School of Police Staff & Command
School of Police Staff & Command (SPSC) offers an unparalleled education in public safety leadership and management that helps experienced law enforcement professionals succeed in senior command positions. This is the only program of its kind offered by a Top Ten university. Simply put, you cannot find better than SPSC.
Since 1983, SPSC has graduated nearly 600 classes — more than 21,500 students — consisting of the some of the best and brightest professionals in the field.
PREREQUISITES: Participating students must have at least two years of experience as a mid- or upper-level supervisor or manager.
Since its inception more than 40 years ago, law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. and around the globe have recognized the important impact SPSC makes on their leadership and management teams.
Students who successfully complete SPSC are better prepared to:
Opt for an on-ground or online experience. The curriculum is the same no matter which format you choose.
SPSC On-Ground students are in the classroom for a total of 10 weeks. To ensure that students have sufficient time to attend class and to complete college-level reading and writing assignments, they should be released from normal job responsibilities during their course.
Different course locations may offer schedule variations, with weeks off for holidays or between units. Specific weekly schedules are posted on the registration page for each individual SPSC class.
SPSC Online (SPSCO) provides the same curriculum as our on-ground program but with the added benefits of a longer time frame, the ability to remain on the job, and the convenience of studying and participating from home, the office, or wherever else life takes you.
SPSCO is asynchronous and instructor led, meaning that there are no specific times at which students must login to the course site; however, consistent participation is expected. Students also must complete course assignments by set due dates. SPSC Online students should expect to dedicate 20 to 30 hours per week on this course to complete assignments and maintain participation requirements. Click here to learn more about NUCPS Online Learning.
The School of Police Staff and Command (SPSC) is the most academically rigorous program available for experienced mid- and upper-level supervisory personnel. Through an innovative combination of academic principles blended with practical applications, our intensive curriculum focuses on areas critical to successful senior law enforcement leadership and management. In addition to lectures, our curriculum is designed for practical application of academic principles plus course activities that encourage class members to learn from one another’s experiences.
Students in the on-ground and online programs study the same SPSC curriculum, which includes the following topics:
Students should be prepared to complete university-level course work. This means that they are able to:
Research is a key component of SPSC, and all students are required to write an objective, well-documented staff study addressing a problem or issue currently affecting the student’s organization. Because the student’s research project originates from a timely and critical issue facing that student’s agency, the final study can be put to use immediately.
Please note: Students who enroll in our 10-week, on-ground course should be released from their regular job responsibilities to ensure that they have sufficient time to attend class, complete homework assignments, and study for unit tests.
Download a printable, detailed PDF about the SPSC Curriculum.
On-Ground Tuition: $4600+ (varies by location) | Online Tuition: $4,500
Prerequisites: 2 years of supervisory experience; completion of Supervision of Police Personnel is highly recommended. SPSC is not appropriate for entry-level officers, deputies, or troopers. We recommend Supervision of Police Personnel for those recently appointed to their first supervisory position.
Northwestern University credit: 6 units of credit under the Northwestern University quarter system.
Click for Upcoming On-Ground & Online Sections
Our carefully selected SPSC course directors, adjunct instructors, and guest lecturers are experts in their fields. They enhance the program's learning experience by not only teaching critical concepts and strategies — but also how to effectively implement the concepts, apply the strategies, and lead situations where the problems are real and agency outcomes are critical.
