Criminal Justice Sciences
Overview
You will have an opportunity to participate in small, engaging classroom discussions about problems and issues that happen locally, regionally, nationally, and globally in the field. Our professors will help you better understand how policing, the courts, and corrections function, operate, and relate to each other, as well as the larger society and the world.
Students admitted to the graduate program who do not have an undergraduate degree in criminal justice or a related field may be required to take preparatory courses at the undergraduate level.
Point of Pride
The Department of Criminal Justice Sciences’ award-winning Breaking Barriers program provides added support for female students pursuing criminal justice careers.
Advising
Dawn Beichner
(309) 438-8278
Schroeder 439
How to Apply
University Admission Requirements
A student applying to a master's program must:
- have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so within one academic year
- present official transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. Transcripts can be emailed from the university to Admissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Office of Admissions, 201 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 2200, Normal, IL 61790-2200
International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.
Additional Program Admission Requirements
To be considered for this program you must meet the following requirements.
GPA
You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for either the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or any previous work in a master's program.
GRE
GRE scores are required if you’re seeking an assistantship. Score submission is optional for all other applicants.
Use institutional code 1319 to submit your scores to Illinois State.
Goal Statement
Submit a goal state that includes the following information:
- Your background
- Your computer/technology skills
- Rationale for pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice
- Long-term career goals
- Your top three research interests in the field of Criminal Justice Sciences
Resume
Upload your current resume to the online application system. Include any prior research or teaching skills.
Letters of Recommendation
If you are not a graduate of Illinois State’s Criminal Justice Sciences undergraduate program, you must submit two letters of recommendation to the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences.
Application Deadlines
- Fall (August) Term — March 15
- Spring (January) Term — October 15
Graduate Assistantships
The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,
- be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
- be in good-standing
- be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).
Benefits
Graduate assistants receive
- monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
- a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
- a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment
Costs & Funding
See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.