The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is designed to produce graduates who can apply interdisciplinary theory and a variety of research methodologies to the study of crime causation, societal responses to crime, and the administration of justice. The Ph.D. in Criminal Justice permits students to focus on various substantive crime-related issues while simultaneously developing a strong foundation in theory and research methods. The program prepares students for careers in college and university teaching and research, as well as advanced public-policy positions in government and private sectors.
Our faculty are trained in a variety of disciplines such as criminology, criminal justice, sociology, psychology, political science, public health, and public policy. Accordingly, doctoral student training is based on a multidisciplinary approach to the study of crime, responses to criminal behavior, and justice administration. Furthermore, students complete a sequence of advanced courses in research methods and statistics that prepares them to independently design, implement, and interpret research. Throughout the program there is an emphasis on the relationship between theory and practice, as well as the interconnected activities of the many agencies and professions involved in the criminal justice system. The program is individualized to allow students, working with a guidance committee, to shape a program of study that is broad in scope yet consistent with their specific interests. Through their research, teaching, and practice, graduates will be prepared to contribute to the prevention and control of crime and delinquency, and improvements in the efficacy of the criminal justice system and the fairness of outcomes it delivers to the public.
For further information regarding the doctoral program, please contact Graduate Program Coordinator, Mike Chapko.
Applications for the Criminal Justice doctoral program at MSU are screened for fall semester entry only. All application materials must be received by December 15 for consideration for the following fall semester. Applicants are typically notified of admission decisions within 6-8 weeks of the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Application materials that may be uploaded include:
Additional required materials include:
Please note: Applicants must have achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 in prior undergraduate and/or graduate work. While formal admission to the program does not require completion of a master's degree, the screening committee looks for a strong methodological and statistical background.
Questions? Please contact Graduate Program Coordinator, Mike Chapko.
In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Social Science, students must complete a minimum of 36 semester credits of course work and 24 credits of dissertation research, totaling a minimum of 60 semester credits. The program must be developed in consultation with a guidance committee and approved by the College of Social Science.
Students admitted directly from an undergraduate degree program must take CJ 811 (Design and Analysis of CJ Research) and CJ 887 (Quantitative Methods) as prerequisites to CJ 906, 907, 909, and 910. CJ 811 and CJ 887 may not be counted toward doctoral program requirements.
Students must complete 12 credits of additional courses at the 800-level or above, as approved by the student’s guidance committee. Three of the core master’s courses in criminal justice taught at MSU may not be used toward doctoral program requirements (CJ 811, CJ 812, CJ 887).
Students must complete two 3-credit doctoral-level research methods courses in the College of Social Science as approved by the student’s guidance committee. CJ 907 and CJ 909 may be repeated for credit and count toward this requirement when topics have changed.
Students will complete two qualifying papers (this is the program’s comprehensive exam requirement). Qualifying papers allow for the assessment of adequate student learning in criminological or criminal justice theory and research methods in criminology and criminal justice. Students will be expected to address unique research questions in their areas of study using the appropriate methods of analysis and should be able to contribute to the literature in ways consistent with high-quality peer-reviewed publications.
Students must submit and defend a dissertation reflecting original research focusing on a significant problem or issue in criminal justice. The guidance committee is responsible for providing direction for the student’s research. All program requirements, including oral defense and submission of the dissertation, must be completed within 8 years from the time of the first enrollment as a doctoral student.
MSU’s Graduate School has developed minimum education requirements for all graduate students regarding the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR for short). RECR training is also a federal requirement for all graduate students and completion of the training must be tracked. The RECR requirements are outlined by The Graduate School at the following LINK.
Travis Carter – University of South Florida
Noah Turner – University of Nebraska Omaha, NCITE Research Associate
Matthew Galasso – Michigan State University
Elizabeth Adams – Temple University
Ashleigh LaCourse – University of Cincinnati, Research Associate
Yongjae (David) Nam – University Texas San Antonio
Amanda Osuna – University of Tampa
Jennifer Paruk – Rutgers University, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Stephen Oliphant – University of Michigan, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Kayla Hoskins – Yale School of Medicine, Postdoctoral Fellow
Meagan Abel – RTI International
Rae Boratto – Monitor Conservation Research Society
Spencer Lawson – University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Research Scientist
Fiona Chan - Indiana University Bloomington
Mark Gibson - Director, Nurture Nature Campaign
Katie Darcy – University of Michigan-Dearborn
Ariel Roddy – University of Utah
Christine Kwiatkowski – Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Research Scientist
Jin Ree Lee - George Mason University
Roberta Liggett-O'Malley - University of South Florida
Michelle Malkin - East Carolina University
Alaina DeBiasi Podges - University of California Davis
Brent Klein - University of South Carolina
Sung Uook Lee - University of Southern Indiana
Rebecca Malinski - Moravian College
Yi Ting Chua - University of Cambridge, Cambridge Cybercrime Centre
Alison Cox - University of Northern Iowa
Gregory Drake - Rochester Institute of Technology
Marva Goodson - Vanderbilt University
Ka Wai Li - Rutgers University
Giovanni Circo - University of New Haven
Lauren Magee - Indiana University School of Medicine
Robert Peacock - Florida International University
Michael Cassidy - Niagara University
Jina Lee - Grand Valley State University
Seung Paek - SUNY-Oswego
Ksenia Petlakh - SUNY-Delhi
Sarah St. George - Northern Ohio Regional Fusion Center
Levente Fejes - Asociatia pentru Relatii Comunitare
Sadik Arin - Turkish National Police
Kimberly Bender - University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Roy Fenoff - The Citadel
Byung Hyun Lee - Central Connecticut State University
Juli Liebler - SCJ Outreach, Michigan State University
Michael Rossler - Illinois State University
Brandon Sullivan - Michigan State University/ Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection
Vaughn Crichlow - Florida Atlantic University
Ryan Martz - Saginaw Valley State University
Alexis Norris - California State University, San Bernardino
Miriam Northcutt Bohmert - Indiana University
Jason Rydberg - University of Massachusetts Lowell
Charles Scheer - University of Southern Mississippi
Rebecca Stone - University of Massachusetts Lowell
Michael Suttmoeller - Missouri State University
Margaret Fischer - Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety
Melissa Garmo - Saginaw Valley State University
Manish Madan - Richard Stockton College
Raymund Narag - Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Tia Stevens - University of South Carolina
Julie Yingling - South Dakota State University
Mohammad Ali -Punjab University
Ismail Demirkol - Turkish National Police
Joseph Johnson - Rowan University
Wook Kang - Songpa Police Department
Dae-Hoon Kwak - Illinois State University
Juyoung Song - University of West Georgia
Serkan Tasgin - Turkish National Police
Jeremy Carter - Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Suyeon Park - SUNY Plattsburgh
Nebi Cetinkaya - Turkish National Police
Eric Grommon - Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Mustafa Halicioglu - Turkish National Police
Jason Ingram - Illinois State University
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