Online Doctoral Degree Programs in Law & Criminal Justice

Online doctoral degrees in criminal justice offer local, state and federal public safety professionals the opportunity to make a difference in teaching, scholarship, public policy and administration careers.

Coursework and requirements for criminal justice degrees online

The Ph.D. curriculum typically covers criminal justice theory, research methods, teaching and statistical analysis. Elective courses encompass topics such as these:

• Corrections, including community-based corrections
• Criminal court system, for example, court processing and sentencing
• Police and society

Programs generally take four to six years to complete, depending on whether you enter with a bachelor's or master's degree in the field. Requirements include coursework and a qualifying exam. Degrees with an academic emphasis may require a local teaching practicum. Practice-focused programs often call for an internship or residency at a local law enforcement, corrections or policy agency.

Doctoral degrees in criminal justice culminate in original academic research and a written dissertation. To encourage innovative solutions for urgent criminal justice problems, the National Institute of Justice offers graduate research fellowships for studies on crime, violence and other related subjects.

Specializations and career paths in criminal justice

Criminal justice doctoral students generally focus on an area of interest. Specializations include corrections, juvenile justice, criminology, police organization and management, community-based policing, criminal behavior, and criminal procedure. Some doctorates include criminology within the larger scope of public affairs and policy studies.

Online degrees in criminal justice offer police, agency administrators, corrections officers and federal investigators the opportunity to build leadership skills and pursue advanced scholarship while contributing to their profession.