Admission Qualifications

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (awarded before the start of the program’s first semester). A GPA of 3.0 for all undergraduate coursework, 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.

Application Process

Please complete and submit the following items electronically via the Judicial Administration Online Application Form link. Applications are open from Friday, Aug. 14, 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

1. Identify the two individuals who will be providing a recommendation for your application. 
2. 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.
3. 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.  

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: