Ph.D. in Criminal Justice
A student aspiring to the Ph.D. should expect to spend three to four years, depending on the individual, in study and research beyond the M.A. degree, of which at least two years must be enrolled at Washington State University, and at least two consecutive semesters must be spent in residence as a graduate student in criminal justice. This degree program is designed for the student entering the graduate program with an M.A. Students currently enrolled in the M.A. program at WSU must submit a regular application to the Ph.D. program.
There are four components (or milestones) involved in successfully completing our Ph.D. program:
Coursework
72 credits total - 48 graded credits (credits earned for your M.A count towards this total; if you enter our program with an M.A. from another university, some of your credits may transfer), and 24 ungraded dissertation research credits
Teaching/Research
In addition to the course requirements, each student in the Ph.D. program is required to have formal teaching and/or research experience in an institution of higher learning before receiving the Ph.D. degree. Serving as a teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology satisfies this teaching requirement. Collecting original data also fulfills this requirement.
Preliminary Exams
The Ph.D. aspirant becomes eligible to attempt qualifying ("preliminary") examinations when he or she is in the process of completing the final courses included in his or her Ph.D. program. Only after a student has successfully passed "prelims" does he or she become formally a "candidate for the Ph.D." (or ABD, "All But Dissertation").
Dissertation
The next requirement for the Ph.D. candidate beyond the prelims is preparation, under the guidance of a dissertation committee, of a dissertation presenting the results of a thorough and systematic investigation of a significant problem in one of the specialty areas in criminal justice and criminology the candidate wished to research.
Contact Us
Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Washington State University
Johnson Tower 701
P.O. Box 644872
Pullman, WA 99164-4872
Ph: 509-335-8611
Fax: 509-335-4513
Chair:
Dr. David Brody
Graduate Advisors:
Dr. Otwin Marenin (Pullman)
Dr. Zachary K. Hamilton (Spokane)
Graduate and Student Records Coordinator:
Dee Dee Torgeson
Undergraduate Academic Advisors:
Sisouvanh Keopanapay
(cerified majors, 2nd degree students)
Mary Ohnemus
(non-certified majors, 2nd majors, minors)
2012–2013 Handbook (pdf)
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