specialize in coursework such as crime and delinquency, criminal justice planning, and administration. For students to complete this program, they must decide whether to take 33 hours of coursework with a comprehensive examination or 33 hours of coursework with a written thesis.
The master of education in correctional education is another degree program offered by Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, that is tailored to teaching students about the justice system. This program offers academic knowledge in correctional education, administration and counseling. Similar to the master of science degree requirements, students must choose between a comprehensive examination and a completed seminar paper or a final written thesis for degree completion.