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MS in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership

Admission Process

Best Online Criminal Justice Program 2024

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Next Class Starts in January – Application Deadline: December 2

The MS-LEPSL program offers three start terms each year, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. That means you can apply any time throughout the year and get an admission decision within a week.

Spring term – Classes start in January; Applications are due in early December
Summer term – Classes start in May; Applications are due in mid-April
Fall term – Classes start in September; Applications are due in early August

Admission Requirements

The following elements are the standard admissions requirements for the Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership (MS-LEPSL) program.

Bachelor’s degree from a nationally or regionally accredited institution
A minimum of two years of professional experience in law enforcement, public safety or a related field. Applicants with current or recent active duty military experience who are actively pursuing or engaged with a career in law enforcement may also qualify at the discretion of the admissions committee.
Bachelor’s GPA of 2.75 or higher. An extended graduate-level essay may be required of applicants whose undergraduate GPA is under 2.75. (This is waived for graduates of FBINA, FBI-LEEDA Trilogy, PERF’s SMIP and Command College)
A short statement of purpose
Resume
Letter of support from your current employer. Or, if you are unable to obtain a letter of support from your employer, you may submit up to two letters of support from a professional colleague or past supervisor.
TOEFL scores of 90 or above (for international applicants)

Not Sure if You Qualify?

Please contact an enrollment advisor at (619) 260-4580 or use the inquiry form on this page if you are interested but do not meet all published admissions requirements. Our application review process always includes a holistic look at your law enforcement and/or military experience and other professional training opportunities you’ve had, as we understand that a low undergraduate GPA is not a reliable indicator of your potential success as a graduate student. Please also note that meeting all admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

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Application Process

Step 1: Start your online application
Step 2: Refer to this application tutorial for assistance along the way
Step 3: Request an official copy of your undergraduate transcripts to be sent to [email protected]. Please anticipate that some colleges and universities can take 2 to 3 weeks to prepare and send official transcripts. Please don’t leave this to the last minute!
Step 4: Request a letter of recommendation.
Step 5: Your application package is complete when your letter of recommendation, official transcripts and online application have all been received by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Your enrollment advisor will then submit your application package to the committee for an admission decision.

We Are Here to Help

Applying to a graduate program can be complicated – which is why we are here to help answer your questions and even pay for your transcripts. All applicants are required to work with an Enrollment Advisor, who will help you navigate the process, confirm that your application package is complete and ultimately present your application to the admissions committee. If you are interested in applying, please contact one of our enrollment advisors today.

Ready to apply? Start your application online.

I’VE APPLIED… WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Once your enrollment advisor has submitted your application materials to the admission review committee, you should expect to receive a determination within a week. Your official decision will be sent to you via email by the Office of Graduate Admissions.

If accepted, you will be provided a link and instructions for making your admission deposit and confirming your intent to enroll. The non-refundable deposit of $203.70 will be applied to your first tuition payment when you enroll in the program.

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At a Glance

A leadership degree designed specifically for law enforcement, the MS-LEPSL program is ranked by US News & World Report as one of the best online criminal justice master’s degrees in the country.

Program Length 20 Months

Total Units 31 Units

Cost Per Unit $729

Next Term Starts January 7, 2025

Final App Deadline December 2

Program Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you accept transfer credit from professional leadership training programs?

Yes! USD has entered into formal partnerships with several law enforcement training and professional development organizations to make it easier for graduates of those programs to seamlessly transition into the LEPSL program. Current transfer credit opportunities include:

FBI National Academy (up to 12 units)
FBI-LEEDA’s Trilogy (6 units)
PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police – SMIP (6 units)
California POST’s Command College (12 units)
California POST’s Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (6 units)
San Diego County Regional Leadership Institute (6 units)
Marine Corps University’s Command and Staff College – CSCDEP (6 units)

We are constantly evaluating new partnerships – check the transfer credit page on this website for more details.

Can I still apply if I don’t meet all of the admissions criteria?

Please work with your enrollment advisor if you are interested but do not meet all published admissions requirements. The two most important and least flexible criteria are that you must have completed your bachelor’s degree and you must have at least two years of experience working professionally in law enforcement. Military experience may also be considered. Beyond that, if your bachelor’s GPA falls short, or if you earned your undergraduate degree from a nationally accredited school rather one that is regionally accredited, we encourage you to speak to an enrollment advisor about your specific circumstances. Sometimes a low undergraduate GPA can be offset by exceptional experience and/or the completion of prestigious leadership training programs like the FBI National Academy. Alternately, you may be given the opportunity to write an additional graduate-level essay to demonstrate your readiness to take on the writing demands of a rigorous master’s degree program.

What is the cost of tuition for the MS-LEPSL program?

Tuition for the MS-LEPSL program is $729 per unit. The total tuition cost for the 31-unit program is $22,599.

Tuition amounts shown on this website, or in other university publications or web pages, represent tuition and fees as currently approved. However, the University of San Diego reserves the right to increase or modify tuition and fees without prior notice and to make such modifications applicable to students enrolled at USD at that time as well as to incoming students. In addition, all tuition amounts and fees are subject to change at any time for correction of errors. Please note that the displayed tuition covers only the cost of courses, and additional expenses such as books and other fees are not included.

Does the program have to be completed within 20 months?

The curriculum schedule functions on a carousel system, meaning that if you miss a course you will have to wait for the rotation to complete before jumping back in. Each course is offered once every five semesters. We encourage you to speak with an enrollment advisor or your program coordinator if you think you might need to take a leave of absence.

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