Graduate Student Handbook

Academic Year 2026-2027

***Policies apply to those entering the graduate program effective AY 2026-2027. Students who entered their respective graduate degree programs prior to Fall 2026 should consult the graduate handbook in effect for the year in which they enrolled. Note that all Department policies align with those outlined in the Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual.

Welcome and Introduction

Welcome to the graduate program in Criminal Justice and Criminology (CJC) at Washington State University. We are pleased that you have chosen to pursue an advanced degree with us. Here, you will work with world-class scholars to develop breadth and depth of knowledge, conduct theory-driven empirical research, gain a deeper understanding of the discipline’s key challenges, and evaluate justice interventions. Over the course of your scholarly trajectory, you also learn the fundamentals of empirical research design and data analysis. Coursework, exams, and academic writing will emphasize the links between theory, scientific research, and policy. This will collectively prepare you to be informed consumers of empirical knowledge, foster skills necessary for translating empirical findings into effective and appropriate criminal justice policy, and facilitate your participation in the scientific endeavor so that you will be capable of executing independent research that builds and advances knowledge in criminal justice and criminology. 

During your time in our graduate program, you will work with mentors who have diverse expertise and international acclaim. World-class faculty have been recognized for problem-focused scholarship that addresses persistent and emerging justice issues. Their active engagement with government and non-government organization (NGO)/non-profit practitioner partners enriches research initiatives and enhances student learning.

Graduate Program Guidelines Navigation

The Department’s Graduate Handbook provides key guidance for completing degree requirements, aligned with WSU Graduate School Policies and Procedures. Students are responsible for carefully reading and familiarizing themselves with the Department’s policies and procedures and the Graduate School handbook—students must adhere to both documents. The Handbook version provided to each student upon program entry governs individual study plans (e.g., curriculum requirements, qualifying examination requirements), though forms, materials, processes, and deadlines may be updated periodically and it is the student’s responsibility to communicate regularly with the Graduate Program Coordinator to ensure compliance.

In cases of conflicting policies, WSU Graduate School Policies and Procedures take precedence.

Program Mission, Objectives, and Learning Outcomes

Program Mission

Graduate programs in CJC prepare students to better understand and address justice challenges at the local, national, and international levels. This is achieved through the development of theoretical, methodological, and policy-related knowledge and skills as they pertain to criminal justice and criminology.

Program Objectives

The graduate programs in CJC train students to be competent and intelligent consumers of empirical knowledge and participants in the creation of this knowledge. Students will understand and be able to conceptualize, analyze, and theorize the changing nature of crime, justice, and systems of formal social control in both current and historical contexts, domestically in the U.S. and internationally, in comparative settings. Moreover, graduate training will equip students to acquire the cultural competence, methodological proficiency, and analytical skills to interpret existing research and participate in the execution of independent research related to criminal justice and criminology.

These objectives will be expressed differently at each program level.

M.A. Graduate Program Learning Outcomes

There are four (4) student learning outcomes for the M.A. graduate program:

• Disciplinary Proficiency

Upon completion of the M.A. graduate program, students will be generally knowledgeable about criminal justice system institutions, criminal justice policy, and criminological theory. Assessment location: CRMJ 513, 530, 555, 580

• Contextual Knowledge

Upon completion of the M.A. graduate program, students will understand how the larger historical, social, economic, and political contexts have affected criminal justice and criminological policies, interventions, institutions, and outcomes. Assessment location: CRMJ 513, 580

• Methodological Competence

Upon completion of the M.A. graduate program, students will be competent in the basics of criminal justice and criminological research, including research design and rudimentary quantitative analysis. Assessment location: CRMJ 520, 522, 540

• Proficient Communication

Upon completion of the M.A. graduate program, students will be capable communicators in terms of research according to professional academic standards in both written and oral formats. Assessment location: All written coursework and oral presentations

Ph.D. Graduate Program Learning Outcomes

There are five (5) student learning outcomes for the Ph.D. program:

• Disciplinary Proficiency

Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, students will be generally knowledgeable across the entire academic disciplines of criminal justice and criminology. Assessment location: CRMJ 530, 555, Preliminary Examination and Dissertation

• Contextual Knowledge

Upon completion of the Ph.D. graduate program, students will understand how the larger historical, social, economic, and political contexts have affected criminal justice and criminological policies, interventions, institutions, and outcomes. Assessment location: CRMJ 513, 580

• Methodological Competence

Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, students will be competent in the full range research methods and analytical techniques used in the academic disciplines of criminal justice and criminology. Assessment location: CRMJ 520, 522, 523, 540; Preliminary Examination and Dissertation

• Specialized Expertise

Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the published scholarship and contemporary research methods in a specific, defined area of study within the academic disciplines of criminal justice and criminology. Assessment location: Preliminary Examination and Dissertation

• Proficient Communication

Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, students will be proficient communicators in terms of research and pedagogy according to professional academic standards in both written and oral formats. Assessment location: All written coursework and oral presentations, Preliminary Examination, Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

Graduate Programs and Degree Requirements

The DCJC offers both a Master of Arts (M.A.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Criminal Justice and Criminology. The M.A. and Ph.D. graduate degrees provide students with an overview of the criminal justice system and its operations, a survey of criminological theory and related empirical research, and methods of analysis.

Research Credit Hours Requirement

All graduate students, regardless of degree program, must register for at least one (1) credit hour of CRIMJ 700, 702, or 800 each semester. Research credit hours are specific to the student’s graduate program (described below) and are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. To comply with Academic Regulation 21, all variable-credit research courses must submit a Research Credit Expectations agreement (Appendix A) that establishes clear expectations between the faculty supervisor assigning the grade (the committee chair or Graduate Director) and the graduate student who is enrolled in the research credits. The agreement outlines expectations and clearly describes the student’s measurable goals and objectives for the semester in which they are enrolled. The student and faculty supervisor must meet in person at the beginning of the semester to discuss expectations and arrive at a mutually agreed upon plan that specifies outcomes, deliverables, and completion dates for academic performance, professional and scholarly development, and degree milestones. The final form is signed by both the graduate student and faculty supervisor and is retained on file with the Graduate Program Coordinator. At the end of the semester, a grade of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory is assigned by the faculty supervisor to reflect the student’s performance. In addition to meeting expectations as outlined in the expectations agreement, a U grade is assigned for the following:

• The student failed to file a Program of Study form by the Graduate School deadline
• The student failed their preliminary examination
• The student failed to enroll in or complete required coursework*
• The student earned a grade below B-
• The student failed to maintain a GPA of 3.00

If a student earns an Unsatisfactory grade in their research credit hours for any single semester, the faculty supervisor will write a letter that details the reasons for this grade. If this is the student’s first U grade, the letter will also include a performance improvement plan (PIP) that will clearly explain the steps the student must take to improve their performance in the graduate program and outline the consequences for failure to do so. Copies of this letter and the PIP will be retained in the student’s file and sent to the Graduate School. This performance will also be noted on the student’s annual evaluation.

Per Graduate School policy, a student who earns a U grade for their research credit hours in any two semesters will be dismissed from the graduate program in Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Transfer Credits

No more than twelve (12) graduate-level transfer credits for completed coursework may be accepted in fulfillment of CJC graduate program requirements, per the Graduate School’s policy.  Core courses cannot be replaced with transfer credits.

Consideration of transfer credits is contingent on content relevance to the student’s terminal degree. Graded graduate credits for classes that overlap in content with existing offerings are not eligible for transfer credit. For example, an introductory graduate level statistics course completed at another university would not be eligible for transfer credit to fulfill an elective requirement because this is a core course requirement for both M.A. and Ph.D. programs in CJC.

***Note that all transfer credits must be approved by the Graduate Director. Approval of transfer credits is not guaranteed and up to the discretion of the Graduate Director.

Program Checklist

A program checklist that identifies each requirement and degree milestone for the M.A. and Ph.D. graduate programs is presented in Appendix C. This should be used as a resource by students to identify all tasks necessary for completion of their degree program. Every student, regardless of program progress, must meet with the Graduate Program Coordinator at least once each semester to audit their degree plan and ensure they are meeting graduate program requirements.

M.A. Program Requirements

The M.A. program has two options for degree completion—a Thesis Track and a Non-Thesis Track. Both graduate programs consist of 30 required credit hours, beyond a bachelor’s degree.

M.A. Program Requirements, Thesis-Track

The Thesis Track M.A. graduate program consists of 30 graduate credit hours, beyond a bachelor’s degree. A student who is enrolled full time (10 hours per semester) should complete the program in four (4) semesters:

• 23 of the 30 total graduate credit hours are comprised of graded coursework.
• 7 of the 30 total graduate credit hours are comprised of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 700).
  • Graduate students must enroll in at least one (1) credit hour of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 700) each semester they are enrolled in the M.A. program in CJC at WSU, beginning with their first semester.
  • Graduate students must be enrolled in at least two (2) credit hours of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 700) in the semester they intend to defend their final thesis examination.
  • If a student plans to defend their final thesis examination during the summer, they must be registered for at least two (2) credit hours of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 700), per the Graduate School’s policies and procedures.

Beyond the required graduate course credit hours, students enrolled in the Thesis Track option of the M.A. program must successfully complete and defend a master’s thesis, described in Academic Progress and Program Milestones.  For a detailed overview of M.A. Thesis-Track course credit requirements, please see Appendix B.

M.A. Program Requirements, Non-Thesis-Track

The Non-Thesis Track M.A. graduate program consists of 30 graduate credit hours, beyond a bachelor’s degree. A student who is enrolled full time (10 hours per semester) should complete the program in three (3) semesters:

• 26 of the 30 total graduate credit hours are comprised of graded coursework.
• 4 of the 30 total graduate credit hours are comprised of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 702).
  • Graduate students must enroll in at least one (1) credit hour of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 702) each semester they are in the M.A. program in CJC at WSU, beginning with their first semester.
  • Graduate students must be enrolled in at least two (2) credit hours of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 702) in the semester they intend to defend their final non-thesis examination.
  • If a student plans to defend their final non-thesis examination during the summer, they must be registered for at least two (2) credit hours of master’s thesis research credits (CRIMJ 702), per the Graduate School’s policies and procedures.

Beyond the required graduate course credit hours, students enrolled in the Non-Thesis Track option of the M.A. program must successfully complete and defend a non-thesis project and oral poster presentation, described in Academic Progress and Program Milestones. For a detailed overview of M.A. Non-Thesis track course credit requirements, please see Appendix B.

Ph.D. Program Requirements

The Ph.D. program consists of 72 graduate credit hours, beyond a master’s degree:

• 39 of the 72 total graduate credit hours are comprised of graded coursework.
• 33 of the 72 total graduate credit hours are comprised of doctoral dissertation research credits (CRIMJ 800).
  • Graduate students must enroll in at least one (1) credit hour of doctoral dissertation research credits (CRIMJ 800) each semester they are enrolled in the Ph.D. program in CJC at WSU, beginning with their first semester.
  • Graduate students must be enrolled in at least two (2) credit hours of doctoral dissertation research credits (CRIMJ 800) in the semester they intend to defend their final dissertation examination
  • If a student plans to defend their final examination during the summer, they must be registered for at least two credit hours of doctoral dissertation research credits (CRIMJ 800), per the Graduate School’s policies and procedures.

Beyond the required graduate course credit hours, students in the Ph.D. program must pass a qualifying preliminary examination, submit and orally defend a dissertation prospectus, complete a dissertation, and pass a final dissertation examination, described in Academic Progress and Program Milestones. For a detailed overview of Ph.D. course credit requirements, please see Appendix B.

Graduate Committee Chair and the Committee Process

The overall purpose of the graduate committee is to mentor the student in their pursuit of a graduate degree for the program in which they are enrolled. While this may look moderately different for the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, there are considerable similarities.

Advisor and Committee Selection

All students enrolled in the M.A. or Ph.D. programs in CJC will form a graduate committee that is comprised of at least three Graduate Faculty members; one of whom serves as the committee chair. Students should identify a committee chair relatively early in their program. Deadlines for committee chair selection vary by degree program:

• by the second semester in residence for the M.A.
• by the third semester in residence for the Ph.D.

The committee chair will be the student’s major advisor throughout their prospective degree work at WSU.

The student will work collaboratively with their committee chair to identify other potential committee members. The decision to select committee members should be informed by the student’s individual research interests, their long-term professional and career goals, and faculty expertise. Thus, the primary criterion in the selection of committee chair will normally be the student’s expressed interest in a particular field of criminal justice and criminology. Once additional faculty have been identified and the committee chair has approved the committee member selection, potential members will be contacted to request their committee service. Students are responsible for communicating this request to potential committee members and are encouraged to do so in person.

For internal candidates, the Ph.D. program committee does not need to be the same as the M.A. committee.

Per Graduate School policy, all committee members must hold a degree of comparable level to the degree sought by the student, must include at least three current WSU Graduate Faculty members, and at least two members must be Graduate Faculty in CJC. Ph.D. students may have one additional external (non-voting) Graduate Faculty member from another university—this must be discussed with their dissertation chair prior to formalizing a fourth committee member.

Graduate Committee Roles and Responsibilities

Each member of the committee should be selected to serve on the committee because they have a specific purpose and contribution to the student’s scholarly development—this may be subject matter expertise, research design/methodological skill, applied social science research experience, researcher-practitioner partnerships, and the like.

As the advisor, the committee chair is the student’s main mentor and provides direction and assistance with the process of successfully executing milestones (e.g., thesis, non-thesis project, preliminary exam, dissertation), and with substantive content by providing feedback for use by the student to prepare a defensible (and defended) thesis/project/preliminary exam/dissertation.

Importantly, the committee’s role is to judge the merits of the student’s research (or preliminary exam) by considering its significance and contribution to the larger discipline, the degree to which it is appropriately grounded in existing research and theory, its methodological rigor and analytic sophistication, and—for theses, non-thesis projects, and dissertations, its feasibility such that the student can successfully complete the research milestone.

It is salient to note that, unlike coursework, research milestones in a graduate program of study (thesis, non-thesis project, preliminary examination, dissertation) are largely student-directed after an area of focus or topic has been selected and approved by the student’s graduate committee. This can be empowering because the student’s progress is largely dependent on their ability to appropriately manage tasks to ensure sufficient time for completion of each phase. This also means that students should familiarize themselves with academic milestone dates and deadlines to plan appropriately because it is the student’s responsibility to ensure timely degree progress.

Program of Study Form

After the graduate degree program committee is selected, the student must complete and sign the Program of Study (POS) form that is sent to the CJC Graduate Program Coordinator for faculty signatures and submission to the Graduate School, where it is reviewed and filed on record. Primary responsibility for developing a M.A. or Ph.D. Program of Study rests with the student and the graduate committee.

Note that appropriate forms must be filed in accordance with Graduate School policy (e.g., by specified deadlines) to ensure timely program progress.

If students have failed to: 1) form a graduate committee, AND/OR 2) file a Program of Study form by the end of the third semester equivalent of full-time enrollment in residence, they will normally be denied continuance in any assistantship or other kind of intra-program employment.

Updating an Approved Program of Study

DCJC follows Graduate School Policies and Procedures for updating an Approved Program of Study.  A copy of all change request documents must be provided to the Graduate Program Coordinator. Any alterations to a formally approved and recorded title must also be treated as a program change and made part of the official record by processing the usual forms.

Academic Progress and Program Milestones

Satisfactory Academic Progress towards Degree

All graduate students are expected to make satisfactory progress in their studies and are responsible for meeting the Graduate School’s continuous enrollment policy, general academic requirements, and the specific requirements associated with their degree (see the Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual). Programs may have additional requirements, and students are expected to contact their program director and/or faculty advisor for information on these requirements.

Satisfactory graduate program progress is evaluated based on the due dates and deadlines that appear in the Graduate Handbook. This has been presented in tabular form in Appendix D.

Annual Evaluation of Academic Record

Students are evaluated annually to assess their academic performance and program progress, in accordance with Graduate School policy and informed by program progress deadlines provided in Appendix D. The student’s annual review is led by the Graduate Director with considerable input from the student’s graduate committee chair, their self-evaluation, and their performance in graduate coursework, including research credit hours (CRIMJ 700, 702, 800) for two consecutive semesters.

The annual review involves an assessment of the student’s overall goals and objectives for the annual review period, the student’s general academic success (course performance), their program progress (e.g., qualifying examinations, defenses), and criteria set by the Graduate School. Students are expected to meet expectations in all areas to earn Satisfactory progress on an annual evaluation.

At the beginning of the Spring semester in each calendar year, students will receive a detailed letter outlining the results of their annual evaluation from the Graduate Director. If a student does not “meet expectations” on all assessment indicators, they will be found deficient; this will be reflected in their annual evaluation letter from the Graduate Director. Additionally, they will receive notification from Graduate School indicating one of the following:  Termination from the Graduate School (if they are not meeting Graduate School requirements), instructions for the development of a required, actional success plan to improve their academic performance, or termination from DCJC (if the student is placed on a student success plan but fails to improve their performance).This process is outlined in Graduate School policy (p. 51).

Disqualification from Eligibility for Funding

Graduate students shall not be given aid through the program (assistantships, etc.) in the fall semester if they are carrying a grade of “I” for any course other than 700, 702, or 800 received in a non-contiguous semester. Any student who, by the end of the third semester of full-time enrollment in the program has failed to form a committee, file a program of study (in the case of the Ph.D.), or maintain a 3.00 minimum GPA at the end of each semester shall normally be denied continuance in any assistantship or other kind of employment.

IRB Compliance Requirements

Graduate degree program milestones, described below, involve the execution of original research and may involve primary data collection involving human subjects—this is subject to oversight from WSU’s  human subject’s review board or Institutional Review Board (IRB), as dictated by both Federal law and university policies. All faculty, staff and students engaged in research involving human subjects must be reviewed and approved by the IRB prior to initiating any portion of the project. Failure to meet this criterion will result in students being unable to complete their thesis. Compliance with IRB regulations is required for successful degree progression.

Students who are proposing to collect primary data for research involving human subjects must have approval from their committee chair prior to submitting a research protocol to the WSU IRB for review. Students should consult with their committee chair for assistance in completing this requirement. Typically, students should start the IRB process during their second semester in the program. It is important to note that students must have ironed out a complete research plan, including clear and testable research questions with appropriate research methods and analytic strategy to successfully prepare an IRB application. This takes time and requires regular meetings with their committee chair.

Before an IRB application is submitted, all students, faculty, and research staff involved in the project must have completed and passed training courses on ‘research involving human subjects’ (CITI training). Confirmation of successful CITI training completion must be on file with the university’s IRB before an IRB application can be submitted for review.

Once CITI training has been successfully completed and is on file, the student must complete the WSU IRB application under the supervision of their committee chair and must obtain notification of the IRB’s approval before any human subjects’ research can proceed. IRB forms can be obtained at HRPP/IRB.

M.A. Graduate Program Milestones

Master’s Final Thesis Examination

In addition to graduate course requirements, students enrolled in the Thesis Track are required, under the guidance of a thesis committee, to complete a master’s thesis that presents the results of a systematic research project on a topic in criminal justice and criminology. The thesis committee will normally be composed of the chairperson and two other members of the Graduate Faculty. The subject matter of the thesis will have an important bearing on the committee’s composition.

The thesis must consist of original scholarship and contribute meaningfully to existing knowledge in criminal justice and criminology. The thesis should be an independent work of research that is comparable to a published journal article in criminal justice and criminology. As such, a completed, defensible thesis should be approximately 30 to 40 pages in length and should address a relatively narrow research question or set of questions. The thesis topic must be approved by the student’s committee. The thesis prospectus and the thesis itself must also be approved by the committee.  It is anticipated that most thesis topics will make use of secondary data analysis, though original data may be collected if deemed appropriate and feasible by the thesis committee. The types of research allowable for the M.A. thesis include, but are not limited to, survey data collection and analysis, qualitative designs, content analyses, and case studies.

The master’s thesis is a three-stage process: 1) the thesis prospectus, 2) writing of the thesis, and 3) the final oral thesis defense.

Thesis Prospectus and Prospectus Defense

The prospectus shall comprise the introduction to the thesis (which must describe the research problem and justify its importance using existing peer-reviewed literature and/or empirical data) and a discussion of proposed methods and analytic techniques that will be used to answer the research question(s). The length of a prospectus may vary and will be approximately 10 to 15 pages, though no less than 10 pages. Exceptions to this format will be at the discretion of the committee chair. As the prospectus and prospectus defense are intended to review the proposed methodological approach, students should NOT collect primary data before a successful prospectus defense. Students who do not wait to collect primary data until they have successfully defended their thesis prospectus may not be permitted to use that data to complete their master’s thesis (this decision is made by the student’s graduate committee in consultation with the Graduate Director).

The thesis prospectus document should be drafted under the supervision of the committee chair. Students should expect this to take multiple iterations, where feedback is provided and incorporated into the document text and re-reviewed for quality. Students must plan sufficient time for faculty review to produce a defensible draft prospectus—this includes a minimum turnaround time of two weeks for each draft version. Once the draft thesis prospectus is completed and the committee chair signs off on its quality, the document is distributed to the remaining committee members for their review in anticipation of the prospectus defense. Scheduling the prospectus defense can take place at any point, but the full committee and Graduate Program Coordinator must receive the final prospectus document at least ten (10) business days prior to the scheduled date of the formal defense. Committee members are expected to provide students with written feedback no later than ten. (10) business days after receipt of the prospectus draft. Depending on when the document was distributed, committee members will not have the chance to provide feedback until the formal public, prospectus defense. Changes to the proposal can be addressed during study execution.

***Students should expect that a considerable amount of time during the oral defense is spent on faculty committee member feedback and questions to ensure the student fully understands and can address this feedback during the execution of their project.

The prospectus defense must be public (e.g., can be attended by anyone). An invitation to attend the defense will be sent out to the faculty and graduate students. With limited exceptions, public prospectus defenses must take place in person. The defense consists of a presentation of the project lasting not less than 15 and no more than 30 minutes, followed by feedback and questions from members of the committee. After the committee is satisfied,  faculty may question the student at the discretion of the committee chair. Presentations must be clear, comprehensive, and accessible even to those who have not read the document. All prospectus defenses shall follow this standard format. The thesis prospectus must be successfully defended and approved by the committee prior to completion of the thesis.

Preparing and Defending the Master’s Thesis

After the prospectus has been successfully defended, students will complete a draft of the thesis, executing the project that was approved during the prospectus defense and incorporating any committee member feedback noted during the public defense. Preparation of the final thesis project involves a review and synthesis of relevant literature, execution of necessary and agreed methodological tools, and collection and analysis of data to answer the thesis research question(s). A thesis will vary in length but should be 30 to 40 pages. The student should provide regular progress reports to the committee chair as research is conducted. Students should consult with their chair if they have questions about how much information they should provide to other committee members and when to provide that information during execution of the research and while they are writing up the final thesis. Of course, a student should call upon members of their committee whenever the student wants or needs their expertise. At least once each semester, students should make a point of acquainting each committee member with their progress. Students should keep in mind the criteria for distributing and receiving comments on drafts described above.

Scheduling the Final Examination

Once the final thesis document is completed and the committee chair signs off on its quality, thesis is distributed to members of the committee for their review in anticipation of the final examination. The Graduate Program Coordinator must also receive a copy of the final thesis draft to retain on file for the public defense. The final examination can be scheduled at any point, contingent on the committee chair’s approval. The full committee and the Graduate Program Coordinator must receive the final draft at least ten (10) business days prior to the date of the final examination. If the final thesis draft is not submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator ten (10) business days prior to the date of the public examination, the thesis defense must be rescheduled.

Once the final thesis document is completed and the committee chair signs off on its quality, thesis is distributed to members of the committee for their review in anticipation of the final examination. The Graduate Program Coordinator must also receive a copy of the final thesis draft to retain on file for the public defense. The final examination can be scheduled at any point, contingent on the committee chair’s approval. The full committee and the Graduate Program Coordinator must receive the final draft at least ten (10) business days prior to the date of the final examination. If the final thesis draft is not submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator ten (10) business days prior to the date of the public examination, the thesis defense must be rescheduled. Committee members are expected to provide students with feedback no later than ten (10) business days after receipt of the full thesis draft. Depending on when the thesis is distributed to the remaining committee members, provision of committee feedback may occur at the final defense. Students have five (5) business days after the final defense date to revise their thesis in accordance with faculty feedback. Though this is rare, if there are fatal flaws with the thesis research, the final examination should be rescheduled.

The final examination must happen by the last allowable date during the student’s fourth semester in residence, according to Graduate School Policy. Note that under existing Graduate School policies, a defense cannot be scheduled until the thesis is ready for presentation to the Graduate School and for deposit in the University library. The final oral examination usually centers on the thesis, but, as the Graduate School regulations indicate, the student must be prepared to meet questions relating to any of the work they have done for the degree.

The final examination is public and each member of the committee must attend the defense. Graduate Faculty may join the balloting process, provided they have read the final thesis, as allowed by Graduate School policy. Specifically, to ballot a thesis, the faculty must be a member of the Graduate Faculty and must have read the full thesis document prior to the final examination.

A thesis defense is the scheduled for 180 minutes (two and one-half hours). At the beginning of the final examination, the committee will convene a short meeting and excuse all graduate students and members of the public. The purpose of this initial meeting is to reiterate policy and discuss the goals of the defense. After audience members are invited to return, the graduate student will deliver a presenting lasting no more than 30 minutes that summarizes the research methods, analysis, and results of their thesis research. First, committee members will provide feedback and will ask questions about how the research was conducted, the data were analyzed and so forth. After the committee has asked questions, provided feedback and are satisfied, others in attendance may ask questions if time allows. In the event that a student fails the thesis defense, the Graduate School allows that “a second and last attempt [to be] scheduled after a lapse of at least three months.” Performance during the final thesis examination is evaluated by the student’s committee using the thesis rubric to ensure the student has achieved the learning goals and objectives outlined for the M.A. program. A final copy of the thesis (and related required forms) must be submitted in digital format to the Graduate School within five (5) business days for final acceptance. When a thesis is electronically submitted to the Graduate School, paper copies of the title page, abstract and signature pages are still required. These should be on 100% rag bond with the signature page signed in black ink by all committee members. For additional formatting guidelines. see Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines

Master’s Final Non-Thesis Examination

In addition to graduate course requirements, students enrolled in the Non-Thesis Track are required, under the guidance of a committee, to complete a non-thesis project. This will consist of a professional quality oral poster presentation on a criminal justice and criminology topic that they have previously written about in their CJC graduate coursework at WSU.

Students begin by selecting a committee chair and, with the chair’s approval, construct a graduate committee. This should be done by the deadline to submit a Program of Study. Note that for the Non-Thesis Option, the instructor of record for the paper to be used must be part of the graduate

committee, unless that faculty member is not available or is unwilling to serve. If the original faculty member is not able to serve on the graduate committee, this must be documented in writing and filed with the Graduate Program Coordinator when the Program of Study form is filed.

The master’s non-thesis project is a three-stage process: 1) topic selection, 2) preparation, and 3) the final examination.

Topic Selection and Project Preparation

Students must consult with and have their M.A. committee approve the topic of the presentation. Importantly, this topic must be derived from a paper the student has previously completed as part of their CJC graduate coursework at WSU.  Once the topic is approved, the student should begin work on substantially revising the paper, considering feedback from the original faculty instructor, the committee chair, and members of the non-thesis committee. The student’s revisions should strengthen and streamline the paper to sufficiently represent work that demonstrates the cumulation of their master’s degree. Students can start this process after establishing their committee, though it may also wait until the beginning of their third semester in the M.A. program.

The student should work closely with their committee chair to revise their paper and should expect this to take multiple iterations, where feedback is provided and incorporated into the document text and re-reviewed for quality by the committee chair. Students must plan sufficient time for faculty review—this includes a minimum turnaround time of two weeks for each draft version. Once the draft paper is completed and the committee chair signs off on its quality, the student submits the document to the other committee members who have ten (10) business days to provide feedback, though this feedback may be provided at the final public defense, depending on when the student distributes the paper and when the final examination is scheduled. Students should expect this iterative process will not be completed until either their third or fourth semester in the program.

Poster Presentation and Final Oral Examination

All students pursuing the Non-Thesis degree option will attend and participate in a department-wide, public M.A. Poster Symposium event, during which they will deliver a polished poster presentation to their committee, department faculty, and graduate students on a date selected by the Department in a public defense. A student’s final paper draft must be approved by their committee chair, submitted to members of their committee, and sent to the Graduate Program Coordinator at least ten (10) business days prior to the scheduled date of the Non-Thesis poster session. A copy of the final paper is retained on file by the Graduate Program Coordinator and available for review prior to the poster session.

Students will prepare a poster that reflects the material contained in their final paper. The poster must be submitted to their committee chair and the Graduate Program Coordinator at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled date of the Non-Thesis poster session. Posters must be at least 24×36 inches in size and presented in person. In exceptional circumstances and with approval from the committee chair and Graduate Director, posters may be presented in electronic form. Students should ensure they are sufficiently prepared to deliver their presentation before the date of the Department-wide symposium. The student’s oral presentation is their final examination in fulfillment of the M.A. Non-Thesis Option degree. Students should expect to deliver a presentation lasting approximately 10 to 15 minutes. This is followed by committee feedback and questions. Students should be prepared to field questions from faculty and members of the audience if time permits.

All Graduate Faculty in attendance may ballot for the exam, provided they have read the student’s final paper prior to the poster session and in accordance with the procedures outlined by the Graduate School. Committee deliberations take place after the student has presented their project, answered questions and received feedback. Performance during the final non-thesis examination is evaluated by the student’s committee using the Non-Thesis rubric to ensure the student has achieved the learning goals and objectives outlined for the M.A. program. If a student’s final oral examination performance is found to be deficient, this should be reflected on the final ballot, submitted within one business day of the final examination date. Specific feedback detailing deficiencies in the final oral examination must be documented during the committee’s deliberation and provided to the student on the date of their final examination. In the form of a written document, the student must detail all changes made to the presentation that address the committee’s concerns and must explain the rationale for these changes. To finalize this appeal, the student must submit this document and meet with their committee chair to discuss how they have addressed the deficiencies within five (5) business days of the non-thesis poster presentation/final examination date. A student who does not successfully correct the inadequacies identified by the student’s committee will be allowed to reregister for CRMJ 702 the following semester and repeat the oral exam process.

Ph.D. Program Milestones

Preliminary Examination

After completion of required coursework, Ph.D. students prepare and sit for a qualifying examination, called a preliminary examination.

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to assess the student’s ability to integrate and synthesize core theoretical and empirical knowledge in a specialty area they have selected. Their written and oral responses to the preliminary examination should demonstrate: 1) a deep understanding of enduring substantive issues in the field, 2) familiarity with current debates and developments in this body of research, and 3) critical thinking about methodological/statistical issues as they relate to this specialization area.

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to assess the student’s ability to integrate and synthesize core empirical knowledge in their area of specialization, specifically to demonstrate: 1) deep understanding of enduring substantive issues in their field of specialization, 2) familiarity with current debates and developments in this body of research, and 3) critical thinking about methodological/statistical issues as they relate to this specialization area.

Students who successfully pass the preliminary exam are permitted to advance to the dissertation stage in their academic training toward a Ph.D. The preliminary examination is a program requirement for all students enrolled in the Ph.D. program. The preliminary exam is scheduled for the student’s fifth semester in residence in the doctoral program. Students must successfully pass their preliminary examination before proceeding to their dissertation proposal defense. Upon successful completion of their preliminary examination, students will advance to All But Dissertation (ABD) Status. ABD status is an important milestone in a Ph.D. student’s academic career as it indicates that a student is in the third and final phase of their doctoral education—what is called, “doctoral candidacy.”

There are three components to the preliminary examination: 1) a reading and question list, 2) a take-home paper, and 3) the final oral defense.

Component 1: Reading and Question List Development

Students must produce a personalized reading list comprised of significant literature in their defined area of specialization. An area of specialization should be defined narrowly so that students can investigate the depth and richness of a subfield of interest (e.g., “policing” is too large but “gender in policing” is more adequate).

Component 1 Description

The list must contain the foundational works in their area of specialization, including historical and contemporary scholarship, and methodological/statistical writings.

• The reading list should consist of no less than 75 peer-reviewed sources (including refereed journal articles and books by academic publishers). The student should consult with their committee chair and members of their preliminary exam committee to identify any weakness in their knowledge background and ensure these are addressed in the reading list.
• Students are also responsible for generating a series of preliminary examination questions that are submitted to their faculty committee members for review. A proposed list of five (5) questions will focus on their substantive area of specialization and five (5) questions will focus on the methodological/statistical aspects of this area of specialization.
• At least two (2) questions (one substantive and one methodological) must address an issue of accessibility that is directly relevant to the area of specialization (i.e., overstudy or understudy of individuals or groups due to their social position and demographic characteristics).  
• The final list of questions will be drafted collaboratively by the student and their committee chair, with feedback from members of the preliminary examination committee.

Component 1 Deadlines

The personalized reading list must be created, reviewed and approved by the student’s preliminary exam committee prior to the end of the student’s fourth semester.

• The initial list of questions must be submitted by the student for review to the committee by the end of the 7^th week of the student’s fourth semester.
• The committee will review and return the list with any requested addition or modification by the end of the tenth week of the student’s fourth semester.
• There must be ten (10) total questions approved by the committee.
• Once approved by the committee, the final draft of the reading list and ten (10) questions must be submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator by the last day of the fourth semester to be able to take the Preliminary Exam the following semester. Failure to meet this deadline will delay the exam.

Students are strongly encouraged to stay in contact with both the Graduate Program Coordinator and their committee chair regarding their progress on this front.

Component 2: Take-Home Paper Submission

The preliminary exam process involves two assessments: a written exam and a public, oral defense. The written exam is administered as a take-home paper.

Component 2: Take-Home Paper Submission Description

Students must write a take-home paper over a three-day period of 57 hours. This is a scheduled, official examination that requires submission of an examination scheduling form though the Graduate School.

• In this paper, they will answer two (2) synthesis questions developed by the committee; one (1) substantive question and one (1) methodological/statistical question.
• Each synthesis question draws upon ideas from the list of questions prepared and approved in Component 1 (described above). In composing an answer to each exam question, students should pay careful attention to address the readings in their list.
  • If a citation does not fit with or pertain to the parameters of the exam question, they are not required to cite that source in their written exam, but should be fully confident in excluding this source from their answer as the ultimate decision regarding the relevance of a source is made by the preliminary exam committee members who are assessing the student’s written answers.
• In preparing their answer to the preliminary exam questions, students must synthesize and critically analyze the pertinent and relevant literature and address all facets of each question on the exam.  
• In addition to their reading list, Students are encouraged to draw upon sources from their coursework and may, if appropriate, include additional relevant material that is not on their list—though the latter is NOT a requirement for the preliminary exam’s take-home paper. Put simply, the preliminary exam reading list is NOT exhaustive. Students are NOT limited to the constraints of the reading list alone when generating ideas, critically analyzing the literature, presenting empirical evidence, and composing a response to their preliminary examination questions.

The take-home paper should therefore provide a comprehensive overview of the student’s specialization area as it pertains to the question, drawing from the relevant historical and contemporaneous literature, and providing a critical analysis of both the substantive and methodological/statistical ramifications in this body of research.

The take-home paper is expected to constitute a solid and critical analysis of the literature.

• The length (a minimum of 20 pages for the substantive answer and 15 pages for the methodological/statistical answer), depth, writing quality and polish of the paper should reflect both the preparation work and account for the 57-hour writing time limit.
• Students whose work falls short of the minimum page limits may still turn in their exams, though they should expect the depth of their work to be critiqued during the assessment process.
• Students may NOT ask questions of faculty regarding the take home examination during the 3-day/57-hour examination process.
• Students may NOT use AI technology (like ChatGPT) to generate answers or ideas in any capacity or to assist with generating answers or ideas to their take home examination.
• Students MUST provide accurate source citations and proper documentation to avoid word and idea plagiarism. Academic integrity violations may result in a student failing their preliminary exam.

Component 2: Take-Home Paper Submission Deadline

Students can opt to start writing their take-home paper on any weekday/business day (i.e., Monday through Friday) during their fifth semester.

• They will receive the preliminary examination questions at 8:00 am on the scheduled start date of the exam and have 57 hours to complete the paper (i.e., until 5pm two days after they started).
• Students must have submitted their completed preliminary examination to the committee by 5 pm on the last exam day. Failure to submit the take home paper by the 5pm preliminary examination deadline will result in failure of the written component of the exam. 
• When scheduling their take-home paper, students should keep in mind: 1) both the written examination and oral defense must be completed within 30 days, and 2) the last day to schedule an oral defense as determined by the Graduate School policy.
• The preliminary exam committee will have at ten (10) business days to grade the written take-home paper and provide the student with feedback in writing.

When a student and their committee decide on a date to write the take-home paper, both the written take-home paper and oral defense will be scheduled. The list of readings, list of questions, two synthesis questions developed by the committee, and the student’s written take-home response will be made available to the department’s Graduate Faculty on SharePoint in preparation of the oral defense.

Component 3: Oral Defense

Students must orally defend their written take-home paper in a final examination to address feedback and questions from members of their preliminary examination committee.

Component 3: Oral Defense Description

The oral defense in the preliminary examination process is the point at which students are provided an opportunity to clarify their written answers, address any concerns in the take-home paper that have been identified by the committee, and demonstrate expertise in their specialization area through an oral assessment. The process of the oral defense is as follows:

• At the beginning of the defense, the student will be asked to leave the room. During their absence, the chair of the committee will review the rules of the process and ascertain the order of the questions to be asked during the defense. 
• There are two rounds of formal questioning (approximately 3 to 4 questions per round). The first round will focus on questions regarding the student’s substantive answer, and the second round of questions will focus on their methodological/statistical answer. There may also be a third and more informal round of questioning or discussion if deemed appropriate by members of the committee. An additional round of questions from other Graduate Faculty members in attendance will conclude the defense. Students should note that the Graduate School encourages attendance and participation of other Graduate Faculty to oral defenses, including balloting, provided they have read the written take-home paper prior to the final examination—per Graduate School policy.
• During the oral defense, students are only permitted to have the approved reading list and two synthesis questions, a copy of their take-home paper, and blank paper and writing instruments to take notes during the oral defense.
• At the end of the oral defense, the student (and any members of the audience) will be asked to leave the room and the chair will provide ballots to the committee and any participating members of the Graduate Faculty, if applicable.
• The oral preliminary exam defense date is contingent on the date that has been scheduled to complete the take-home paper. The oral defense must take place at least ten (10) business days after the completion of the written exam, and no later than 30 days after the completion of the written exam.
• The oral exam must be completed by 5:00 pm on the last day to schedule a preliminary examination, in accordance with Graduate School policy.

All facets of the preliminary exam, including scheduling deadlines, conduct, and process, balloting, failures, and appeals must follow Graduate School policies. Students must complete the entire examination process (written and oral) to pass the exam; choosing not to complete the oral after having “failed” the written will result in an automatic fail of the preliminary examination.

Preliminary Examination Evaluation Criteria

Students are evaluated using the rubrics for the preliminary examination, and the process follows all Graduate School rules. Students who have been found to violate any policies while taking the exam may receive an automatic failing assessment. This decision is made by the committee in consultation with the Graduate Director.

PhD. Dissertation

Successful completion, submission, and oral defense of a dissertation is the final stage in a lengthy and rigorous process of scholarly development and serves as the culmination of years of graduate training. This final milestone is the point in a doctoral candidate’s academic trajectory where they demonstrate their ability to independently conduct original empirical research that is substantively significant, methodologically and analytically rigorous, and contributes meaningfully to the larger body of knowledge in criminology and criminal justice. Here is where they establish themselves as a subject matter expert.

The dissertation is a three-stage process: 1) the dissertation prospectus and prospectus defense, 2) the writing of the dissertation, and 3) the final dissertation oral defense.

Dissertation Prospectus and Prospectus Defense

The dissertation prospectus comprises the first three chapters of the dissertation—that is, an introductory chapter that reviews the overarching problem statement and presents the study’s justification, the literature review that comprehensively synthesizes the existing theory and research on the topic to set up the research questions, and the methods chapter that describes the research design, data collection and study sample, variable measurement, and proposed analytic strategy to answer the dissertation’s research questions. Exceptions to this format will be at the discretion of the committee chair. Prospectuses will vary in length, but should comprise the “front end” and set up of the dissertation. If a student is proposing the collection of primary data, they must not begin data collection until their prospectus has been successfully defended.

Students who do not wait to collect primary data until they have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus may not be permitted to use that data to complete their dissertation (this decision is made by the student’s graduate committee in consultation with the Graduate Director and/or WSU’s Institutional Review Board).

The dissertation prospectus document should be drafted under the supervision of the committee chair. Students should expect to draft multiple iterations of their dissertation prospectus, to account for feedback and revisions from their committee chair. A defensible prospectus takes time. To ensure that this milestone is achieved, students must plan sufficient time for faculty review—a minimum turnaround time of two weeks for each draft version. Once the draft prospectus is completed and the committee chair signs off on its quality, the final prospectus document is sent to the committee members for their review in anticipation of the prospectus defense. Scheduling the dissertation prospectus defense can take place at any point, but the full committee and Graduate Program Coordinator must receive the final prospectus document at least ten (10) business days prior to the scheduled date of the formal, public defense. Committee members are expected to provide students with feedback no later than ten (10) business days after receipt of the prospectus. Depending on when the prospectus is distributed to the remaining members of the committee, provision of feedback may take place at the public defense and any changes to the proposal can be addressed/incorporated into the study plan during its execution.

Committee members will not have the chance to provide feedback until the formal public, prospectus defense. Students should expect that a considerable amount of time is spent on faculty committee member feedback and questions to ensure the student fully understands and can address this feedback during the execution of their project.

The prospectus defense is scheduled for 180 minutes (two and one-half hours). The prospectus defense must be public (e.g., can be attended by anyone). For each prospectus defense, the final prospectus document will be provided to the Graduate Program Coordinator ten (10) business days prior to the presentation date for review; an invitation to attend the defense will be sent out to the faculty and graduate students. With limited exceptions, public prospectus defenses must take place in person. The defense will consist of a presentation of the project lasting no less than 15 and no more than 30 minutes, followed by questions and answers and feedback from members of the committee. After the committee is satisfied, those also in attendance may question the student at the discretion of the committee chair. Presentations must be clear, comprehensive, and accessible even to those who have not read the document. All prospectus defenses shall follow this standard format.

The dissertation prospectus must be successfully defended and approved by the committee prior to completion and final defense of the dissertation. Student are encouraged to begin composing their dissertation prospectus as soon as possible, under the guidance and direction of their committee chair,  following completion of required coursework and after successfully passing the preliminary examination. These rules pertain to the academic year only; no committee member is obligated to consider drafts during the summer (though they may elect to do so at their discretion). Students are encouraged to keep the iterative nature of this process and the time that is required for repeated drafts in mind, as it will have a direct and meaningful impact on the prospectus defense date.

Preparing and Defending the Final Dissertation

Once the prospectus has been formally approved by the dissertation committee and successfully defended in a public examination, the student will execute the proposed research for their dissertation. Typically, this will involve data collection (if primary data is being analyzed) or, if using secondary data then at minimum, students should budget time for data cleaning and related tasks. Students will analyze data to answer their dissertation research questions and present study findings in a results chapter. Students will also prepare a discussion chapter that positions their findings in the larger empirical research on the topic they are investigating. The discussion chapter is critical in that here, students demonstrate their ability to interpret and critically evaluate the theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of their dissertation research. The discussion chapter should include a clear and transparent disclosure of all study limitations, should identify the contributions of their findings to the larger body of knowledge in criminal justice and criminology (with specificity in terms of how the dissertation meaningfully advances existing research), and detail any implications for theory-building, criminal justice practice, and policy. Dissertations will vary considerably in length. Students should provide regular progress reports to the committee chair as research is conducted and the dissertation is being written. Students should consult with their chair if they have questions about how much information they should provide to other committee members and when. Of course, a student should call upon members of their committee whenever the student wants or needs their expertise, but communication should always begin with the committee chair. At least once each semester, students should make a point of acquainting each committee member with their progress.

Like the dissertation prospectus, the final dissertation document will be drafted and revised iteratively. Students must account for the two-week turnaround time for feedback from their committee chair following the submission of each revised draft. When the full and completed dissertation is sufficiently polished and in final form, the committee chair signs off on its quality—reviewing and approving that the document contains a defensible dissertation that is ready for distribution to members of the committee who will review in anticipation of the final dissertation examination

Scheduling the final dissertation defense can take place at any point, but the full committee and Graduate Program Coordinator must receive the final dissertation at least ten (10) business days prior to the scheduled date of the final examination. Committee members are expected to provide students with feedback no later than ten (10) business days after receipt of the final dissertation document. Depending on how far in advance of the final examination the dissertation is distributed to the dissertation committee,members may not provide feedback until the formal final examination.

Students should expect that a considerable amount of time during the public dissertation defense will be spent on faculty committee member feedback and questions to ensure the student is able to defend their methodological and analytical choices, speak fluently about how their dissertation research meaningfully advances existing knowledge, and demonstrate their scholarly expertise commensurate with the advanced degree for which they are being assessed.

Per the Graduate School, the final dissertation examination is scheduled for 180 minutes (two and one-half hours). The dissertation defense must be public (e.g., can be attended by anyone) and will take place in person. Each member of the dissertation committee must attend the final oral defense. Graduate Faculty are permitted to join the balloting process, provided they have read the dissertation document prior to the final examination, in accordance with Graduate School Policy.

For each dissertation defense, the completed and final dissertation must be provided to the Graduate Program Coordinator ten (10) business days prior to scheduled date of the final examination where it will be made available for public review. Note that under existing Graduate School policies, a defense cannot be scheduled until the dissertation is ready for presentation to the Graduate School and for deposit in the University library. The final oral defense examination will largely center on the dissertation, but, per Graduate School regulations, the student must be prepared to address questions relating to any of the work he or she has done in fulfillment of the Ph.D.

An invitation to attend the defense will be sent out to the faculty and graduate students. The dissertation defense will consist of a presentation lasting not less than 20 and no longer than 40 minutes, followed by feedback and questions from members of the committee. After the committee is satisfied, faculty in attendance may question the student at the discretion of the committee chair. If time permits, additional members of the audience may also pose questions to the candidate. Presentations must be clear, comprehensive, and accessible even to those who have not read the document. All dissertation defenses shall follow this standard format. Performance during the final dissertation examination is evaluated by the student’s committee using the dissertation rubric to ensure the student has achieved the learning goals and objectives outlined for the Ph.D. program.

Students are encouraged to talk with the chair about how the defense will be conducted. Following the student’s presentation of their dissertation, members of the committee will ask questions about how the research was conducted, data analyzed and so forth. Other faculty also may ask questions. In the event that a student fails the dissertation defense, the Graduate School allows that “a second and last attempt may be scheduled after a lapse of at least three months.”

A final copy of the dissertation (and related required forms) must be submitted in digital format to the Graduate School within five (5) business days for final acceptance. When dissertations are electronically submitted to the Graduate School, paper copies of the title page, abstract and signature pages are still required. These should be on 100% rag bond with the signature page signed in black ink by all committee members. For additional formatting guidelines, visit WSU Graduate School.

Scholarly Development and Student Engagement

Over the course of the academic year, there are opportunities for graduate students to engage in continuous improvement and professionalism workshops, hosted by the CJC Graduate Director and Graduate Faculty. There are also several important, required meetings/events that graduate students must attend. While the schedule of events may vary by semester, students should expect the following and plan accordingly:

• Initial mandatory meeting at the beginning of each semester
  • A meeting convened at the start of each semester where the Graduate Director and Program Coordinator provide important reminders and policy updates, concerning all students enrolled in CJC graduate programs. 

• Workshops on “graduate-level writing expectations,” “navigating the academic job market,” “demystifying the preliminary examination process,” “writing effective literature reviews,” and “academic conference dos and don’ts”
  • These are hosted by the CJC Graduate Director and may last anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes long with advanced scheduling notice. Students are expected to make every effort to attend these required workshops, regardless of tenure in the program and/or post-graduation plans.
• At least one practice conference presentation session each semester, scheduled two weeks prior to the annual meetings for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (in the Spring semester) and the American Society of Criminology (in the Fall semester).
  • Department funding to support graduate student conference travel for academic research presentations is available (subject to funding). Eligibility for these awards are contingent on qualifying requirements, an application submitted to the Graduate Director for review by the Department’s Graduate Program Committee, and delivery of a quality practice presentation during the scheduled practice session. Appendices I, J, and K present Procedures for Graduate Student Travel Funding, the Conference Travel Funding Application, and the Graduate Student Practice Presentation Rubric.

Policies and Procedures

Academic Performance Standards

See the WSU Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual, AY 2025-2026, pp. 53-65

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

The WSU Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual, AY 2025-2026, pp. 105-106 details the University’s academic integrity and plagiarism policies. Also see Acts of Dishonesty WAC 504-26-202 and Academic Integrity Violations WAC 504-26-010.

It is important to clarify that plagiarism occurs most often in one of two ways: 1) word plagiarism, and 2) idea plagiarism.

Word plagiarism can take multiple forms. According to the American Psychological Association (APA; Avoiding Plagiarism, 2021, p. 1), “word plagiarism occurs when you use another author’s exact words or phrases without quotation marks [emphasis added]. When another author’s words are used and the original source is cited, quotation marks must be included in the text to identify that those words have been directly quoted and are not the student’s intellectual contribution. Patchwriting is a form of word plagiarism. This occurs when “working has a similar sentence structure and uses the same words and phrases of the original author…but a student has “added or removed a few words or replaced some of the words with synonyms” (Avoiding Plagiarism, 2021, p.1). Finally, the APA defines idea plagiarism as the use or presentation of ideas that are attributed to another author (e.g., their intellectual contribution) without giving proper credit to that original author.

Appendix E presents the APA’s (2021) resource on Avoiding Plagiarism.

Grade and Incomplete Policies

See the WSU Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual, AY 2025-2026, p. 58.

Appeals and Grievance Procedures

See the WSU Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual, AY 2025-2026, pp. 103-109 for an overview of Student Rights of Appeal Related to Academic Work.

For more information, visit WSU Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual.

Appendices

Appendix A: Research Credit Expectations Agreement

• Download Research Credit Expectations Agreement (PDF)

Appendix B: Graduate Program Course Requirements

MA Non-Thesis Checklist of Courses

Semester 1(Fall 1^st Semester)

Course:

• 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
• Crm J 520: Criminal Justice Research Methods
• Crm J 530: Criminal Justice: Processes and Institutions
• Crm J 702: Master’s Special Problems, Directed Study, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 2 (Spring 2^nd Semester)

Course:

• Crm J 522: Foundations of Quantitative Methods
• Crm J 555: Seminar in Criminological Theory
• Elective
• Crm J 702: Master’s Special Problems, Directed Study, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 3 (Fall 3^rd Semester)

Course:

• Crm J 540: Seminar in Evaluation Research
• Elective
• CRM J 702

Total Credits: 10

*** 7 core graded courses required (20 credits); 2 electives required (6 credits); minimum of 4 credits of CRM J 702 required.

MA Thesis Checklist of Courses

Semester 1(Fall 1^st Semester)

Course:

• 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
• Crm J 520: Criminal Justice Research Methods
• Crm J 530: Criminal Justice: Processes and Institutions
• Crm J 700: Master’s Research, Thesis, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 2 (Spring 2^nd Semester)

Course:

• Crm J 522: Foundations of Quantitative Methods
• Crm J 555: Seminar in Criminological Theory
• Elective
• Crm J 700: Master’s Research, Thesis, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 3 (Fall 3^rd Semester)

Course:

• Crm J 540: Seminar in Evaluation Research
• CRM J 700

Total Credits: 10

Semester 4 (Spring 4^th Semester)

Course:

• CRM J 700
• Elective (If applying to the PhD Program in DCJC)

Total Credits: 10

*** 7 core graded courses required (20 credits); 1 elective required (3 credits); minimum of 7 credits of CRM J 700 required.

PhD Checklist of Courses

Semester 1(Fall 1^st Semester)

Course:

• 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
• Crm J 520: Criminal Justice Research Methods
• Crm J 530: Criminal Justice: Processes and Institutions
• Crm J 800: Doctoral Research, Dissertation, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 2 (Spring 2^nd Semester)

Course:

• Crm J 522: Foundations of Quantitative Methods
• Crm J 555: Seminar in Criminological Theory
• Elective
• Crm J 800: Doctoral Research, Dissertation, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 3 (Fall 3^rd Semester)

Course:

• Crm J 523: Intermediate Quantitative Methods
• Crm J 540: Seminar in Evaluation Research
• Elective
• Crm J 800: Doctoral Research, Dissertation, and/or Examination (1 credit)

Total Credits: 11

Semester 4 (Spring 4^th Semester): Start Prelim Process

Course:

• Elective
• Elective
• Elective
• CRM J 800

Total Credits: 10

Semester 5 (Fall 5^th Semester): Complete Prelims

Course:

• CRM J 800

Total Credits: 10

Semester 6 (Fall 6^th Semester):

Course:

• CRM J 800

Total Credits: 10

Semester 7 (Fall 7^th Semester):

Course:

• CRM J 800

Total Credits: 10

Semester 8 (Fall 8^th Semester):

Course:

• CRM J 800

Total Credits: 2-10

*** 8 core graded courses required (24 credits); 5 electives required (15 credits); minimum of 33 credits of CRM J 800 required (students must be enrolled in at least 2 credits in their last semester of study to take final PhD Dissertation Examination).

Appendix C: Degree Milestones by Semester

M.A. in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Fall First Year (1^st semester)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 514
  • CRMJ 513 or CRMJ 580
  • CRMJ 520
  • CRMJ 530
• Read current Graduate Student Handbook
• Meet with faculty in preparation for Program of Study committee selection
• Complete required trainings (CITI and Percipio required courses)

 Spring (2^nd semester Fall admissions, 1^st semester Spring admissions)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 522
  • CRMJ 555
  • Elective
• Program of Study Due
• Start IRB process for Thesis Track students. Must be signed up for at least 1 credit of CRMJ 700.
• Complete Non-Thesis paper (draft) by end of second semester

Fall Second Year (3^rd semester Fall admissions, 2nd semester Spring admissions)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 540
  • Elective (required for non-thesis)
  • CRMJ 700 (required total 7 credits for thesis) or CRMJ 702 (required total 4 credits for non-thesis)
• Submit Program Change form if Program of Study needs changes (i.e. took courses not on original POS)
• Apply for Graduation (First week of October)
• Thesis Track prospectus due (must be completed the semester before you defend your thesis and graduation)
• Non-Thesis students should submit exam paperwork to Graduate Coordinator by Mid-October
• Non-Thesis Track poster presentation due (a set date will be sent for non-thesis students to all present at a poster presentation meeting)

Spring (4^th semester Fall admissions, 3^rd semester Spring admissions)

• 10 Credits: (If on a Graduate assistantship)
  • CRMJ 700 for Thesis and CRMJ 702 for Non-Thesis
• Apply for graduation (First week of March)
• Thesis students should submit exam paperwork to Graduate Coordinator by Mid-March
• Thesis Track students should defend their final Thesis
• Non-Thesis Track poster presentation due (a set date will be sent for non-thesis students to all present at a poster presentation meeting)

Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Fall First Year (1^st semester)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 514
  • CRMJ 513 or CRMJ 580
  • CRMJ 520
  • CRMJ 530
• Read current Graduate Student Handbook
• Meet with faculty in preparation for Program of Study committee selection
• Complete required training (required CITI and Percipio courses)

Spring (2^nd semester)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 522
  • CRMJ 555
  • Elective
• Meet with faculty in preparation for Program of Study committee selection

Fall (3^rd semester)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 523
  • CRMJ 540
  • Elective (required for non-thesis)
• Program of Study is due
• If you plan to transfer credits (electives) from your MA, you will need to turn in your official transcript and syllabi for Graduate Program Director and graduate faculty review.

Spring (4^th semester)

• 10 Credits:
  • Elective
  • Elective
  • Elective
  • CRMJ 800
• Begin the Preliminary Examination process, Component 1 (form the Reading and Question List)

Fall (5^th semester)

• 10 Credits:
  • CRMJ 800
• Submit Preliminary Examination paperwork to the Graduate Coordinator by Mid-October
• Complete the take-home paper/written portion of the Preliminary Examination and complete the oral defense (57 hours over three [3] days)
• If not funded through the department and are on a grant submit your ABD form to the Graduate Coordinator

Spring (6^th semester) and Beyond

• Begin work on Dissertation
• Defend Prospectus (first 3 chapters of your Dissertation)
• Schedule and defend Dissertation

Last semester in the Ph.D. program

• You must complete 33 credits of CRM J 800 by the end of the graduating semester and be enrolled in at least two (2) CRM J 800 credits during the semester in which you graduate.
• Submit Program Change Form if your classes deviate from the Program of Study (you will need to submit the Program Change Form before submitting the application for degree).
• Work with your dissertation committee to arrange a date and time to conduct your Final Thesis/Dissertation Exam (following graduate school deadlines).
• Submit completed Examination Scheduling Form.
• Submit Application for Degree.

Appendix D: Program Progress and Academic Milestones Timeline

Action	Directed By	Deadline
Select committee advisor/chair and committee members	Graduate Program Director, Graduate Faculty	As soon as possible after admission. Must have a complete committee by POS submission.
Submit Program of Study (POS)	Graduate Coordinator	M.A.: By Feb 1 Fall admissions, Sept 1 Spring admissions Ph.D.: By Oct 1, 2024
Begin IRB process for M.A. Thesis if needed	Student’s Graduate Committee	2nd semester (at least 1 credit of 700 needed)
Begin Preliminary Exam process (Ph.D. only): questions and reading list	Student’s Graduate Committee	4th semester (Reading list by 7th week; Questions by 10th week)
Complete Non-Thesis paper (M.A.)	Student’s Graduate Committee	The paper should be completed by the end of your 2nd semester.
Complete Non-Thesis poster presentation (M.A.)	Student’s Graduate Committee	This can be completed by the student’s 3rd semester.
Complete thesis prospectus (M.A.)	Student’s Graduate Committee	Complete the thesis prospectus the semester before you defend your thesis and graduation. (This will fall in the student’s 3rd semester)
Complete written and oral Preliminary Exam (Ph.D. only)	Student’s Graduate Committee	5th semester (Check with Graduate Coordinator for deadlines)
Apply for graduation	Dean of Graduate School	Semester of graduation   Must have approved Program of Study, passed prelims (Ph.D.), completed prospectus defense successfully, and ≥3.00 GPA   Must have approved Program of Study, passed thesis prospectus, received a go ahead from committee chair for final non-thesis paper (M.A.) examination, and ≥3.00 GPA
Update graduation term (if needed)	Graduate School via email Inform Graduate Coordinator & Director	As needed. Email gradschool@wsu.edu  with name, WSU ID, and new term
Schedule Final Examination	Graduate Coordinator → Committee → Dept. Chair → Dean of Graduate School	After applying for graduation: Submit scheduling form at least 10 business days before exam (Ph.D.) Submit thesis/non-thesis/dissertation draft to ProQuest 10 business days before exam (M.A. and Ph.D.)
Complete Final Examination	M.A. or Ph.D. Committee	See Graduate School Deadlines
Submit final documents (Ph.D. only)	Graduate Coordinator & Committee	Within 5 business days after passing final exam: Final dissertation to ProQuest Hold Harmless form SED certificate Title, abstract, and signature pages via myWSU
Commencement participation	Graduation Fair	Register at Commencement or Graduation Fair

Appendix E: APA’s (2021) Avoiding Plagiarism

• Download APA Style – Avoiding Plagiarism (PDF)

Appendix F: Procedures for Graduate Student Travel Funding

• Download Procedures for Graduate Student Travel Funding (PDF)

Contact Information

Department Chair

Melanie-Angela Neuilly, Ph.D.
Wilson-Short Hall 112
509-335-5465
m.neuilly@wsu.edu

Graduate Program Director

Cortney A. Franklin, Ph.D.
Wilson-Short Hall 119
509-335-8428
c.franklin@wsu.edu

Graduate Program Coordinator

Elle M. Makin
Wilson-Short Hall 111A
509-335-8611
danielle.makin@wsu.edu

Mailing Address, Email, Phone, and Department Website

Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Washington State University
Wilson-Short, 111, P.O. Box 644011
Pullman, WA 99164-4011

Phone: 509-335-8611
Email: criminaljustice@wsu.edu

Quicklinks

• Graduate Guidelines 
• Graduate School Forms
• Cost of Attendance
• Graduate School Academic Integrity Policy
• Student Learning Outcomes
• Graduate School’s Continuous Enrollment Policy
• Professional Development Initiatives
• Navigating Your Degree
• WSU Commencement
• IRB Forms

Degree Requirements

• MA in Criminal Justice and Criminology
• PhD in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Program Information

• Welcome and Introduction
• Program Mission, Objectives, and Learning Outcomes
• Graduate Program and Degree Requirements
• Graduate Committee Chair and the Committee Process
• Academic Progress and Program Milestones
• Policies and Procedures

Appendices

• Appendix A: Research Credit Expectations Agreement
• Appendix B: Graduate Program Course Requirements
• Appendix C: Degree Milestones by Semester
• Appendix D: Program Progress and Academic Milestones Timeline
• Appendix E: APA’s (2021) Avoiding Plagiarism
• Appendix F: Procedures for Graduate Student Travel Funding