Program

SPECIFIC CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PH.D. IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

1. A minimum of 60 credits for the doctorate
2. A minimum of 42 credits of coursework, including seven required 3-credit courses
(described below) and 21 credits of electives.
3. A minimum of 18 credits in dissertation research taken toward the degree.
4. Grades of a B or better in all required courses. A grade of less than a B in a
required course indicates an academic deficiency. Any required course in which
the student earns less than a B must be repeated until a B grade is earned.
5. No more than 3 credits with a grade of C+ or lower are allowed in meeting the
requirements for the degree; these cannot be in a required course.  
6. The overall GPA for coursework in the program must be a 3.2 or better.
7. No credits from undergraduate courses may be used for the doctoral degree.
8. Up to 12 graded credits may be transferred from other graduate degree-granting
institutions (see Transfer of Credit below).
9. A full-time, one-year residency (9 credits per semester for the first two semesters)
is required for the first year of the program. After the first year, students may
enroll part or full time for the remainder of the program.
10. Courses taken to satisfy the requirements for the master's degree in criminal
justice at Rutgers may, with approval, be counted toward the doctorate.

COURSEWORK

Required Courses (21 Credits)                                                             Credits

Foundations of Criminological Theory (27:202:511)                                  3

Contemporary Criminological Theory (27:202:518)                                   3

Criminal Justice Policy (27:202:521)                                                          3

Introductory Statistics (27:202:542)                                                            3

Intermediate Statistics (27:202:543)                                                           3

Advanced Research Methods (27:202:640)                                               3

One of the Following (Advanced Research Requirement)

Advanced Statistics 1(27:202:641)                                                             3

Research Design for Causal Inference (27:202:647)                                  3

Qualitative Research Methods (27:202:648)                                               3

Elective Courses (21 Credits)                                                                Credits

Seven (7) Elective Courses                                                                         21

The additional elective coursework is to be distributed among the university's offerings. Only graduate-level courses may be included. No more than 12 credits may be earned at institutions other than Rutgers. Most coursework is expected to be taken in the School of Criminal Justice, augmented and enriched through the graduate offerings in other programs or units. Students who wish to take credits within other academic units at Rutgers should seek approval from the Ph.D. director, and contact the department offering the course(s) to determine whether they accept students from other units.When possible, electives should be selected to create a concentration in one or more areas of study.

Dissertation Research (18 Credits)                                                      Credits

Dissertation Research (26:202:701, 702, 703, 704)                                    18

TOTAL CREDITS                                                                                         60

Note: Advanced Statistics can be repeated for credit, with approval, when different statistical approaches are taught under the same course number.

ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY: REQUIRED SEQUENCE

Admission to the program does not ensure that the student will be accepted as a candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy. The student becomes a formal candidate for this degree only after successful completion of the examinations listed on the catalog pages that follow and described in detail in the Criminal Justice Doctoral Program Handbook.

Qualifying Examination. Students must pass a written qualifying examination covering  (1) criminological theory and (2) criminal justice policy, which will be evaluated by a rotating committee of three faculty members appointed by the SCJ dean. Ordinarily, the qualifying exam is to be taken the week before the start of the fall semester of the student's second year in the program. Approval from the Ph.D. director is required for deviating from the ordinary schedule. The qualifying examination will take place in the School of Criminal Justice. Students will use a computer for this eight hour exam (9a.m.-5p.m.), and will be provided with an ungraded copy of their exam upon its completion.

The purpose of the qualifying exam is to test (1) students' familiarity and understanding of central issues, concepts, and debates in criminology and criminal justice; and (2) their ability to present a thorough, well-reasoned, and critical assessment of these enduring issues. Preparation for the qualifying exam is facilitated by taking required courses in theory and policy. In addition, students will be provided with a recommended reading list for the exam, which includes key scholars and works in theory and policy. Passing the qualifying examination signals that students are ready to move on to the next stages of the degree--the empirical paper and dissertation--which require mastery of a substantive research area, demonstration of methodological competence, and an independent contribution to knowledge.

Empirical Paper. After successful completion of the qualifying examination and required courses, students must complete a sole-authored empirical paper. This paper must be judged to be of sufficiently high quality to be consistent with publication in a leading journal, as determined by the evaluation of a committee of three faculty members. The goal of the paper requirement is to demonstrate (1) familiarity with criminological theory and a relevant substantive literature; (2) competence in research methods; and (3) an ability to imaginatively use these skills and knowledge to address research questions of relevance for the field. Students are encouraged to seek guidance and feedback from relevant faculty and colleagues while working on the empirical paper, though it must be sole-authored, independent work.

The paper must be limited to 40 pages in length (inclusive of tables, figures, appendices, and references) and formatted in the current style of the journal Criminology. Ordinarily, the empirical paper should be submitted by the end of year three. It must be submitted within one year of the completion of all coursework.

Proposal Submission. To initiate the empirical paper, the student will submit a one page proposal and accompanying preliminary bibliography to the Ph.D. director.The proposal may be submitted at any time during the academic year. The Ph.D. Committee, chaired by the Ph.D. director, will review the proposal and appoint an Empirical Paper Committee, which will provide an assessment of the proposal. Ordinarily the proposal will be assessed within two weeks of its receipt by the committee. The proposal assessment will include suggestions and guidance for the paper, and will be graded as Pass or No-Pass.When a proposal is not passed by the committee, the student must submit a revised proposal, accompanied by a copy of the original proposal. Proposals can be submitted to the committee for review up to two times. Since completion of this stage of the process is included in the one-year timeline, students are strongly encouraged to initiate their proposal review early.

Dissertation Prospectus Defense. Upon completion of coursework and all examinations, the student presents a prospectus for dissertation study, receiving the consultation and advice of faculty and students in an open, public meeting. Following the successful defense of the prospectus, the student may apply to the dean of the Graduate School–Newark for admission to candidacy for the degree of doctor of philosophy.

Admission to Candidacy. Following the successful defense of the prospectus, the student may apply for admission to candidacy. To do so, the student submits the Application for Admission to Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy form to the Dissertation Committee chair, to obtain signatures from the chair and Dissertation Committee members. The cover page and Part I (Qualifying Examination Committee Report) of this form are completed at this time. Once properly signed, the application should be returned to the Graduate School–Newark. The candidate must continue to register for dissertation research or matriculation continued in order to maintain status as a candidate.

Completion and Defense of the Dissertation. The third major step of the dissertation process is the execution of the dissertation. This includes collecting data or identifying and preparing an available data-set; analyzing it as described in the prospectus; and reporting the results, implications, and contribution of the research to theory and extant research in the written dissertation. The structure, format, and length of the dissertation are determined in consultation with the Dissertation Committee chair, with approval of the committee.

Once the dissertation is completed and reviewed by the Dissertation Committee, the candidate schedules the oral dissertation defense. Like the prospectus defense, the dissertation defense is a scheduled public meeting that is open to fellow students and faculty. The dissertation defense date is set by the Dissertation Committee chair, with the approval of the Ph.D. director and dean of the School of Criminal Justice, and conveyed to the dean of the Graduate School–Newark. It should be scheduled in the Center of Law and Justice, Room 572. 

Dissertation. The dissertation is required of all Ph.D. candidates and is the culmination of the advanced study leading to the doctoral degree. It demonstrates the student's scholarly expertise and independent contribution to knowledge. The dissertation process formally begins when all other requirements of the Ph.D. program have been met, and includes 18 credits of dissertation research. The doctorate requires that each doctoral candidate perform original research in the form of a doctoral dissertation. The dissertation is an investigation of a problem of significance that makes a unique contribution to the field. It must demonstrate that the candidate is capable of independent research and analysis, reported in accepted scholarly style, and that she or he has attained a high degree of scholarly competence.

Publication of Dissertation and Academic Data. After the granting of the doctorate, the Graduate School–Newark will have the dissertation microfilmed. The dissertation must, therefore, be prepared for this purpose with the same care as if it were to appear in printed form. The abstract that must accompany the dissertation also must be ready for publication when it is submitted to the dean, as it will be published in Dissertation Abstracts.

Additional materials to be submitted at this time include two paper copies of the title page of your dissertation with the original signatures in black ink of all dissertation committee members, an electronic copy of the dissertation uploaded to http://etd.libraries.rutgers.edu, and additional surveys and forms as required.

University Microfilms of Ann Arbor, MI, microfilms the dissertation and publishes the abstract. Information on how to prepare the dissertation and abstract, and the agreement with University Microfilms, which the candidate must sign, are available in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School–Newark.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT

The School of Criminal Justice will allow up to 12 transfer credits of related coursework from appropriate master of arts or master of science degree programs. These can include transfers that replace required courses in the program, but with particularly close evaluation for continuity of content. Courses may be considered for transfer credit after completing at least 12 credits with grades of B or better in the School of Criminal Justice and with the following stipulations:

• Courses must have been graded with letter or numerical grades; neither Pass nor Satisfactory will be accepted
• The student must have earned a grade of B or better in the course
• Courses may not include work for a master's thesis or related research
• Courses must normally form a part of the student's program in his or her field of concentration
• Courses must normally have been taken during the six-year period prior to the qualifying examination

The responsibility for requesting transfer credit lies with the student. In applying for the transfer of credit, a student must obtain an official transcript of the grades to be transferred, a copy of the course syllabus or course description, and complete a Transfer of Credit Form that is available in the Office of the Dean, School of Criminal Justice. Once completed, the form, syllabi, and official transcript should be submitted to the Ph.D. director for approval. The Ph.D. director then submits both documents to the dean of the Graduate School–Newark for review and final authorization. When the transfer is approved, the registrar's office will record the transfer of credits on the student's transcript. Students completing a master's degree in criminal justice/criminology at another university must meet with the Ph.D. director to review their transcripts. This will ensure there is not course duplication at Rutgers.  

ACADEMIC ADVISERS

All doctoral degree students are advised during their first year by the graduate program director, who reviews and discusses each first-year student's course selection during the fall and spring registration periods.

The graduate program director will continue to serve as a doctoral student's academic adviser until the student chooses an adviser after successfully completing the core examination. This may or may not be the core area chair. At that time, the adviser will assume responsibility for the student's future academic advisement, and the student should consult with the adviser each semester prior to enrollment. If a different faculty member later assumes responsibility as the dissertation committee chair, that faculty member will then assume responsibility for future academic advisement. The Ph.D. committee is responsible for reviewing annually each student's academic progress.

SCHOLASTIC STANDING

Candidates for the doctorate are expected to show evidence of distinction in their coursework, demonstrated by grades of A in at least half of the formal coursework. Grades of B or better are expected; no more than 3 credits bearing the grade of C will be allowed in meeting the requirements for the degree.

ACADEMIC PROBATION, TERMINATION OF STUDIES, APPEAL, AND STUDENT GRADE COMPLAINTS     

A detailed discussion of the current policies and procedures regarding academic probation, termination of studies, appeal, and student grade complaints is presented in the Criminal Justice Doctoral Program Handbook.Also, see the section on Scholastic Standing in the chapter on Academic Policies and Procedures in this catalog.

MATRICULATION CONTINUED

Students who are obliged to interrupt their studies may, with the approval of the graduate program director or the associate dean of academic and student services, register for matriculation continued. There is no tuition fee for this registration, although a student fee is charged. This category of registration is available only to students not present on campus and not using faculty time and university research facilities. Students who are away from campus but working on their dissertations and are in contact with their committees should register for 1 or more credits of research.

TIME LIMITATION

All requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy should be completed within seven years of the first matriculation in the criminal justice Ph.D. program.

Additional information is available in the School of Criminal Justice catalog.