{"id":1847,"date":"2020-08-03T11:26:15","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T15:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/met\/?page_id=1847"},"modified":"2026-04-07T13:52:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:52:52","slug":"career-case-study","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/met\/programs\/criminal-justice\/career-case-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Proof Positive: BU MET Cybercrime Alum Madeleine Nay Followed the Evidence to Find Career Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Back to Programs<\/a>Criminal Justice<\/a><\/div>\n

Master of Science in Criminal Justice with Concentration in Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity Delivers Skills in Digital Forensics and Crime Analysis Needed for Job Prospects<\/h2>\n

\"MadeleineAt Boston University Metropolitan College (MET), students develop skills ready-made for on-the-job application\u2014and it often isn\u2019t long before a promotion puts those new abilities to work.<\/p>\n

Working in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Madeleine Nay (MET\u201918) was on the hunt for a master\u2019s degree in criminal justice that would distinguish her professionally and give her career a boost. Mindful that where she decided to go would be a crucial factor in realizing her professional ambitions, the California resident did her homework. \u201cI researched dozens of schools and spent months making pro\/con lists, comparing the merits of a brick-and-mortar program to the merits of an online program, and reviewing power rankings prepared by trusted evaluators such as U.S. News & World Report<\/em> and the Wall Street Journal<\/em>,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

She took note of BU\u2019s Metropolitan College and the stalwart reputation of its online graduate programs. Consistently recognized as an exceptional and leading institution for those looking to improve their career by building applied skills in professional areas of need, MET has ranked among U.S. News & World Report\u2019s<\/em> top 6 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs since 2015.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Ms. Nay, the convenience of online study at BU was a significant draw. \u201cBU MET\u2019s online offerings allowed me to pursue an education in criminal justice without sacrificing my full-time job, family time, or social life,\u201d she says. And the dynamic, flexible format of her courses proved invaluable. \u201cThe program was structured such that I knew ahead of time when each of my assignments was due, which in turn allowed me to plan my extracurricular activities accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

While accessibility and accolades went a long way for Nay, what ultimately clinched her decision were enthusiastic first-hand accounts of satisfied alumni.<\/p>\n

\u201cTestimonials are what set BU apart from all the other schools I considered,\u201d she explains. \u201cAnyone can write that they loved the school they attended\u2014few can say their school offered a program that propelled them forward in their profession and drove them to want to learn more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Discovering Aptitudes<\/h2>\n

To develop tools in high demand at modern law enforcement departments like hers, Nay<\/span> enrolled in MET\u2019s <\/strong>Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)<\/strong><\/a> program<\/strong>, specializing her graduate degree with a concentration in Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity<\/strong><\/a>. It was here that she would meet MET\u2019s resident expert on the emergent social science of cybercriminology, Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity Director <\/strong>Kyung-shick Choi<\/strong><\/a>, who became a key mentor in Nay\u2019s education.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was instrumental,\u201d she says. With lessons frequently citing contemporary, readily grasped examples drawn from the world\u2014like the illegal online drug market Silk Road, or the relationship between cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and gambling on the dark web\u2014Choi helped pique Nay\u2019s curiosity in her degree concentration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI credit [him] with my deep interest in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity,\u201d Nay says. \u201cDr. Choi is passionate about this topic and takes the time to ensure his students thoroughly understand the concepts behind establishing and improving cybercrime measures in private and public industries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond theory, Choi also introduced Nay to the cutting-edge resources used by practicing investigators and analysts.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Choi gave me my first experience with digital forensic software,\u201d Nay says. In the course Applied Digital Forensic Investigation (MET CJ 710)<\/a>, she got to work within BU MET\u2019s Virtual Security Lab, conducting forensic examinations of digital devices and computer networks.<\/p>\n

This hands-on course is a core requirement of Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity programs at BU MET, which have in fact been granted funding by the US Department of Justice\u2019s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to help law enforcement officers like Nay learn to harness and leverage the principles of computer forensics and digital evidence. It was here that she was introduced to EnCase\u2014forensic software frequently accepted as an \u201cexpert witness\u201d in US courts. \u201cThat class was\u2014and still remains\u2014one of the most fascinating courses I have ever taken,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

On-the-Job Insight<\/h2>\n

Today, Nay puts the talents she refined at MET to use as an intelligence operations technician in the gang unit of California\u2019s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Her career has given her a front-row seat on the developing value of another Criminal Justice track offered by BU MET: Crime Analysis.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCrime analysis is huge\u201d in her department, she says, citing the state\u2019s outsize prison gang population, the largest in the nation. Because the gang population is so large, the department is responsible for routinely disrupting as much criminal activity as possible. To do this, Nay notes, pros must rely on the very kind of analytical skills honed in the courses that comprise the Graduate Certificate in Crime Analysis<\/strong><\/a> and the Master of Science in Criminal Justice with concentration in Crime Analysis<\/strong><\/a> programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy having staff who are trained to collect and analyze data\u2014including performing link analyses and data matching, mapping, and reorganization\u2014the department can hamper criminal activity both in custody and out in the community,\u201d she says. \u201cStaff who know how to properly incorporate and articulate their analyses in written reports can apprise outside law enforcement agencies of criminal activity they may not be aware is taking place in their jurisdictions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nay sees transformational value in what departmental collaboration via data can mean. \u201cSharing intelligence that has resulted from effective crime analysis procedures is a big step in bridging the gap between state- and local-level law enforcement agencies,\u201d she asserts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A Promising Future<\/h2>\n

Nay calls her time at BU MET \u201cone of the best educational experiences I have ever had,\u201d noting that she is particularly grateful for a pair of courses, Research and Evaluation Methods (MET CJ 590) and Applied Analytical Methods (MET CJ 591).<\/p>\n

\u201cI received a promotion because I have been able to demonstrate my ability to dissect incoming reports, analyze data, identify trends, and make predictions regarding future activity,\u201d she says, crediting those two course requirements of the MSCJ curriculum specifically for bolstering her professional prospects.<\/p>\n