Criminal Justice, DCJ
Combine your practical criminal justice experience with advanced academic training. You'll develop the executive leadership and organizational management skills needed to lead change within criminal justice agencies and solve complex challenges through evidence-based decision-making.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Criminal Justice, DCJ degree description
The Doctor of Criminal Justice program is a professional doctoral degree that prepares you, as a mid- to senior-level practitioner, to become an expert who combines practical and academic knowledge in your field in ways that equip you to solve complex criminal justice issues.
The DCJ program provides you with state-of-the-art, interdisciplinary education on crime and justice issues. You take a core of required courses on criminological and organizational theory; criminal justice policies, practices and outcomes; inequality in criminal justice; and research methodology and statistics. You also choose from various electives on topics such as critical legal issues, contemporary policy issues, and teaching in criminology. The program prepares you to be a skilled criminology and criminal justice researcher prepared to meet the needs of innovative criminal justice agencies.
ASU Sync
Students on F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not permitted to complete courses via ASU Sync.
Students seeking to use GI Bill® benefits for ASU Sync programs should contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center regarding certain limitations.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Why study criminal justice at ASU?
You complete an applied project instead of a traditional dissertation, enabling you to address significant issues relevant to your work. The program recognizes that you bring valuable professional experience, and instructors build that into the coursework and expectations.
ASU Sync delivery enables you to participate remotely in live classes, interact with faculty and peers in real time over Zoom, and build a professional network while maintaining your career. This format gives you access to the same rigorous curriculum and collaborative learning environment as on-campus students.
Additional details
You have access to three specialized research centers at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. The Center for Correctional Solutions enhances the lives of people who live and work in correctional systems through research, education and community engagement. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing delivers information that helps police more effectively address specific crime and disorder problems, with materials used in training and courses worldwide. The Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety works with community partners to build, implement and test new models for predicting, preventing and controlling violence.
The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers multiple student organizations where you can connect with peers and expand your professional network. You can visit the school's student involvement page to learn more about these opportunities.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
60 credit hours including the required applied project course (CRJ 793)
Required Core (18 credit hours) Restricted Electives (18 credit hours) Electives or Research (18 credit hours) Research (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
CRJ 701 Applied Criminal Justice Policy Analysis: Past to Present (3)
CRJ 702 Applying Criminology and Criminal Justice Theory to Policy and Practice (3)
CRJ 703 Applied Criminal Justice Research Methods and Program Evaluation (3)
CRJ 704 Applied Data Analysis and Interpretation (3)
CRJ 705 Advanced Topics in Crime, Criminal Justice and Inequality (3)
CRJ 706 Organization, Management and Transformational Leadership in Criminal Justice (3)
CRJ 711 Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
CRJ 712 Teaching Criminology and Criminal Justice (3)
CRJ 720 Topics in Methods and Statistics (3)
CRJ 730 Contemporary Policy Issues in Criminal Justice Systems (6)
CRJ 790 Reading and Conference (3)
CRJ 792 Research (3)
CRJ 793 Applied Project (3)
CRJ 730 should be taken at least twice for six credit hours. It may be repeated on different topic for up to twelve total credit hours.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Synthesize advanced knowledge of criminological theory and existing research on criminal justice policy and practice to make original contributions to practical knowledge in the field.
- Apply knowledge about data analytics, research methodology, and related management and leadership skills to generate improved outcomes for crime and public safety problems.
- Produce a final applied capstone project and demonstrate they can effectively communicate the results of this project in writing and orally.
Synthesize advanced knowledge of criminological theory and existing research on criminal justice policy and practice to make original contributions to practical knowledge in the field.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice, criminology or a related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. Applicants are required to submit: Additional Admission Information Applicants are required to submit a personal statement on how the DCJ program will help them attain their career goals and why their research and policy interests align with those of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. The personal statement should not exceed five pages. The letters of recommendation must be from faculty members or others qualified to evaluate the applicant's academic potential for a professional doctoral program.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 07/01 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 11/01 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this criminal justice doctoral degree prepares you for
The DCJ program provides a pathway to career opportunities in criminal justice agencies and academic institutions as well as nonprofit, advocacy and research organizations working in the crime and justice space. Graduates can pursue senior leadership opportunities in these areas:
- career-track or non-tenure track faculty positions at colleges and universities
- corrections
- court agencies
- law enforcement
- tenure-track faculty positions in community and junior colleges
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
|
UCENT 600
idpadvising@asu.edu
602-496-0485
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
