Public Safety Leadership and Administration (Executive Police Administration), MPSLA
You crave constant improvement. Build your leadership skills in this advanced degree program that concentrates on executive law enforcement administration. You'll gain expertise in investigating causes of crime as well as strategies for reducing and preventing crime, ultimately helping to create strong and resilient communities.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
If you are a public safety professional, the Master of Public Safety Leadership and Administration degree program is designed for you. This advanced degree helps you progress in your career within public safety administration by giving you an important advantage: a practical understanding of public safety organization administration.
This graduate program, through its accomplished faculty and intricately connected curriculum, advances your leadership, policy and administrative acumen.
The executive police administration concentration program provides you with the highly specialized knowledge and practical skills required to rise to leadership positions in a law enforcement organization. This program enhances the leadership, management and administrative skills and the knowledge and ability of present and future senior and midlevel managers, and it addresses the critical areas in the management of a contemporary law enforcement agency.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours - course-based master's
Required Core (15 credit hours) Concentration (9 credit hours) Electives or Research (6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
CRJ 510 Criminal Justice Planning and Program Evaluation (3)
CRJ 574 Executive Leadership Principles in Public Safety (3)
PAF 506 Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
PAF 507 Public Human Resource Management (3)
PAF 508 Organization Behavior (3)
CRJ 512 Seminar in Policing (3) or CRJ 527 Police Accountability (3)
CRJ 515 Seminar in Women and Crime (3) or CRJ 518 Seminar on Race/Ethnicity, Crime and Justice (3)
CRJ 516 Seminar in Criminal Justice Organization and Management (3)
This master's degree is a course-based program. Students choose one course from a restricted list or any graduate-level CPP, CRJ or PAF course, with program approval, for the electives or research credit.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Integrate theoretical perspectives on leadership into the planning and evaluation of public safety programs.
- Formulate a final program evaluation research paper based on foundational knowledge of organizational leadership and administration.
- Evaluate approaches to effectively manage personnel and change efforts in police organizations.
Integrate theoretical perspectives on leadership into the planning and evaluation of public safety programs.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. Applicants are eligible to apply if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in criminology or criminal justice, public administration or public service, sociology or social work, public safety or fire service management, parks and recreation management, applied sciences or another closely related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information The written statement should be one to two pages and describe the applicant's prior education, relevant professional experience and career goals, and it should explain how the criminal justice program will help them attain their career goals. The statement should explicitly explain how the applicant's plans are consistent with the role and mission of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at ASU. It is recommended that applicants who feel they are weak in a particular area or in an admission requirement address their plan to remedy any shortcomings if they are granted provisional admission to the degree program.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 08/01 | Final* |
| Session B | Online | 09/23 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 12/23 | Final* |
| Session B | Online | 02/24 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 04/29 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Graduates are equipped to perform managerial duties in federal, state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement agencies. They also are prepared for roles in probation and parole, child support services, homeland security and allied security professions. Graduates should expect to find employment and advancement in all levels of government agencies and in the private sector.
Career examples include:
- chief of police
- first-line police supervisor
- police detective
- police dispatcher
- special agent
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
|
UCENT 600
idpadvising@asu.edu
602-496-0485
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
