Criminal Justice

Earn an MPA with a Criminal Justice concentration

The Criminal Justice concentration is an 18-hour course of study within the Master of Public Affairs program that prepares students with the strategic and technical skills needed to address management challenges and opportunities found in the criminal justice system.

Students acquire specialized knowledge of crime and criminal justice through courses in this concentration that will prepare them to manage and lead organizations in law enforcement, the courts, corrections, juvenile justice, and homeland security.

The Criminal Justice concentration is ideal for mid-career professionals who want to strengthen their knowledge of public management while obtaining a solid foundation in the latest research on crime and the effects of criminal justice programs and policies.

In comparison, the Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Public Safety offers just one class on management and planning in criminal justice and public safety. 

View course requirements

The “policy side” of law enforcement

O'Neill IUPUI alum Mike Roberts talks about how his criminal justice concentration helped him bridge his passions of law enforcement and policy.

Description of the video:

[Music]

[Video: The Indiana University trident appears.]

[Words appear: IUPUI School of Public and Environmental Affairs]

[Video: Mike Roberts works at his desk. He has short, brown hair and a full beard. He’s wearing a deep blue suit and a light blue dress shirt.]

Mike: As an undergrad student I really had a passion for going into law enforcement.

My ideal job was to go into federal law enforcement.

[Video: Mike typing on his keyboard]

Mike: I did the accelerated master's program at SPEA and it really did kind of open my mind to other potential opportunities where I could bridge my passions together -- those being law enforcement and policy.

[Video: Mike is writing in his notebook.]

Mike: I kind of took a different viewpoint as to the financial side of things and how money really controls policy.

[Video: Mike walking down the main hallway of the SPEA building on the campus of IUPUI.]

Mike: The location of IUPUI is fantastic for students of criminal justice. There is so much opportunity in Indianapolis. Obviously the book learning component of education is very important. But being able to see it in real-life situations and applying what you've learned in the classroom to active research was really appealing for me as a student.

[Video: Mike speaking to a group of people in a conference room.]

Mike: I am currently a senior AML compliance analyst for Blackbaud. Blackbaud is a software that provides a suite of solutions for nonprofit organizations. I oversee and help maintain the compliance of our payment system, looking for terrorist financing, money laundering, and fraud.

[Video: Mike is speaking to a group of undergraduate SPEA students.]

Mike: As an alumni of SPEA I've really enjoyed the opportunity to come back to campus and share with students; give them some advice, the advice I received from alumni when I was going through the program. And that’s what really drives me to come back to campus and pay it forward as others have for me.

[Music]

[Video: The Indiana University trident appears.]

[Words appear: IUPUI]

[Words appear: Fulfilling the Promise]

[End of transcript]

Solve problems at the crossroads of policy, management, and science.