PhD in Criminal Justice

Official Program Name:

Ph.D. in Criminal Justice

School Offering Program:

Capella University

Degree Level:

Doctoral

Program Prerequisites:

Those interested in entering the Ph.D. in Criminal Justice program at Capella University should hold a master's degree in social services or a related area. They might have experience in law enforcement, security, courts, or the legal system. Applicants to Capella University who are under 24 years of age must have completed at least two years of college or have active military status; some programs may have additional admissions requirements.

Program Description:

The curriculum of Capella University's Ph.D. in Criminal Justice program focuses on leadership theories and research methods in public safety, criminal behavior, and law. Topics covered in specialization courses include the psychological, biological, and sociological factors of criminal behavior, criminal justice legislation and legal policies, analyses of some constitutional amendments, current research in and theories of violent behavior, causations of crime, and correctional institution structures and rehabilitation processes. The program's research-based core curriculum emphasizes the development of leadership skills through studies of theories, concepts, and practices in areas of public safety and social science. In addition, students are guided through the dissertation process in a series of research courses.

Learning Format:

Online

Total Credits Required:

120 credits.

Financial Aid Available:

Students enrolled in Capella University have several opportunities to reduce their tuition costs, including employer reimbursement programs, veterans benefit programs, tuition discounts through corporate alliances, U.S. Armed Forces education benefits, and credit transfers. Federal and non-federal loans and grants are available to qualifying students.

Required Courses for a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice:

Degree program and course requirements are subject to change. Contact Capella University to confirm the most accurate information before enrolling in a program.

Core Courses

• PSF 8002: Advanced Research in Public Safety Issues, Theories, and Concepts (4 credits)
• PSF 8601: Contemporary Public Safety Leadership (4 credits)
• PSF 8602: Theories of Leadership (4 credits)
• PSF 8634: Public Safety Incident Command Paradigms (4 credits)
• PSF 8606: Diversity Issues in Public Safety (4 credits)
• PSF 8106: Epistemology of Practice Knowledge (4 credits)
• PSF 8100: Fundamentals of Social Science Research (4 credits)
• PSF 8111: Quantitative Research Methods in the Human Services (4 credits)
• PSF 8112: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (4 credits)
• PSF 8113: Advanced Study in Research Methods (4 credits)

Specialization Courses

• PSF 8350: Sociological Theories of Crime (4 credits)
• PSF 8354: Psychological and Biological Theories of Criminal Behavior (4 credits)
• PSF 8358: Law and Legal Foundations (4 credits)
• PSF 8362: Criminal Justice Policy Analysis (4 credits)
• PSF 8374: Current Research on Violent Behavior (4 credits)
• PSF 8376: Correlates of Crime (4 credits)
• PSF 8377: The Penal System: Its Role in the U.S. Society (4 credits)
• PSF 9919: Doctoral Comprehensive Examination (4 credits)
• PSF 9920: Dissertation Courseroom (0 credits)
• PSF 9921: Dissertation Research 1 (5 credits)
• PSF 9922: Dissertation Research 2 (5 credits)
• PSF 9923: Dissertation Research 3 (5 credits)
• PSF 9924: Dissertation Research 4 (5 credits)

Post Graduation Opportunities

Career Paths:

Upon completion of Capella University's Ph.D. in Criminal Justice program, graduates could be apply the leadership and management skills they might have developed in the program to supervisory or executive positions in a variety of professional settings. They could work for law enforcement agencies, government organizations, security firms, public safety centers, or detention facilities. They might also choose to become college instructors or consultants in the field.

Positions graduates could pursue include:

• Criminal research specialist
• Penologist
• Court administrator
• Corrections facilities manager