About the Ph.D

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Criminology and Criminal Justice

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University offers a program of coursework and research leading to the Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. This program emphasizes criminal justice theory, research, and policy. The program is designed to produce highly skilled criminology and criminal justice faculty and agency researchers and administrators.

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The Ph.D. program in criminology and criminal justice is organized around five components:

1. A core of required courses in theory and research on crime and the criminal justice system;
2. A core of required courses on research methods and analytical techniques;
3. Elective courses in criminology, criminal justice and related fields;
4. A comprehensive examination; and
   
5. A dissertation.
   
   

   A minimum of 84 credit hours are required to complete the degree. This includes a minimum of 72 hours of coursework and 12 hours of dissertation. A maximum of 30 hours of course work from a previously awarded master's degree or juris doctor degree may, with the approval of the supervisory committee, be applied toward the doctoral program of study.

The theory and research on crime and criminal justice core includes two required courses: Seminar on Criminological Theory and Seminar on Criminal Justice Policies and Practices. The research methods and analytical techniques core includes three required courses: Advanced Research Design; Advanced Statistical Analysis; and Special Problems in Quantitative Methods. Elective courses may include graduate courses in criminology and criminal justice and related disciplines (e.g., sociology, political science, public administration, psychology). Students will take a comprehensive examination and will write a dissertation that reflects original scholarship and contributes to the body of knowledge on in criminology and criminal justice.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Mario V. Cano, PhD Student, Research Assistant Major: Criminology and Criminal Justice Career Goal: Research and Teaching Faculty Associate (Summer 2009), ASU's School of Criminal Justice & Criminology ....................................................................................................... “I am a first year PhD student in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University.  I have undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and political science and a master’s degree in criminal justice from New Mexico State University.  In addition to criminological theory, my research interests include courts, criminal procedure, and constitutional law.  I am privileged to have the opportunity to develop my research interests with the growing faculty here and to be a part of this program’s tremendous growth.  The faculty and ASU’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice are very supportive and encouraging and have made my transition easier.”