M.A in Criminal Justice – Take Your Career to the Next Level

You do not have to just take our word for it that the M.A. in Criminal Justice program at GSU is topnotch, but listen to what other professionals have to say about the program.  Daniel Martin, Chief of the New Lenox police department, states, "This program provides criminal justice professionals a great opportunity to give something back to their communities…It's an excellent program."  And Kenneth O'Keefe, the criminal justice program coordinator at Prairie State College, adds that, "The Criminal Justice M.A. Program at Governors State University is practical and academically rigorous."

As a graduate student in our innovative Criminal Justice program, you will be taught by a faculty with an extensive history of applied and theoretical experience in the criminal and juvenile justice fields.  Together they have developed a broad array of networks to provide our students the opportunity for exceptional hands-on experiences in this dynamic program.

As an interdisciplinary field of study, students may apply to the M.A. in Criminal Justice degree program at GSU with a bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited university. However, we do recommend that students take undergraduate courses in the following areas: criminal or juvenile justice, general social science or criminal justice research methods, introductory statistical analysis, survey courses in the criminal justice system, juvenile justice, policing, court and judicial systems, race and gender studies, policy issues and policy analysis.  Please refer to our website for the complete program requirements and information or contact a department advisor. 

At GSU we remain committed to providing flexible, adult education opportunities.  The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice is another one of our programs that is now available at a convenient off-site location.  As of Spring 2015, the program is offered at the Triton College River Grove Campus, (2000 Fifth Avenue, River Grove, IL).    Check with us for details.

Academic excellence and innovation are natural partners. At Governors State University you’ll find an abundance of both.  The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program epitomizes GSU’s mission to promote social and ethical responsibility in our community through real-world applications of problem-solving and leadership. We look forward to helping you achieve your educational and career goals.

Want to Go Back to College?

You may have interrupted your studies somewhere along the path to earning a college degree and would now like to go back to school and finish what you started, or you may want to move into a whole new direction.  If you haven’t looked into going back to school recently, there are many changes in the way programs are offered that make it easier than ever to fit into the lives of busy adult learners. 

Among our many exceptional undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, we offer a degree that is specifically designed to meet the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students.  This unique Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program provides academic variety, course schedule flexibility and program adaptability. 

The way it works is that you can choose to go part- or full-time as your schedule demands and you are given the choice between 21 minors.  The Interdisciplinary Studies degree program has a "build your own" characteristic to it that allows you to tailor coursework to meet your specific vocational and career goals.

Also this program provides the opportunity to translate prior life experiences into college credit.   Proficiency exams, military service, and a prior learning experience portfolio are all ways that college credit can be applied toward your bachelor’s and help to accelerate your progress.  In addition we offer online and media-based educational opportunities.  For those students enrolled in distance learning classes, they still pay Illinois in-state tuition no matter where they live.

Furthermore, GSU’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has a diverse student body that is comprised of individuals of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities as well as a broad range of degree programs.  Please see our website to learn more about our B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies degree as well as all of our other quality programs.

Did you know that Governors State University offers several off campus learning opportunities including the Naperville Learning Center? These locations offer added convenience to students in all areas of Chicagoland.   Once you discover all that GSU offers, we are sure you will agree that we provide the best value of any of the colleges in Illinois.

Digital Forensics Certificate at GSU

Computer crimes and cybercrimes are on the rise with more occupations requiring the use of computers and more people conducting business online.  In order to combat and investigate such crimes, digital forensic specialists are needed.  Law enforcement and government agencies, organizations and companies all require digital forensics professionals to better protect digital assets and to investigate cybercrime.  

At Governors State University, our division of Computing, Mathematics and Technology offers a Digital Forensics Certificate designed for full or part-time undergraduate and graduate students. This certificate program will provide you with theoretical and practical knowledge in digital forensics, which is the fastest growing segment of computer security. 

To get your certificate, you must successfully complete challenging courses as well as the prerequisite, Computer Science Workshop: Digital Forensics Preparation or its equivalent.  Students are able to take courses each semester and can complete the program in as short as two terms.  The courses include Digital Forensics, Contemporary Issues in Digital Forensics, Special Topics in Information Security, and Special Topics in Digital Forensics and required prerequisite knowledge or courses. 

The job of a digital forensic investigator is to recover, analyze and present data from computers for use in investigations or as evidence.  Investigators use their skills to determine the details behind an intrusion into a computer system and are experienced in recovering data from encrypted or erased files.  In addition they have the ability to recover emails, website logs, and deleted passwords. 

To illustrate the growing need for digital forensic investigators, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received its 3 millionth complaint in May 2014 with overall dollar losses exceeding 2 billion dollars.  The majority of reported cases involved some type of fraud and financial loss due to cybercrimes.  Source: "May 2014 Public Announcement," Internet Crime Complaint Center.

We encourage you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website.  Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  Learn more about the rich history, cultural amenities and beautiful campus that contributes to making us one of the top colleges in Illinois.  

Master of Arts in Art at GSU

The Governors State University’s M.A. in Art degree is an exceptional program that will help you to develop your artistic vision and voice.  Residing within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the art programs are part of the Communication, Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) division, which include the permanent GSU Visual Arts Gallery. 

Our master’s in art program emphasizes intellectual curiosity, self-discipline and technical proficiency.  Students are given the opportunity to grow into mature artists that are in command of the medium and capable of expressing an individual view.  The course work includes painting, printmaking, photography, digital imaging, sculpture and ceramics.  The extensive selection of art history classes range from contemporary international and regional artistic expressions to ancient America, Africa and Asia.  

In addition, the program requires an advisor approved graduate exhibition or presentation of an art history thesis. If you choose the art studio option, you will prepare a one-person exhibition and written documentation that reflects a consistent body of work in your area of interest.  Students opting for the art history thesis will complete a research project and prepare a formal thesis manuscript. 

In addition to meeting GSU’s general admission requirements, applicants need to have an undergraduate major in a humanities and submit a proposal outlining academic goals.  A student’s proposal requires supporting rationale, a plan of study and needs to include examples of previous work.  All proposals must be approved by a degree program advisor before admittance into the major. 

As a GSU graduate student, you will be taught by talented, practicing artists in their own right who can help you to achieve your career goals.  Also we keep class-sizes small to ensure personalized attention.  Please see the CAS’s website for the complete program details and requirements.  

Governors State University offers students outstanding academic programs, activities and services. Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  Our rich history, cultural amenities and a beautiful campus all contribute to making us one of best colleges in Illinois.