The several elements of the usual course of study may be listed, although such a listing does not necessarily indicate the expected sequence of events. Students are encouraged to initiate the dissertation research as soon as the necessary competence is ensured; thus, "course work" and "dissertation research" may be undertaken during the same time period. The main elements are:

1. acceptance into the program by the Graduate School-Newark

2. satisfactory performance on the qualifying examination, core area examination, prospectus defense, and admission to candidacy

3. a minimum total requirement in course work of 60 credits (the student must offer a minimum of 24 credits in dissertation research toward the degree)

4. Ph.D. required courses (18 credits) are taught at an advanced level (students with no previous exposure in an area are advised to take the overview courses indicated in parentheses in the list below)

Required Courses and Credits

Research Methods and Statistics:

 27:202:543  Intermediate Statistics (Overview: 27:202:542 Introductory Statistics) (3)

 27:202:640  Advanced Research Methods (Overview: 27:202:540 Research Methods in Criminal Justice) (3)

Crime and Criminology:

 27:202:511  Theories of Crime and Criminality (Overview: 27:202:510 Criminology) (3)

 27:202:512  Measurement and Correlates of Crime (Overview: 27:202:510 Criminology) (3)

Law and Criminal Justice:

 27:202:521  Law in the Criminal Justice System (Overview: 27:202:520 The Criminal Justice System) (3)

 27:202:522  Criminal Justice Policy Planning and Evaluation (Overview: 27:202:520 The Criminal Justice System) (3)

Subtotal = 18

Additional Course Work: 42

Dissertation Research:

 26:202: 701,702,703,704  Dissertation Research in Criminal Justice (24)

Minimum Credit Requirement = 84

The additional course work is to be distributed among the university's offerings. Only graduate-level courses may be included. No more than 30 credits may be earned at institutions other than Rutgers.

Most of this work is expected to be taken in the School of Criminal Justice, augmented and enriched through the graduate offerings in other units of the university.

In the term in which the qualifying examination is completed, the Core Area Committee has the responsibility for working with the student to establish a core area plan of subsequent course work to be completed. This plan is filed with the Ph.D. Committee. After the student has completed successfully the core area examination and formed a dissertation committee, that committee is responsible for evaluating the dissertation plan and determining any additional requirements.

5. acceptance and defense of the dissertation plan and approval of the course of study

6. completion of the approved course of study, meeting scholarship requirements

7. total credit requirement: 84 credits

8. approval of the dissertation

9. successful final examination and dissertation defense