Judicial Administration Certificate
Program Features
At-a-Glance
- Convenient scheduling supports working professionals
- Courses provide the skills required to work with judicial officers and stakeholders at higher levels in the Judicial Branch and justice system
- Graduates of the program often go on to leadership and career development opportunities within the Judicial Branch.
- Courses may be applied toward the six units of elective credit required for Sacramento State’s Master of Arts in Public Policy & Administration with a concentration in judicial administration.
Overview
The Judicial Administration graduate certificate provides students the opportunity to learn from current leaders in the California Judicial Branch. In this unique program, the only one of its kind in the United States, graduates will learn the skills needed to make a difference in the successful practice of judicial administration.
Audience
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. It is strongly recommended that applicants be currently employed by a California state court or the Judicial Council of California at an analyst level or above to ensure they are prepared for the coursework in this program.
Format
This program has four courses and can be completed in 1.5 years. Each course is 16 weeks long, and the schedule includes one synchronous online session each week and two in-person Friday-to-Saturday seminars, one in Northern California and one in Southern California.
The Northern California location: Sacramento State’s College of Continuing Education, Napa Hall building.
The Southern California location: Potentially at the County of Riverside Superior Court’s Riverside Self-Help Center
Students must have access to a computer, a high-speed Internet connection, speakers/headphones, and a microphone for the weekly online night sessions, conducted via video conferencing. Students will access those meetings and course content via Canvas, an online learning platform.
Prerequisites
- Bachelor’s degree (must be awarded before the start of the first semester in the program)
- GPA of 3.0 for all undergraduate coursework and in the last 60 units is strongly preferred.
- Professional experience in the Judicial Branch. Minimum number of years of experience not required.
Note:
Students must have access to a computer, high-speed Internet, speakers or headphones, and a microphone.
Course Offerings
This certificate program consists of four courses designed to be taken in the order listed. Courses are taught by working professionals in the field of court administration.
PPA 291: Court Governance and Operations (3 units)
Studies the state judiciary as both independent and interdependent with the legislative and executive branches of government at both the state and local levels. The goal is to develop foundational knowledge of the historical and evolving governing and operational principles of the California court system.
Instructor:Â Sharif Elmallah, CEO, Butte County Superior Court
PPA 292: Court Management (3 units)
Provides training in key court administrative areas identified by such organizations as the National Association of Court Management (e.g., case flow management). Drawing from interdisciplinary literature on management theory, court case studies illustrate and provide context.
Instructor: Tim Newman, CEO, San Benito County Superior Court
PPA 293: Court Leadership
Examines leadership in the court environment as distinct from management. Investigates how leadership principles are exercised in pivotal areas of the courts, such as: community relations, creativity and innovation, organizational change, workforce development, succession planning, strategic planning and re-engineering.
Instructor:Â Teresa Risi, Retired (former CEO, Monterey County Superior Court)
PPA 294: Emerging Issues in Judicial Administration (3 units)
Addresses pressing issues in judicial administration (e.g., courts in an electronic world, rising administrative workloads, and a greater number of self-represented litigants). Specific topics may change from year to year depending on the urgency of topics and the nature of policy implications.
Instructor: Jason Galkin, CEO, Riverside County Superior Court
Schedule for Spring 2027 Cohort
| PPA 291: Court Governance and Operations | Jan. 4 – April 23, 2027 |
| PPA 292: Court Management | April 26 – Aug. 13, 2027 |
| PPA 293: Court Leadership | Aug. 16 – Dec. 10, 2027 |
| PPA 294: Emerging Issues in Judicial Administration | Jan. 3 – April 21, 2028 |
Employment Outlook
Graduates of the Judicial Administration program often pursue leadership and career development opportunities within the Judicial Branch.
Costs
Each course is 3 units at $535 per unit, totaling $1,605 per course. The certificate program consists of four courses, for a total of $6,420 for course fees. Payment for each course is due by the course start date.
Note: Current course fees are set for 2026-27. Fees will increase to $550 per unit in 2028-29.
Application Fee
A $30 non-refundable processing fee is required upon formal admission to the program. Admitted students will be given instructions on how to pay the fee.
Total Program Cost
The total cost of the program, including course fees and the application fee, is $6,450. This total cost does not include any potential textbooks or travel expenses for in-person seminars, which are not paid to the university.
Please note: The university does not offer financial aid for this program.
You may wish to check with your employer to see if they offer tuition assistance or reimbursement for this program. If your employer or another entity is paying the university on your behalf, please contact us to ensure billing is processed correctly.
How to Apply
Basic Requirements
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (awarded before beginning first semester of the program). A GPA of 3.0 for all undergraduate course work, including the last 60 units, is strongly recommended.
Applicants must also have professional work experience in the Judicial Branch, although a minimum number of years of experience is not required. It is strongly recommended that applicants be currently employed by a California state court or the Judicial Council of California at an analyst level or above to ensure they are prepared for the coursework in this program.
Submission Steps
Please complete and submit the following items electronically via the Judicial Administration Online Application Form link. Applications are open until Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026.
- A one-page, single-spaced statement of purpose addressing why you are pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Judicial Administration. Use of AI for this is strictly prohibited.
- A one-page, single-spaced response to the following prompt: What do you think the biggest challenge facing the California Judicial Branch today is, why, and how should it be responded to? Use of AI for this is strictly prohibited.
- Two letters of recommendation (one from a supervisor or manager, and one from an individual in a professional or academic position familiar with the applicant’s work) accompanied by the program’s recommendation form. Please see the instructions below for completing this step.
- Curriculum vitae or résumé demonstrating relevant professional work experience
- Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, other than Sacramento State
Instructions for Letters of Recommendation
- Identify the two individuals who will be providing a recommendation for your application.
- Fill out the Letter of Recommendation Initiation Form. This includes indicating whether you waive your rights to view the contents of the recommendation. You must fill out a separate initiation form for each recommender, listing the name of the recommender and your decision regarding waiving your rights to view the contents of that particular person’s recommendation.
- Send the link for the Recommendation Form to the two individuals who are providing a recommendation for your application to the program. Each recommender will need to complete the form, which includes answering a rating question, and upload a letter of recommendation to the form itself.
Official Transcripts
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, other than Sacramento State, will be required upon acceptance to the program and must be mailed to:
College of Continuing Education
Attn: Judicial Administration Program
3000 State University Drive
Sacramento, CA 95819