In the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, students benefit from learning directly from professionals actively working in their fields. Faculty members lead rigorous, engaging courses that not only challenge students academically but also prepare them for the demands of a future career with first-hand experience.
In the criminology and law studies major and criminal justice data analytics master’s programs, instructors bring direct on-the-job wisdom into the classroom, shaping the next generation of leaders.
Keisha Harper, a part-time faculty instructor of criminology and law studies, graduated from Marquette in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and law studies and political science, inspired to enter the field of crime analysis.
After completing her master’s degree, Harper joined the Milwaukee Police Department as a crime analyst, where she has remained for the past nine years. Recently, Harper’s Marquette roots called her back to campus, where she now teaches a variety of courses that combine her nearly 10 years of experience with the MPD with the necessary skills to educate innovative crime analysts for the future.
Some of the classes she teaches are part of the master’s in criminal justice data analytics (CJDA), an interdisciplinary graduate program branching data science with criminology and law studies to tackle the most pressing questions facing law enforcement and criminal justice. The CJDA program also offers a pathway to an accelerated degree program, which offers current Marquette undergraduate students the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in just five years. The accelerated degree program gives students the unique course experience of working with local non-profit or government agencies through a community-centered learning experience.
In classrooms at Marquette, Harper brings a distinctive perspective that highlights her specialized professional work by incorporating real MPD experience, inviting guest speakers from across the criminology spectrum and giving students a deeper understanding of the discipline. Her courses combine geographic mapping technologies with crime theories, enabling students to engage with the same types of data and tools used by analysts in the field. Harper’s access to MPD crime maps gives students the opportunity to work with anonymous but real, community-specific data — making the experiential learning incredibly relevant.
“(She) provides amazing insight into the field with her direct connection to MPD,” shared one student in anonymous course feedback.
In the Fall 2025 semester, Harper will teach “CRLS 4360/5360: Crime Mapping.” She is passionate about helping students grow not only as skilled analysts but also as empathetic, community-focused problem solvers.
“I hope to educate better equipped analysts that not only think critically but engage the community with the change they want to see.”
Keisha Harper
For more course information or information on the CJDA master’s program, contact the program’s director at aleksandra.snowden@marquette.edu or Ms. Keisha Harper at keisha.harper@marquette.edu.
