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Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia granted approval to the Georgia State University Department of Criminal Justice to offer a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. The program is a response to two areas of societal need: demand for Ph.D. prepared individuals to teach in the expanding number of criminal justice degree programs offered in higher education and the need to have doctoral trained researchers available to study different issues related to criminal justice and crime control.  Information about our program is listed below in question and answer format.*

To apply for the PhD program, click here.

Q: When will the program begin?
A: It will begin in Fall 2010.

Q: What is the name of the program?
A: It is a PhD in Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your department?
A: The mission of the Department of Criminal Justice is to generate and disseminate knowledge and information that is theoretically driven and policy relevant for the fields of criminal justice and criminology.  The Department has a core group of faculty who engage in policy-relevant research and faculty who engage in cross-disciplinary research, as evidenced by its involvement in the Partnership for Urban Health Research, located within the Institute of Public Health.  The Department serves a critical role in assisting the College of Health and Human Sciences accomplish its mission “to engage in teaching, scholarly endeavors, and service activities that improve health and well being and address social justice issues within a multi-cultural society”

Q: Can you tell me a little about your faculty?
A: In Fall 2009, the Department of Criminal Justice will have 16 full-time tenure-track faculty members, whose educational backgrounds are diverse and include psychology, law, government, social work, and sociology, as well as criminology and criminal justice.  The substantive strengths of the faculty are in the areas of urban crime, violence, and participatory research.  No other Criminal Justice/Criminology department in the United States has the combination of strengths that exists in the Department of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University.  The Department has a national reputation for being a highly productive department.  Based on publications in top criminal justice and criminology journals between January 1995 through December 1999, the Department of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University was ranked 14th nationally; the highest in the nation among programs without a Ph.D. program.  More recently, the Department was ranked eighth in the nation in terms of the average number of scholarly articles published in top criminal justice/criminology journals.  The Department also has a long history of publishing prominent criminal justice/criminology journals.  Two journals (e.g., Criminal Justice Review and International Criminal Justice Review) are housed in the Department. 

Q: Where can I learn more about your faculty?
A: You can check out our list of faculty here.

Q: What are the degree requirements?
A: The degree requirements include:

  • Minimum of 54 hours beyond the Master’s degree (see Table below)
  • Required Courses (includes 2 research methods and one statistics course): 27 semester hours (9 courses) 
  • Elective/Concentration Area Courses: 12 semester hours (4 courses)
  • Directed Work Courses (includes dissertation credits): 15 semester hours (5 courses)
  • Written Comprehensive Exams
  • Dissertation Proposal Defense
  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation Defense

Q: Can you tell me about the courses that are part of the curriculum?
A: The curriculum is divided into three categories: required courses including graduate orientation, criminological theory, justice policy, teaching seminar, and quantitative and qualitative empirical methods; elective/concentration courses in either criminology or criminal justice, and directed work in faculty-supervised readings, research, and dissertation preparation.  

Q: What specific courses will I be taking?
A: The required and elective courses are outlined in the table below.
 

Table Courses for Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Required Courses: (Students must take all of the following)  27 credits

·                      CRJU 9610 - Quantitative Research Methods II (Prerequisite is Research Methods I)

·                      CRJU 9920 - Qualitative Research Methods (Prerequisite is Research Methods I)

·                      CRJU 9630 - Statistics in Criminal Justice II (Prerequisite is Criminal Justice Statistics I)

·                      CRJU 9450 - Contemporary Criminological Theory (Prerequisite is Criminological Theory)

·                      CRJU 9010 – Contemporary Criminal Justice Policy

·                      CRJU 9020 - Professional Development Seminar

·                      CRJU 9030 - Graduate Orientation Seminar

·                      CRJU 9550 - Directed Teaching Seminar

·                      CRJU 9830 - Comprehensives Seminar

 

Elective/Concentration Area  (Students must chose at least 4 of the following) (12 credits)*

·                      CRJU 8110 - Critical Issues in Law Enforcement

·                      CRJU 8410 - Critical Issues in Criminology

·                      CRJU 8720 - Critical Issues in Justice

·                      CRJU 8310 - Critical Issues in Corrections

·                      CRJU 8210 - Critical Issues in Juvenile Justice

·                      CRJU 9510 - Contemporary Issues in Methods and Analysis

 

*Students may take two courses outside of the Department with the permission of the graduate program coordinator

Directed Work  (Students may take any number of these courses to satisfy total credit hour requirements)

·                      CRJU 9900 - Dissertation Research

·                      CRJU 9800 - Directed Research in Criminology/Criminal Justice

·                      CRJU 9820 - Research Practicum/Externship

 

Note:

All courses are 3 credit hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: How will the program benefit me?
The Ph.D. program in Criminal Justice and Criminology will prepare teacher-scholars who will make substantial contributions to the discovery and application of knowledge about crime and its control and to the education of students who will become professionals in the areas of criminal justice and/or criminology.  Graduates with a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology will demonstrate knowledge of both the substantive areas of criminology (knowledge about the extent and causes of crime) and the criminal justice system (society’s response to crime); will demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate and sophisticated analytical techniques to the study of both crime and criminal justice; and will be socialized into the related roles of scholarship, teaching and service. 

Q: Will any of the courses be offered online?
A: No

Q: How are students admitted to the program?
A: Students will be admitted one of two ways—(1) as MS/PhD students or (2) as PhD students.  Exceptionally qualified students entering Georgia State University’s Master’s program in Criminal Justice will be admitted as MS/PhD students.  These students must complete their Master’s program before beginning the PhD requirements.  Upon completion of their Master’s degree, faculty will review the student’s progress before formally admitting them to the doctoral program. Post M.S. students admitted to the doctoral program from other universities should have a master’s degree in criminal justice or related field from an accredited institution. 

Q: What will I need to submit as part of my application packet?
A: You will need to complete an application for graduate study and submit it along with a $50 fee.  You will need to submit two official copies of transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, a statement of professional and academic goals, three letters of recommendation from people qualified to assess your academic potential as a graduate student, and a certificate of immunization.  Non-native speakers of English must submit TOEFL scores of at least 600 on the paper-based text or 250 on the computer-based test and a score of at least 5 on the Test of Written English or the TOEFL Writing Test. 

Q: What if I have a J.D. but no Master’s degree?
A: You could apply as an M.S./Ph.D. student.

Q: When will I be able to apply?
A:  The Department will begin accepting applications in Fall 2009.

Q: Will assistantships be available?
A:  Yes, they will be available on a competitive basis.

Q: How long will it take for me to complete the degree?
It is expected that students who enter with a Master’s degree will take 3-5 years to complete the degree, and it will take those who enter without a Master’s degree 5-7 years.  Once the Master’s degree is received, the PhD curriculum is designed so that students may complete required didactic coursework within a two-year period, spending their next one to three years completing comprehensive examinations and a dissertation. 

Q: Who can I contact for more information?
A: You can contact Dr. Timothy Brezina, Doctoral Program Coordinator, at tbrezina@gsu.edu.

*Specific course titles and requirements are subject to change.