Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ) program is a professional doctoral degree designed for mid- to senior-level practitioners who aspire to be experts in combining practical and academic knowledge in their field to solve complex criminal justice issues.

Program Description

The DCJ program provides students with state-of-the-art, interdisciplinary education on crime and justice issues. Students take a core of required courses on criminological and organizational theory; criminal justice policies, practices, and outcomes; inequality in criminal justice; and research methodology and statistics. Students also choose from various electives on topics such as critical legal issues, contemporary policy issues, and teaching in criminology. The program produces graduates who are skilled criminology and criminal justice researchers prepared to meet the needs of innovative criminal justice agencies.

At a Glance

• College/school: Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions
• Location: ASU Sync
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: No

Degree Requirements

• 60 credit hours and the required applied project course (CRJ 793)
• Required Core (18 credit hours)
  • CRJ 701 Applied Criminal Justice Policy Analysis: Past to Present (3)
  • CRJ 702 Applying Criminology and Criminal Justice Theory to Policy and Practice (3)
  • CRJ 703 Applied Criminal Justice Research Methods and Program Evaluation (3)
  • CRJ 704 Applied Data Analysis and Interpretation (3)
  • CRJ 705 Advanced Topics in Crime, Criminal Justice and Inequality (3)
  • CRJ 706 Organization, Management and Transformational Leadership in Criminal Justice (3)
• Restricted Electives (18 credit hours)
  • CRJ 711 Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
  • CRJ 712 Teaching Criminology and Criminal Justice (3)
  • CRJ 720 Topics in Methods and Statistics (3)
  • CRJ 730 Contemporary Policy Issues in Criminal Justice Systems (6)
  • CRJ 790 Reading and Conference (3)
• Electives or Research (18 credit hours)
  • Research (3 credit hours)
    • CRJ 792 Research (3)
• Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
  • CRJ 793 Applied Project (3)

Admission Requirements

• General university admission requirements: All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
• Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
• Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice, criminology, or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.
• Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
• Applicants are required to submit:
  • graduate admissions application and application fee
  • official transcripts
  • personal statement
  • professional resume
  • two letters of recommendation
  • proof of English proficiency

Tuition Information

When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.

Application Deadlines

• Fall:
  • Session | Modality | Deadline | Type
  • Session A/C | In Person | 07/01 | Final

Career Opportunities

The DCJ program provides a pathway to career opportunities in criminal justice agencies and academic institutions as well as nonprofit, advocacy, and research organizations working in the crime and justice space. Graduates can pursue senior leadership opportunities in these areas:

• career-track or non-tenure track faculty positions at colleges and universities
• corrections
• court agencies
• law enforcement
• tenure-track faculty positions in community and junior colleges

Additional Information

• GI Bill benefits: This new program is not yet approved for use with GI Bill benefits.
• Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP): Students from western states who select this major may be eligible for a reduced nonresident tuition rate of 150 percent of Arizona resident tuition plus all applicable fees.