The M.S. in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership program at the University of San Diego has developed new transfer credit opportunities for graduates of several law enforcement training programs: FBI-LEEDA’s Trilogy Training, the Senior Management Institute for Police offered by PERF, California P.O.S.T.’s Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and the San Diego County Regional Leadership Institute. These partnerships are an extension of the existing transfer credit arrangements the program has in place for graduates of FBI National Academy and California’s Command College.
Law enforcement professionals who have graduated from any of these leadership trainings can apply 6 units of graduate-level academic credit toward the completion of their M.S. in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership degree.
FBI-LEEDA is a law enforcement leadership training association that provides additional training, education and networking opprotunites for law enforcement officials in the United States looking to improve law enforcement management practices. Participants who complete their three flagship programs – Supervisor Leadership, Command Leadership and Executive Leadership – are part of what is known as the Trilogy Trainings.
The Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SBSLI), offered by The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T) is an intense experiential learning curriculum for first-level supervisory peace officers (mostly sergeants) in California. The curriculum includes analysis of management (planning, organizing, directing, etc.) and leadership (inspiring, challenging, developing, etc.) and how each discipline complements the other.
The Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), offered by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is a three-week course that provides senior police executives with intensive management training and focuses on the most pertinent issues facing law enforcement today. It is designed for mid- to upper-level police executives who aim to lead police agencies.
Lastly, the San Diego County Regional Leadership Institute is offered by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with 21 local and federal law enforcement agencies. The leadership institute, taught by local law enforcement officers, is a 42-course program designed to enhance each participant’s leadership skills while also enhancing the relationship between police and the community.
“The ability to transfer and receive credit for completing the SBSLI course has allowed me to focus my time and financial resources on preparing for the remaining courses of my master’s degree program,” said MS-LEPSL student Kenny Pham, a lieutenant with the Stockton Police Department and a graduate of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute. “I am grateful for the credit transfer opportunity and the staff, who were very responsive and helped make the transfer process quick and easy. “
The USD online master’s program now has five academic credit transfer partnerships, which allow students to earn credits toward their master’s degree through these highly regarded and academically rigorous leadership training programs. In addition to the programs outlined above, graduates of FBI National Academy and California’s Command College are also eligible to apply transfer credit toward their degree completion at University of San Diego.
“Having applied to the FBI National Academy before I began my search for a master’s program, the prospect of receiving credit towards a degree was quite appealing to me,” said Lt. Mark Kaye of the Garfield Heights (OH) Police Department and a member of FBINA Class 273. “In the end, I saved thousands of dollars in tuition and received a Master’s degree in some of the most up-to-date, current police training I have ever taken.”
USD’s M.S. in Law Enforcement Leadership is taught by a faculty of experienced law enforcement, criminal justice, and military professionals — utilizing a highly interactive online format that is ideal for experienced law enforcement professionals because it offers flexibility to balance each student’s academic schedule around the demands of their law enforcement duties and family life. The degree can be completed in 20 months, and students with transfer credit benefit by having a head start on their degree completion.
About the University of San Diego M.S. in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership Program
Developed in collaboration with law enforcement, USD’s M.S. in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership degree program is 100% online. The nationally-ranked program goes far beyond a traditional criminal justice education by focusing on contemporary issues facing law enforcement professionals and refining the skills needed to lead a department or agency effectively. Click here for more information about these transfer credit opportunities.
