The PhD in Criminal Justice program helps prepare students with the skills needed to pursue a range of criminal justice-related roles including leadership and education. Spanning topics such as homeland security, human services, and the role of technology in law enforcement, the curriculum examines contemporary criminal justice theory and practice while outlining some of the national and global issues facing the field today. Students can choose from six optional specializations to create a program of study that is tailored to their professional objectives.
Walden’s PhD in Criminal Justice program is not considered a Professional Peace Officer Education Program for the state of Minnesota and is not designed or intended to prepare graduates for licensure as a peace officer, police officer, or other law enforcement officer in any state.
Upon graduation, students will be able to:
General (Track 1)—Track 1 is a program of study for students who have a master’s degree in criminal justice or a related field.
General (Track 2)—Track 2 is a program of study for students who have a master’s degree in a discipline unrelated to the criminal justice field.
Quarter | Course | Credits |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 | CRJS 8002 - Foundations of Doctoral Study | 3 credits |
CRJS 8350 - History and Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice | 5 credits | |
Complete Residency 1 as soon as you begin your program; should be completed within 90 days of completing your Foundations course. | ||
Quarter 2 | CRJS 8351 - Policy and Analysis in Criminal Justice Systems | 5 credits |
CRJS 8352 - Leadership: Putting Theory into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration | 5 credits | |
Quarter 3 | Elective/Specialization Course 1 | 5 credits |
RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods | 5 credits | |
Quarter 4 | Elective/Specialization Course 2 | 5 credits |
RSCH 8210 - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis | 5 credits | |
Complete Residency 2 within 18 months of your start date or linked to your registration for or completion of your first research course. | ||
Quarter 5 | Elective/Specialization Course 3 | 5 credits |
RSCH 8310 - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis | 5 credits | |
Complete Residency 3 by the end of your third year. | ||
Quarter 6 | CRJS 8381 - Program Evaluation | 5 credits |
CRJS 8115 - Writing a Quality Prospectus | 5 credits | |
Residency 4 –Complete residency 4 after your prospectus is approved as follows:
|
||
Quarter 7+ | RSCH 8260 - Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis OR RSCH 8360 - Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis OR RSCH 8460 - Advanced Mixed-Methods Reasoning and Analysis | 5 credits |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation * | 5 credits per term for a minimum of 4 terms; taken continuously until completion | |
Optional: Complete a PhD dissertation intensive during CRJS 9000. Contact Student Success Advising to register. |
* Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval. In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation course shell.
To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.
Walden offers a Fast-Track Option. With the Fast-Track Option, students take up to three courses and a dissertation preparatory course to expedite their path through the program.
In addition, students must
Walden students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral program unless they petition for an extension.
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation course shell.
To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.
Note: PhD in Criminal Justice Fast-Track Option courses are identified with an ACRJ course prefix for enrollment purposes. ACRJ course descriptions align with corresponding CRJS courses, as listed below.
Quarter | Course | Credits |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 |
CRJS 8002 - Foundations of Doctoral Study
|
3 credits |
CRJS 8350 - History and Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 8351 - Policy and Analysis in Criminal Justice Systems
|
5 credits | |
Quarter 2 |
CRJS 8352 - Leadership: Putting Theory into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration
|
5 credits |
CRJS XXXX Specialization or Elective Course | 5 credits | |
RSCH 8110O - Research Theory, Design, and Methods
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation*
|
1 credits | |
Quarter 3 | CRJS XXXX Specialization or Elective Course | 5 credits |
RSCH 8210O - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation*
|
1 credits | |
CRJS XXXX Specialization or Elective Course | 5 credits | |
Quarter 4 |
RSCH 8310O - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits |
CRJS 8381 - Program Evaluation
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation**
|
3 credits | |
CRJS 8115 - Writing a Quality Prospectus
|
5 credits | |
Quarter 5 | RSCH 8260O - Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis [Inactivated 11/4/2021] OR RSCH 8360O - Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis OR
RSCH 8460O - Advanced Mixed-Methods Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits |
Quarter 5+ |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation
|
5 credits for a minimum of 3 terms; continuously enrolled until completion |
* In quarters 2 and 3, CRJS 9000 is equivalent to ACRJ 9001A. ACRJ 9001A is a one-credit course.
** In quarter 4, CRJS 9000 is equivalent to ACRJ 9001B.ACRJ 9001B is a one-credit course.
Quarter | Course | Credits |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 |
CRJS 8002 - Foundations of Doctoral Study
|
3 credits |
CRJS 8350 - History and Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice
|
5 credits | |
Complete Residency 1 as soon as you begin your program; should be completed within 90 days of completing your Foundations course. | ||
Quarter 2 |
CRJS 8351 - Policy and Analysis in Criminal Justice Systems
|
5 credits |
CRJS 8352 - Leadership: Putting Theory into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration
|
5 credits | |
Quarter 3 |
CRJS 8137 - The Nature of Crime and Criminology
|
5 credits |
RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods
|
5 credits | |
Quarter 4 |
CRJS 8215 - Controversies in Criminal Justice
|
5 credits |
RSCH 8210 - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits | |
Complete Residency 2 within 18 months of your start date or linked to your registration for or completion of your first research course. | ||
Quarter 5 |
CRJS 8217 - Technological Solutions and 21st-Century Crime
|
5 credits |
RSCH 8310 - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits | |
Complete Residency 3 by the end of your third year. | ||
Quarter 6 |
CRJS 8381 - Program Evaluation
|
5 credits |
Specialization Course 1 | 5 credits | |
Quarter 7 | Specialization Course 2 | 5 credits |
CRJS 8115 - Writing a Quality Prospectus
|
5 credits | |
Complete Residency 4 after your prospectus is approved as follows:
|
||
Quarter 8 |
RSCH 8260 - Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis
OR
RSCH 8360 - Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
OR
RSCH 8460 - Advanced Mixed-Methods Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits |
Specialization Course 3 | 5 credits | |
Quarter 9+ |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation*
|
5 credits per term for a minimum of 4 terms; taken continuously until completion |
Optional: Complete a PhD dissertation intensive (DRWI 8500) during CRJS 9000. Contact Student Success Advising to register. |
* Students take this course for a minimum of four terms and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval. In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation course shell.
To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.
Walden offers a Fast-Track Option. With the Fast-Track Option, students take up to three courses
Walden students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral program unless they petition for an extension.
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation course shell.
To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.
Note: PhD in Criminal Justice Fast-Track Option courses are identified with an ACRJ course prefix for enrollment purposes. ACRJ course descriptions align with corresponding CRJS courses, as listed below.
Quarter | Course | Credits |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 |
CRJS 8002 - Foundations of Doctoral Study
|
3 credits |
CRJS 8350 - History and Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 8351 - Policy and Analysis in Criminal Justice Systems
|
5 credits | |
Quarter 2 |
CRJS 8352 - Leadership: Putting Theory into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration
|
5 credits |
CRJS 8137 - The Nature of Crime and Criminology
|
5 credits | |
RSCH 8110O - Research Theory, Design, and Methods
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation*
|
1 credits | |
Quarter 3 |
CRJS 8215 - Controversies in Criminal Justice
|
5 credits |
RSCH 8210O - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation*
|
1 credits | |
CRJS 8217 - Technological Solutions and 21st-Century Crime
|
5 credits | |
Quarter 4 |
RSCH 8310O - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits |
CRJS 8381 - Program Evaluation
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 8115 - Writing a Quality Prospectus
|
5 credits | |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation**
|
3 credits | |
Quarter 5 | RSCH 8260O - Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis [Inactivated 11/4/2021] OR
RSCH 8360O - Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
OR
RSCH 8460O - Advanced Mixed-Methods Reasoning and Analysis
|
5 credits |
Quarter 5+ |
CRJS 9000 - Dissertation
|
3 credits per term for a minimum of 3 terms; continuously enrolled until completion |
* In quarters 2 and 3, CRJS 9000 is equivalent to ACRJ 9001A. ACRJ 9001A is a one-credit course.
** In quarter 4, CRJS 9000 is equivalent to ACRJ 9001B. ACRJ 9001B is a one-credit course.
Walden awards the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree to recognize PhD students for academic achievement leading up to their dissertation. With an MPhil, students will be able to demonstrate to employers and others that they have an advanced knowledge base in their field of study as well as proficiency in research design and evaluation.
Students who start or readmit to doctoral programs at Walden University in the university catalog for academic year 2017 or later will complete the university’s required doctoral writing assessment. Designed to evaluate incoming doctoral students’ writing skills, this assessment aims to help prepare incoming doctoral students to meet the university’s expectations for writing at the doctoral level.
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.
Students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral degree requirements (see Enrollment Requirements in the student handbook). Students may petition to extend the 8-year maximum time frame, but an extension is not guaranteed.
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