Criminal Justice Administration Program Overview
Our online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration program was designed for professionals working within the criminal justice system and undergraduate degree holders looking to expand their mastery of criminal justice concepts. This convenient online program can help you gain a deeper understanding of the issues facing the criminal justice field, discover how to operate more efficiently and ethically, and compete for rewarding leadership roles within your current department or in other areas of criminal justice.
Our program is ranked #5 in the nation for Best Law Enforcement Administration Graduate Programs and #37 in the nation for Best Overall Criminal Justice Graduate Programs by bestaccreditedcolleges.org. The rankings are based on financial aid awards, quality of education, faculty, campus resources, and more.
There are no GRE or thesis requirements for this program.
Over the course of the program, you'll discover how to:
- Identify and create solutions to contemporary issues in administration areas ranging from criminal law to law enforcement and corrections.
- Influence policy as a leader to effect positive change from within.
- Protect your agency and its employees while simultaneously fulfilling the mission of serving the public good.
As a full-time student in our MS-CJAD program, you can complete your degree in as little as one year. Our online format provides the flexibility of a 24/7 virtual classroom accessible from anywhere—a significant advantage for professionals with nontraditional work schedules. Built upon a research-based curriculum, all program courses are taught by experts who have worked within the criminal justice field. When you reach the end of your program, you'll receive the same distinguished degree that students earn on campus.
Career Potential for MS-CJAD Graduates
The University of Texas Permian Basin's Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration provides a solid foundation for leadership roles at all levels of criminal justice, including:
- State and Local Law Enforcement
- Courts
- Institutional Corrections
- Community Corrections
- Probation and Parole
- Federal Agencies
- Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Agencies
Check out the video below to see a UT Permian Basin criminal justice administration program alumna share her story:
18 Credit Hours
12 Credits
MS-CJAD Program Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 in last 60 credit hours
- Resume showing relevant professional experience
- Essay (see section below for details)
- Three letters of recommendation from employers and/or professors
Conditional Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- GPA of 2.75-2.99 in last 60 credit hours
- Resume showing professional work history
- Essay (see section below for details)
- Other evidence:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Three years or more of employment experience or other qualifications in the criminal justice field, including government, private, nongovernmental, and nonprofit organizations
- Conditional enrollment will include a demonstrated academic achievement of a 3.0 GPA or better during the first 12 credit hours.
Essay
This should be a three-page, APA-formatted essay that explains who you are and how you would bring about positive social change to society with an MS-CJAD from UT Permian Basin. Describe yourself, your motivations for pursuing the degree, and your expectations of the program. Discuss relevant past experiences, such as your education, jobs, community activities, leadership roles, awards, and honors. Explain how these experiences have shaped you and prepared you for our MS-CJAD program.
Official Transcripts
Official copies of transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and should be mailed to:
UT Permian Basin
Office of Admissions
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762
Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to admissions@utpb.edu.
Supporting Documents
All supporting documents related to a graduate program, such as letters of recommendation, essays, statements of interest, resumes, professional work experience, and awards should be sent to the Graduate Studies Office:
UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762-0001
Electronic versions of supporting documents may be emailed to gradstudies@utpb.edu.
Application Fee
The application fee is $40.
Exit Exam
A comprehensive exit exam must be taken in the last term of this program.
Faculty Bios
Assistant Professor
Coordinator, Criminal Justice Administration (CJAD) Program
College of Arts and Sciences
fisher_j@utpb.edu
Dr. Fisher served in the U.S. Air Force during Desert Storm and has a background in private corrections and state probation. He earned his PhD in human services specializing in criminal justice from Walden University in 2016. At UT Permian Basin, he teaches criminal justice administration and behavioral analysis courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Fisher’s current research interests include polarization, extremism, and hate, specifically within the criminal justice system.
Associate Professor
Coordinator, Criminology Program
College of Arts and Sciences
kiekbusch_r@utpb.edu
Dr. Kiekbusch is a jail operations specialist with 13 years of jail management experience in three different states. He was president of the American Jail Association 1992-1993. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD in sociology from the University of Notre Dame. In addition to fulfilling his academic responsibilities, Dr. Kiekbusch provides expert witness and other consulting services in the area of jail management. He also serves on editorial boards for multiple practitioner publications and scholarly journals.
Associate Provost of Academic Affairs
wilson_s@utpb.edu
Dr. Wilson is a military veteran and a former law enforcement officer with an administrative background in higher education. He earned his PhD in criminal justice at the University of Nebraska in 2005. He teaches courses related to law enforcement, management and supervision, research methods, and statistics at UT Permian Basin. Dr. Wilson’s research interests include improving attitudes toward the criminal justice system, police unions, and how organizations can decrease police officer victimization. In 2012 he received the James L. Madison Award for Best Published Article.
Adjunct Faculty
College of Arts and Sciences
jaeckle_t@utpb.edu
Dr. Jaeckle is a licensed clinical social worker in Florida and has nearly three decades of mental health and crisis intervention experience. She serves as the mental health/training coordinator for several critical incident stress management and hostage/negotiation teams and consults with numerous law enforcement agencies nationwide. Dr. Jaeckle received a BS in criminology from Florida Southern College. She also completed a Master of Science in criminal justice with a speciality track in the behavioral sciences and a PhD in the humanities and social sciences with an emphasis in conflict analysis and resolution (speciality in crisis management) from Nova Southeastern University.
Adjunct Faculty
College of Arts and Sciences
dibari_d@utpb.edu
Dr. DiBari joined UT Permian Basin in 2019 and has been teaching criminal justice since the early 2000s. He has also served as a police academy instructor for new cadets and is an experienced doctoral dissertation chair and university research reviewer. He specializes in forensic interviewing, sexual assault investigation, and crisis intervention techniques and response. He designed crisis intervention training for police officers in southern Colorado, a nationally recognized program that was featured in Police Chief magazine. Dr. DiBari has held multiple positions in law enforcement, most notably police department director. He has published in textbooks and peer-reviewed journals on the topic of sexual assaults.
Adjunct Faculty
College of Arts and Sciences
gallivan_d@utpb.edu
After serving in the U.S. Air Force for four years, Mr. Gallivan earned a degree in finance from UT Permian Basin before attending Baylor Law School, where he earned his MBA. He has been an attorney for more than 20 years. Mr. Gallivan started off his career working with the Ector County district attorney, where he prosecuted habitual criminals. Following that, he was in private practice for about 12 years before going back to the Ector County District Attorney’s Office. He is currently the district attorney for Ector County. In January 2016, Mr. Gallivan began his adjunct teaching career at UT Permian Basin, teaching eight different courses, including a graduate-level course.
We’re pleased to offer program admission on a rolling basis.
Rolling admission refers to our process of accepting and evaluating applications as we receive them and moving any applications that miss the deadline to the next semester. However, if you want to enroll in courses for a specific semester, you will need to make note of the application deadlines found below. If you don’t complete your application and submit the required materials by the deadline, your application will be rolled over to the next semester.