Tracey Jensen, M.A. Legal Studies Master’s Degree – 2011
The old saying you can’t teach an old dog new tricks couldn’t be less accurate for Ms. Tracey Jensen. Ms. Jensen decided to pursue the Legal Studies Master’s Degree Program at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) 15 years after receiving her Bachelor’s Degree. The Legal Studies Master’s Degree Program is a non-traditional program that promotes attendance from all walks of life. There are plenty of opportunities within the Program for students to take classes on campus or online to accommodate their busy lives. Ms. Jensen chose to receive her Master’s Degree from UIS because the university had everything she wanted in a campus. “UIS is highly credentialed and has personable faculty; intriguing courses; close proximity and the cost of attendance was reasonable to my budget.” Ms. Jensen found out quickly that the Master’s Degree Program was extremely challenging, and she was able to exceed those expectations while staying competitive with traditional students. Faculty’s continuous feedback took her critical thinking and writing skills to a whole new level. She was proud to earn the respect of faculty as she further developed these skills in her time as a graduate student in this Program.
Ms. Jensen is currently an administrator for a not-for-profit social services organization. She developed her critical thinking and writing skills through the Legal Studies Master’s Degree Program to help with her day-to-day professional life. The organizational skills she acquired in this Program have been beneficial for her professionally by allowing her to be as productive as possible.
Ms. Jensen would like to inform prospective students to “take a serious look at the Legal Studies Master’s Degree Program.” She believes that the Legal Studies Master’s Degree Program is designed to be difficult to allow students the opportunity to succeed. This Program helps individuals understand politics and the law, so one does not have to believe passively everything that he or she hears in the news media. She firmly feels that a Legal Studies Master’s Degree helps a person think for themselves and decide how to make a difference in the world.