Public Administration, MPA and Criminal Justice, MS Dual Degree

Overview

The dual degree in public administration and criminal justice provides the opportunity for students to earn graduate degrees concurrently from two academic programs – the Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ). Students successfully completing this dual-degree program will have the skills and analytical techniques for successful careers in both public administration and criminal justice. After successful completion of the dual-degree program, students will receive two diplomas, one for the MPA and one for the MSCJ.

Program Highlights

• 51 credit hours
• Earn two degrees in less time
• Receive two diplomas
• Degrees can be completed online

Curriculum

The dual-degree program requires 51 credit hours for completion. This includes all of the core courses in the public administration degree and all of the core courses in the criminal justice degree. The credit hour breakdown is as follows:

• 33 credit hours of core courses
• Six credit hours of research methods/statistics core courses
• Six credit hours of electives
• Six credit hours of capstone courses

Students must achieve a minimum grade “B” for each criminal justice core class and a “B-” for each public administration core course, as well as maintain an overall program GPA of 3.0. For more information, please visit the UCF Graduate Catalog or view the plan of study.

Certificates

Students accepted into a dual-degree graduate program may apply some credits toward a graduate certificate. Students must apply separately to the certificate program of their choice.

Admissions and Advising

Applicants should apply directly to the dual-degree track of either the MPA or the MSCJ program. Only one application is required.  Applications are accepted in the fall and spring semesters.

Prospective students seeking enrollment in the dual-degree program should submit the following for consideration:

• An official, sealed transcript of each college or university attended, showing a GPA of 3.0 or better
• Three letters of recommendation
• A current resume
• A goal statement, no longer than two pages, addressing the following:
  • What is your reason for pursuing this degree program, and how does it fit into your future goals and plans?
  • What specific areas of public administration interest you?
  • What previous work experience do you have in the field?
  • What make you a special candidate for this limited-access program?

For more information on admissions, please contact our graduate advisor, Elexis Ritz.

Application Deadlines

*Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the fall priority date.