Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology Washington State University’s Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Criminal Justice and Criminology—offered exclusively on the Pullman campus—is designed for scholars seeking to advance the field through research and academic leadership. Tailored for students entering with a master’s degree in criminal justice or a closely related discipline, the program typically requires three to four years of study beyond the M.A. or M.S., including at least two years of enrollment at WSU and a minimum of two consecutive semesters in residence.
Coursework Requirements
The Ph.D. program requires a total of 72 credit hours: 39 graded credits—which may include applicable coursework from a completed M.A., including transfer credits from other institutions with approval—and 33 credits dedicated to dissertation research.
Core Required Courses (24 credits)
- Crm J 513: Multicultural Issues in Criminal Justice OR Crm J 580: Gender and Justice
- Crm J 514: Professional Development in Criminal Justice and Criminology (1 credit pass/fail)
- Crm J 520: Criminal Justice Research Methods OR Equivalent course
- Crm J 522: Foundations of Quantitative Methods OR Equivalent course
- Crm J 523: Intermediate Quantitative Methods
- Crm J 530: Criminal Justice: Processes and Institutions
- Crm J 540: Seminar in Evaluation Research
- Crm J 555: Seminar in Criminological Theory
Electives (15 credits)
Most recent courses offered. For a full list of electives please visit the Course Catalog.
- Crm J 505: Comparative Criminal Justice
- Crm J 512: Juvenile Justice
- Crm J 542: Community Corrections
- Crm J 570: The Police and Society
- Crm J 595: Advanced Topics in Criminal Justice Institutions and Processes (Sexual Violence and The Intersection of Technology as special topics)
Examination Requirements
Preliminary Examination
- Component 1: Reading and Question List Development
Students will produce a personalized reading list which will be comprised of significant literature in the students defined area of specialization. In addition, students will submit a proposed list of five question focused on the substantive area of their specialization, and five questions focused on the methodological/statistics aspect of the area of specialization. - Component 2: Take-Home Paper Submission
Students will write a take-home paper over the period of 57 hours over a three day period. The paper will answer two synthesis questions developed by the students committee, one substantive in nature and the other methodological/statistics in nature. - Component 3: Oral Defense
Students must orally defend their take-home paper before their doctoral committee.
Dissertation Prospectus Examination
A doctoral student becomes eligible to undertake the preliminary (prospectus) examinations upon completion of preliminary exam and while nearing completion of their required coursework. Successful passage of the preliminary examinations confers formal status as a Ph.D. candidate (commonly referred to as ‘All But Dissertation’ or ABD). Following this advancement, the candidate must develop a dissertation—under the supervision of their dissertation committee—that presents a rigorous and systematic investigation of a significant issue within a designated area of specialization in criminal justice and criminology.
Dissertation Final Examination Defense
Following a successful defense of the dissertation prospectus, students are expected to conduct a comprehensive review and synthesis of the relevant literature, finalize the approved methodological framework, collect and analyze the necessary data to address the dissertation research question, and draft the initial chapters of the dissertation. Upon completion of the dissertation and successful final defense, the final version—along with all required documentation—must be submitted electronically to the Graduate School within five business days for formal acceptance.