Plan Description
The Criminology and Criminal Justice Ph.D. provides an interdisciplinary, research oriented perspective for advanced understanding of the nature and causes of crime, consequences of crime and crime control, and society’s reaction to these phenomena. Students are trained to conduct research and teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels in a wide range of criminal justice areas. In addition, students are trained to assume advanced administrative positions in criminal justice agencies, related non-profit agencies, public policy institutes, or the private sector.
For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.
Admissions 1: Post-Bachelor’s Track
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least 18 hours of criminal justice-related courses
- A final minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale - competitive GPAs are expected to be 3.5 or higher
- Submission of Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores - competitive minimum GRE scores are 153 for Quantitative Reasoning, 155 for Verbal Reasoning, and 4.5 for Analytical Writing
- Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant’s character, work ethic, and potential to successfully complete a doctoral program - letters from faculty or academic supervisors are preferred
- One academic writing sample
- A personal statement of approximately 500 to 1,000 words describing personal and academic background, research interests, professional goals, a primary faculty member with whom the applicant wishes to work, and any other factors that suggest the applicant will perform well in the program
- A personal interview with program faculty members if selected as a finalist
- The admissions process requires submitting all information and materials through the UNLV Graduate College Online Application. See the Criminal Justice Department website for more details.
- All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.
Application deadlines
Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.
Admissions 2: Post-Master’s Track
- A master’s degree in criminal justice from an accredited institution - exceptions may be made in exceptional cases if the candidate holds a master’s degree in a criminal justice-related discipline
- A final minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale - competitive GPAs are expected to be 3.7 or higher
- Submission of Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores - competitive minimum GRE scores are 153 for Quantitative Reasoning, 155 for Verbal Reasoning, and 4.5 for Analytical Writing
- Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant’s character, work ethic, and potential to successfully complete a doctoral program - letters from faculty or academic supervisors are preferred
- A master’s thesis and/or at least two original research papers written solely by the applicant - all submissions must be in English
- A personal statement of approximately 500 to 1,000 words describing personal and academic background, research interests, professional goals, a primary faculty member with whom the applicant wishes to work, and any other factors that suggest the applicant will perform well in the program
- A personal interview with program faculty members if selected as a finalist
- The admissions process requires submitting all information and materials through the UNLV Graduate College Online Application. See the Criminal Justice Department website for more details.
- All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.
Application deadlines
Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.
Subplan 1 Requirements: Post-Bachelor’s Track
Total Credits Required: 90
Course Requirements
Required Courses - Credits: 36
CRJ 700 - Proseminar in Criminal Justice
CRJ 701 - Proseminar on Theory
CRJ 702 - Proseminar on Research Methods
CRJ 703 - Proseminar on Statistics
CRJ 704 - Proseminar on Law and Social Control
CRJ 705 - Proseminar on the Administration of Justice
CRJ 714 - Proseminar on Law and Criminal Justice Theory
CRJ 715 - Criminal Justice Policy
CRJ 724 - Applied Research in Criminal Justice
CRJ 714 - Proseminar on Law and Criminal Justice Theory
Thesis/ Comprehensive Exam - Credits 6
CRJ 797 - Master’s Thesis in Criminal Justice
or
CRJ 796 - Comprehensive Examination
After successfully completing the requirements above, students are eligible to earn the Master of Arts –Criminal Justice.
Additional Required Courses – Credits: 6
CRJ 733 - Criminal Justice Teaching Practicum
CRJ 798 - Applied Project in Criminal Justice
Elective Courses - Credits: 24
Complete 24 credits of 600- or 700-level courses. Courses may be from Criminal Justice, from the following approved list of electives, or by advisor-approval:
ANTH 746 - Gender, Sexuality, Race and Flexible Citizenship
ENV 703 - Environmental Law and Policy Seminar
LAW 639 - Feminist Jurisprudence
LAW 642 - Law and Social Justice
LAW 644 - Juvenile Law
LAW 646 - Cyberlaw
LAW 653 - Criminal Procedure I
LAW 658 - Immigration Law
LAW 666 - Domestic Violence and the Law
PSC 713 - American National Government: Principles
PSC 714 - American National Government: Structure and Processes
PSC 719 - Advanced Studies in American Politics
PSC 721 - Public Policy Process
PSC 723 - Policy Analysis
PSC 724 - Intelligence Policy
PSC 725 - Policy Formation: The Problem of Legitimacy
PSC 726 - National Security Policy
PSC 729 - Advanced Studies in Public Policy
PSC 731 - Civil Rights and Liberties
PSC 732 - Constitutional Law
PSC 733 - Public Law and Public Policy
PSC 735 - Jurisprudence
PSC 739 - Advanced Studies in Public Law
PSC 740 - Proseminar in International Relations
PSC 754 - Global Governance
PSC 755 - International Security
PSC 759 - Advanced Studies in International Relations
PSC 760R - Proseminar in Comparative Politics
PSY 704 - Social Psychology
PSY 736 - Psychopathology
SOC 701 - Logic of Social Inquiry
SOC 704 - Advanced Analytical Techniques
SOC 705 - Qualitative Methods
SOC 719 - Seminar in Deviance and Disorganization
SOC 723 - Classical Sociological Theory
SOC 724 - Issues in Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOC 741 - Graduate Seminar in Social Stratification
SOC 742 - Sociology of Gambling
SOC 748 - Gender, Sex, Society
SOC 773 - Seminar in Drug Use and Abuse
SOC 774 - Seminar in Feminist Theories and Research
WMST 700 - Introduction to Women’s Studies
WMST 701 - Feminist Theory
Doctoral Comprehenisive Exam - Credits: 6
CRJ 794 - Doctoral Comprehensive Examination
Dissertation - Credits: 18
CRJ 795 - Dissertation
Degree Requirements
- All core courses must be completed with a grade of “B” or better. A failed course, proficiency examination, or comprehensive examination can be repeated only once. Failed proficiency examinations or comprehensive examinations must be repeated on the next available departmental test date.
-
Students will be placed on academic probation if:
-
A grade lower than a B is earned in two or more classes
-
The student’s overall GPA drops below a cumulative 3.20 average
-
The student fails any proficiency or comprehensive examination
-
Students are expected to follow the curriculum plan (outlined above) for their specific track. Students who deviate from the curriculum plan track must adhere to maximum time permitted for degree completion.
-
Maximum time permitted for degree completion:
-
Post-Bachelor’s Track: 8 academic years
-
Students may petition the department to extend these time requirements in exceptional cases.
Graduation Requirements
- The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements for both the Master’s and Doctoral portions of the program.
- The student must submit and successfully defend his/her thesis or comprehensive exam by the posted deadline. The thesis defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
- If a thesis is completed, the student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted document to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.
- The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
- Student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted dissertation to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.
Subplan 2 Requirements: Post-Masters Track
Total Credits Required: 72
Course Requirements
Required Courses - Credits: 18
CRJ 714 - Proseminar on Law and Criminal Justice Theory
CRJ 715 - Criminal Justice Policy
CRJ 724 - Applied Research in Criminal Justice
CRJ 714 - Proseminar on Law and Criminal Justice Theory
CRJ 733 - Criminal Justice Teaching Practicum
CRJ 798 - Applied Project in Criminal Justice
Elective Courses - Credits: 30
Complete 6 credits of 600- or 700-level courses. Courses may be from Criminal Justice, from the following approved list of electives, or by advisor-approval:
ANTH 746 - Gender, Sexuality, Race and Flexible Citizenship
ENV 703 - Environmental Law and Policy Seminar
LAW 639 - Feminist Jurisprudence
LAW 642 - Law and Social Justice
LAW 644 - Juvenile Law
LAW 646 - Cyberlaw
LAW 653 - Criminal Procedure I
LAW 658 - Immigration Law
LAW 666 - Domestic Violence and the Law
PSC 713 - American National Government: Principles
PSC 714 - American National Government: Structure and Processes
PSC 719 - Advanced Studies in American Politics
PSC 721 - Public Policy Process
PSC 723 - Policy Analysis
PSC 724 - Intelligence Policy
PSC 725 - Policy Formation: The Problem of Legitimacy
PSC 726 - National Security Policy
PSC 729 - Advanced Studies in Public Policy
PSC 731 - Civil Rights and Liberties
PSC 732 - Constitutional Law
PSC 733 - Public Law and Public Policy
PSC 735 - Jurisprudence
PSC 739 - Advanced Studies in Public Law
PSC 740 - Proseminar in International Relations
PSC 754 - Global Governance
PSC 755 - International Security
PSC 759 - Advanced Studies in International Relations
PSC 760R - Proseminar in Comparative Politics
PSY 704 - Social Psychology
PSY 736 - Psychopathology
SOC 701 - Logic of Social Inquiry
SOC 704 - Advanced Analytical Techniques
SOC 705 - Qualitative Methods
SOC 719 - Seminar in Deviance and Disorganization
SOC 723 - Classical Sociological Theory
SOC 724 - Issues in Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOC 741 - Graduate Seminar in Social Stratification
SOC 742 - Sociology of Gambling
SOC 748 - Gender, Sex, Society
SOC 773 - Seminar in Drug Use and Abuse
SOC 774 - Seminar in Feminist Theories and Research
WMST 700 - Introduction to Women’s Studies
WMST 701 - Feminist Theory
Comprehenisive Exam - Credits: 6
CRJ 794 - Doctoral Comprehensive Examination
Dissertation - Credits: 18
CRJ 795 - Dissertation
Degree Requirements
- All core courses must be completed with a grade of “B” or better. A failed course, proficiency examination, or comprehensive examination can be repeated only once. Failed proficiency examinations or comprehensive examinations must be repeated on the next available departmental test date.
-
Students will be placed on academic probation if:
-
A grade lower than a B is earned in two or more classes
-
The student’s overall GPA drops below a cumulative 3.20 average
-
The student fails any proficiency or comprehensive examination
-
Students are expected to follow the curriculum plan (outlined above) for their specific track. Students who deviate from the curriculum plan track must adhere to maximum time permitted for degree completion.
-
Maximum time permitted for degree completion:
-
Post-Master’s Track: 6 academic years
-
Students may petition the department to extend these time requirements in exceptional cases.
Graduation Requirements
- The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
- The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
- Student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted dissertation to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.