Program Overview

Criminology and Criminal Justice PhD

Overview

The Criminology and Criminal Justice PhD program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical, methodological, and substantive aspects of criminology and criminal justice. The program aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to pursue successful careers in research, teaching, and policy-making.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, undergraduate applicants must have a baccalaureate degree or expect one by the end of the academic year in which they apply, with a grade point average of 3.0 or greater (on a scale of A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Graduate applicants who have or will have a master's degree must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of A = 4.0) for their graduate course work.

Application

The application process requires transcripts, three letters of recommendation, GRE scores, a statement of purpose, and a writing sample. Applicants with master's degrees should include a chapter of their thesis. International students whose native language is not English are required to submit scores from the TOEFL examination.

Program Requirements

The program requires 60 post-baccalaureate hours of graduate work, with more than half of these hours completed in residence. A minimum of six credit hours of dissertation research is required. Students may enroll for dissertation credits only when all other degree requirements have been completed.

Required Courses

The following courses are required:

• CRIMIN 5415: Foundations of Criminological Theory (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6405: Methods (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6410: Statistical Applications in Criminology and Criminal Justice (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6420: Contemporary Criminological Theories (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6450: Theories of Criminal Legal System Institutions (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6465: Qualitative Research Design (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6470: Advanced Quantitative Methods 1 (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 6480: Multivariate Statistics in Criminology (3 credits)

Seminar Courses

At least 12 hours beyond the required courses must be taken at the 5000-level or higher within the CCJ Department.

Elective Courses

Nine additional hours beyond the above requirements are taken as elective courses.

Qualifying Papers

Graduate students in the doctoral program are not officially classified as PhD candidates until they have passed the Qualifying Papers prerequisite. The goal of the qualifying papers is to establish a student's familiarity with the substantive literature, demonstrate theoretical and methodological expertise, communicate their work effectively, and demonstrate an ability to imaginatively, logically, and creatively use this knowledge to address research questions within the broad realm of criminology, criminal justice, punishment, and the legal system.

The Dissertation

The dissertation is required of all PhD candidates and demonstrates the student's scholarly expertise. The dissertation process formally begins when all other requirements of the PhD program have been met. The dissertation is original research on a topic that is substantively significant and should also be something about which the student has a passion.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate a mastery of theory, methods, and substantive literature of criminology and criminal justice, and the interconnections between social theory, research, and policy
• Analyze the role that social structure (e.g., race, class, gender, etc.) plays in crime and criminal justice
• Critically synthesize and analyze the nature, scope, and determinants of major criminological problems and identify gaps for further inquiry
• Independently apply scientific research methods and empirical analyses to produce high-quality original, theoretically relevant, and socially important criminological research
• Conduct independent high-quality research in accordance with the highest ethical standards and scientific integrity
• Effectively translate and communicate scientific findings effectively, in both oral and written forms
• Demonstrate knowledge of the profession needed for a successful research and/or teaching career in criminology and criminal justice