Masters

Criminal Justice Sciences

Overview

The Criminal Justice graduate program at Illinois State prepares students for leadership across a wide spectrum of careers — from law enforcement and the courts to policy analysis, advocacy, and doctoral study. As a student in our program, you'll sharpen and further develop your skills while gaining a deeper, more critical perspective on the criminal justice field. Our program is designed to give you the tools you need to advance in the field and remain competitive for a wide range of positions. The theories and principles covered in the classroom are directly applicable to your current or future role, whether that's within a criminal justice institution or in the broader landscape of law, policy, and public service. Our curriculum examines policing, courts, and corrections alongside the policy environments, community structures, and social systems that shape them, giving students the analytical foundation to work effectively within or alongside these institutions. The program also provides a strong foundation for students pursuing doctoral research or law school, with an emphasis on theory, methodology, and critical analysis. Classes in our graduate program are small. Small cohorts bring together students from law enforcement, social services, legal practice, and public policy, generating substantive dialogue that mirrors the interdisciplinary nature of the field itself. This creates a unique academic experience and exposes students to the range of perspectives that define contemporary criminal justice practice. Graduates of the program go on to advance within criminal justice agencies, lead in nonprofit and policy organizations, and pursue doctoral and law programs at institutions across the country.

Point of Pride

The criminal justice sciences graduate program includes a diverse student body. With a mixture of criminal justice practitioners and individuals who plan to pursue doctoral studies, everyone brings unique perspectives to the program.

Dr. Kaitlyn Selman
(309) 438-2731
Schroeder 436

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How to Apply

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to this 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 by the time of program matriculation.
Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term.
If admitted, official domestic transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 208 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
If admitted, official international transcripts can be emailed directly from the international institution to InternationalAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, International Admissions, Campus Box 6180, Normal, IL 61790-6180.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

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.

The Grade Point Average (GPA) of all undergraduate credentials earned in the United States that are used for graduate degree admission evaluation is calculated by the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. International credentials are evaluated by using cumulative GPA (CGPA) in lieu of the GPA from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.

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.

English Proficiency Scores for International Students

International students from non-native English speaking countries are required to submit English proficiency scores, dated within two years of application, from one of the accepted testing agencies unless English waiver qualifications are met. See the minimum English proficiency scores by test.

Application Deadlines

Fall (August) Term — February 15
Spring (January) Term — October 15
Summer (May/June) Term — Coordinator Approval Only

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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.

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