phd criminal justice and criminology

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Criminology and Criminal Justice, PhD

School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, College of Public Affairs & Community Service

Vision Statement

The vision of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is to be a program that is recognized nationally for its quality and impact on research and instruction. In terms of doctoral education, the aim is to foster a learning environment in which graduate students may gain the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to prepare them for careers in academia or in the public or private sectors. The curriculum emphasizes written and verbal communication skills, methodological competency, a strong statistical foundation, and hands-on research experience. Doctoral students will actively engage in research under the supervision of faculty, the Director of the School’s Nebraska Center for Justice Research, and/or the Director of the Juvenile Justice Institute.

Program Contact Information

Todd Armstrong, PhD, Doctoral Graduate Program Chair (GPC) 218 College of Public Affairs and Community Service Building (CPACS)  402.554.2326 [email protected]

Program Website

General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria

Program-Specific Requirements

Application deadline  (fall 2024).

• The PhD program only admits students for the fall semester. The application deadline for fall admission with graduate assistantship funding consideration is January 20th. 
• Application deadline for admission with no graduate assistantship funding is June 1.

Other Requirements

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice uses a holistic approach when evaluating application materials including the extent to which the applicant's interests align with faculty research areas and an interest in attracting a diverse student body with varying lived experiences. Admissions decisions are competitive with a limited number of qualified students admitted each fall semester. Applicants are typically notified of decision by mid-spring. 

• A Master of Arts or Master of Science degree in criminology or criminal justice from an accredited institution is required for unconditional admission into the program.
• Applicants holding a master’s degree in a related social science field (e.g., psychology, sociology, political science, public administration, etc.), but lacking substantive coursework in criminology and criminal justice may be granted provisional admission. Unconditional admission status will be granted upon successful completion of 18 hours of criminology and criminal justice core curriculum coursework.
• NOTE : All English as second language students will be required to complete a proficiency assessment examination upon admission. This assessment will be used to determine if further assistance is required.

Entrance Exam: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required.

A GRE score above 300 (combined verbal and quantitative portions) and writing score at or above 4.0 and above is preferred. Students not meeting this threshold but demonstrate their exceptional academic potential through other aspects of their application materials may also be considered.

• A statement of purpose should describe the applicant’s prior education experience, research interests, any relevant professional experience, and long term career goals. Applicants may note their interests in working with specific faculty members with whom their research interests align.
• Writing Sample:  This may be a chapter from a master’s thesis, a published article, or a term paper or manuscript written in a scholarly style.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three letters are required with at least two of the three letters must be submitted by professors who can attest to the applicant's academic strengths through experiences such as having the applicant as a student in their class and/or working under their direct supervision on research projects.

Degree Requirements

 This course may be substituted with a course from another department. Permission for course substitution must be granted by a student's supervisory committee and doctoral program chair. 

Both 8000- and 9000-level elective courses are available to doctoral students.   A maximum of six (6) hours of dual-level courses (8—6 course number) can be included in the program of study.

A maximum of six hours of directed readings ( CRCJ 9980 ) may be included in the program of study. These six hours can be used in preparation for the comprehensive examination. Directed readings intended for comprehensive exam prep may be taken in the semester before the administration of the comprehensive exam. All coursework, excluding coursework in the form of directed readings related to the comprehensive examination, must be completed within two and half (2.5) years from the time a student’s program of study is approved by the dean for graduate studies. All students will be required to complete all courses listed as required courses. Students also must take elective courses in criminal justice or related fields.

Students are expected to complete 36 hours of coursework within two years except in extraordinary circumstances. Some of these hours may be taken during summer semesters.

Comprehensive Examination and Admission to Candidacy

After completion of 36 hours of coursework, doctoral students will be required to pass a comprehensive examination. The examination has two parts-criminological theory and criminal justice systems. Students are expected to take both  comprehensive examinations during the fall and spring semesters of their third year in the program. 

Dissertation

Students may register for dissertation credits after successful completion of one comprehensive examination. The dissertation must reflect original scholarship and contribute to the body of knowledge on criminology and criminal justice. The dissertation topic must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee, which consists of a chair and three other members. One committee member must be a faculty member from outside the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. The dissertation topic, prospectus, and the dissertation all require the approval of the dissertation committee. A doctoral student will be required to take at least one hour of CRCJ 9990 each fall and spring semester while working toward the completion of the dissertation. A minimum of 20 credit hours of CRCJ 9990 is required for all doctoral students.

Total Credit Hours

A minimum of 92 graduate hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. This includes up to 30 hours earned in a master’s degree. Satisfactory completion of a teaching practicum is also required.

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Criminology and Criminal Justice, Ph.D.

College of Arts and Sciences

The coursework and research of the Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice emphasizes criminological theory, criminal justice system operations, research and policy.

The program is designed to provide rigorous advanced training that educates and prepares highly competent criminology and criminal justice faculty members, agency researchers and administrators.

Program Highlights

A notable faculty.

Learn from some of the nation’s leading criminology and criminal justice researchers and instructors.

Conduct research that is vital to designing effective policy interventions and criminal justice system practices.

Experiential Learning

Enhance your knowledge through internships with local criminal justice-related agencies or organizations.

Competitive Assistantships

Keep your focus on your studies and research with financial support from graduate assistantships.

What You’ll Study

Faculty interests span many crime- and criminal justice-related topics, including policing, courts, corrections, law and policy, criminological theory, sentencing, victimization and program evaluation. Graduates are trained for academia or criminal justice system roles where they can teach, research or influence policy and practice.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

Data Analysis

Examining and interpreting information to uncover insights and inform decision making

Inspiring and guiding others to achieve common goals and reach their full potential

Public Speaking

Delivering a message or presentation to an audience effectively and persuasively

Gathering and analyzing information to increase knowledge or solve problems

Foster learning by conveying knowledge, skills and concepts to students

Creating professional written content for inclusion in scholarly journal articles, books and reports

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Learn how alumni use degrees with outcome data from Gamecock GradStats , a service of the University of South Carolina Career Center.

Potential Careers

Workplace settings.

• Research Organizations
• Social Science Research Institute
• U.S. Department of Justice
• University of South Carolina
• Notre Dame of Maryland University
• University of Nevada-Las Vegas
• University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

The faculty guided me to actively engage in research with criminal justice agencies, which brought me real-world knowledge and experience. Thanks to them, I’m able to provide my students with effective teaching while conducting research independently and collaboratively.

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