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.
