Criminal Justice Sciences

The Department of Criminal Justice Sciences offers a program leading to the M.A. or M.S. degree. The Master of Arts degree requirements include:

1. A minimum of four semesters (or its equivalent) in one foreign language and
2. A a satisfactory score on a University administered language examination approved by the Graduate School.

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.

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

A student applying to this program 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
• submit your typed goal statement. The goal statement should focus on your background, rationale for pursuing a Master's degree in criminal justice, long-term career goals, and research interests in the field of Criminal Justice sciences
• provide a resume
• describe your computer/technology skills
• list your top three Criminal Justice research interest areas
• list any prior research or teaching skills
• submission of official GRE scores is optional for students applying for admission to the program (use institutional code 1319).
• submission of official GRE scores is required for students wishing to be considered for graduate assistantship funding (use institutional code 1319).
• Any applicant who is not a graduate of Illinois State University's Criminal Justice Sciences undergraduate program must submit two letters of recommendation to the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences. 

Admission Dates and Deadlines

Graduate Assistantship Information

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

Cost & 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 continuous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.

Graduate Coordinator