Public Safety Administration / Master of Science
The 36-credit hour Master of Science in Public Safety Administration provides a concise, accelerated, and contemporary course of study that is unique, flexible, and relevant to the changing needs of today’s public safety practitioner. It is designed to help those who are preparing to manage police, fire, emergency medical, private law enforcement services and other public safety occupations in our society. The program is characterized by:
- A curriculum that offers both theory and practical application.
- Faculty that bring formal education and experience.
- Accelerated coursework that allows flexibility in scheduling. Courses are offered in an accelerated format on a year-round basis and scheduled to accommodate both students who wish to enroll continuously and those who stop and re-enroll later. Courses are eight weeks in length with six sessions per year and are offered in the evening and online. Individual class meetings are held once a week for four hours.
Program Objectives
The objectives of this program are to provide students with the essential knowledge and skills that should enable them to function effectively as a manager or as an administrator of a public safety agency.
Graduate Learning Outcomes
Successful graduates of the Master of Science in Public Safety Administration program will be able to:
1. Critical Analysis: Formulate creative responses to complex issues through critical analysis.
2. Evaluation: Evaluate principles and theories of motivation that relate to employee performance and behavior within organizations.
3. Leadership: Summarize leadership theories, concepts, and practices as related to the effective management of organizations.
4. Diversity: Construct principles and values of managing diversity within organizations.
5. Organizational Behavior: Analyze issues associated with decision making, communication, and conflict resolution that impact organizational behavior.
6. Research: Design theoretical and research concepts from multiple perspectives to facilitate inquiry and practice.
Full Admission
Students must meet the following requirements for full admission:
1. Possess a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education with a major in Criminal/Social Justice, Fire Science, or Private Security.
OR
Possess a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education in another major with a concentration of 12 semester credit hours related to Criminal/Social Justice, Fire Science, or Private Security.
OR
Possess a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education and be currently serving as a Criminal/Social Justice, Fire Service, or Private Security practitioner with a minimum of five years' experience.
2. Submit a completed application, accompanied by a non-refundable application fee.
3. Submit two letters of recommendation.
4. Submit official transcripts from each institution attended.
5. Submit a personal statement.
6. Have earned an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 calculated on the most recent 60 semester hours.
7. Obtain acceptance by the College of Education and Social Sciences Graduate Council.
Provisional Admission
Provisional admission status may be granted to an applicant who has applied for full admission but did not achieve an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. An applicant in this case may be granted provisional admission status provided the student achieved an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or greater on a scale of 4.0. Provisional students must achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the first 9 credit hours of coursework before being reviewed for full admission by the Graduate Council in the College of Education and Social Sciences. If a provisional student fails to achieve a 3.0 GPA in the first 9 credit hours, the student may not be able to continue matriculation in the program.
International Students
International students are required to meet all the admission requirements for full or provisional admission and also the admission requirements specified in the General Information section of this Catalog entitled "Entering International Students."
Student-At-Large
A student-at-large is not a degree candidate. In order to be admitted as a student-at-large, the applicant must submit official documentation of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education and complete a modified application form. The decision to admit an at-large student to graduate courses belongs to the Graduate Program Director, whose decision is based on an evaluation of the applicant’s undergraduate coursework and possibly an interview. However, should the student decide to apply for full admission status at a later time, but within 5 years of course completion, only a maximum of 9 semester hours of graduate coursework completed as a student-at-large can be applied toward an advanced degree. In the event that an at-large student applies for full admission to the degree program, only courses with grades of B or better will count toward the degree.
Transfer Credit
1. A maximum of 9 credit hours directly related to the program contents may be transferred from a regionally-accredited institution provided the grade for each course is no less than a B. Ordinarily, all transfer credits must be documented and approved before full admission into the program will be granted.
2. Appropriateness of coursework will be decided by the Graduate Program Director at the time of the student’s application to the program.
3. Courses from outside the United States will be considered if they are evaluated as graduate level by the Office of Admission or the Commission on Accreditation of the American Council on Education.
4. Credit for prior learning is not awarded for graduate courses.
Transfer of Credit after Matriculation
Students who are already matriculated at Lewis University and who wish to transfer in a graduate course must seek written approval from the Graduate Program Director before a course is attempted at another institution. Permission may be granted only when extraordinary circumstances exist. If permission is granted, the transfer of credit for the course will be accepted only if the student earned a grade of B or better. Students may not transfer in graduate courses used to satisfy the requirements for a graduate degree in another program.
Internal Transfer of Lewis University Credits
Students may transfer 9 graduate credit hours from a different graduate program provided a degree had not previously been awarded for those credit hours. Transferred credits must apply to the Public Safety Administration curriculum and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.
Time Limitation for Completion of Program
Students must complete all degree requirements within 7 years from the time of completion of their first graduate course at Lewis University. Students remain under the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of matriculation unless they discontinue attendance for 2 years or more, in which case they will follow the catalog requirements in effect upon their return.
Good Academic Standing
See Good Academic Standing.
Academic Probation
See Academic Probation and Dismissal.
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete 36 semester hours of required course work with a GPA of no less than 3.0 to complete the Master of Science in Public Safety Administration. The student must also pass a comprehensive examination as a requirement for the completion of the degree. Students must have successfully completed courses 52000, 52300, 52700, 53300, 53600, 55300, 55600, 58100, and 58200 prior to taking the PSA Comprehensive Examination.
Degree Offered: Master of Science
Total Credit Hours: 36
Degree Requirements
Program: MS-PSAD-3
Comprehensive Examination
At the conclusion of the coursework, the student must successfully pass a Comprehensive Program Examination.
Core Courses (36)