The Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice is designed to produce students of crime and justice who possess a deep and extensive awareness of the body of knowledge in the field of criminal justice and the intellectual and methodological skills necessary for the continuing process of discovery and understanding of crime and justice related issues. The graduate should be capable of integrative and analytical thinking, competent at transmitting knowledge, able to engage in various accepted modes of research, and should possess skills in problem-solving.
The curriculum includes courses that provide theoretical and applied knowledge of the phenomena of crime and criminal justice. In addition to the demonstration of excellence in the classroom, students are expected to engage in research in accordance with personal specialized interests beyond specified courses.
Through the combined efforts of faculty and students, the PhD program in Criminal Justice produces students capable of making contributions to criminal justice through the academic and applied components of the discipline. The curriculum is designed to ensure that graduates are well equipped to participate in criminological positions emphasizing research, theory, law and administration.