Skip to content
Criminal JusticeDegrees

CUNY Graduate School and University Center · Ph.D. Program in Criminal Justice

Ph.D. in Criminal Justice

Research doctoratePhDDedicated degreeOn campus

Overview

A full-time Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at the CUNY Graduate Center, housed at John Jay College, with core training in criminology, research methods and statistics, qualifying examinations and a dissertation.

Official program name
Ph.D. in Criminal Justice
Awarded degree
Doctor of Philosophy · major: Criminal Justice
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Degree level
Doctoral — research doctorate
Subject focus
Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science or a closely related justice subject.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
School
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Location
New York City, NY
Subjects
Criminology — core of the degree (“Criminology and criminal justice”)Criminal Justice — core of the degree
Required credits
A minimum of 60 credits of approved graduate work
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Duration
Students are expected to complete the doctoral degree in 5 years; all students must complete within 8 years.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Start terms
Fall
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Why this program is listed

Dedicated research doctorate (Ph.D.) in Criminal Justice.

Degree title names criminal justice; the program describes an interdisciplinary education in criminology and criminal justice.

Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

We list associate, bachelor's, master's and research-doctorate programs in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science and related subjects at institutionally accredited US schools — degrees in the subject and formal concentrations, never certificates or one-elective degrees. Eligibility rules

Format and attendance

Formats, online delivery, campus visits, internships and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the school states it.
Formats offered
On campus
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Internship
Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity
Full-time
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Curriculum

Curriculum

  • Eight core courses plus 34 credits of electives, one of which must be advanced methods or statistics.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
  • Students must complete 34 credits of elective courses, including an advanced methodological or statistical course.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Other

  • Second exam is a manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
  • Transfer of up to 15 credits (up to 18 for tuition-only students) from a higher degree.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Careers and licensure

An academic degree and an occupational licence are different things.

Career and licensure statements for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

A degree does not guarantee police academy admission, sworn officer certification, federal employment, a security clearance, a position with a named agency, a forensic laboratory job or eligibility to practice as a psychologist. Those have separate training, scientific prerequisites, examinations or hiring requirements set by the agency, state or licensing board. Academic degrees vs police academy training

Research and doctoral requirements

Research areas, supervision, examinations and residency as the school publishes them.

Research areas

  • Training in criminological theory, research methods and statistics, with electives in areas such as international and comparative criminal justice and sociology.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Choosing a supervisor

  • Proposal is written in consultation with the dissertation adviser and committee members.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Research proposal

  • Students must prepare and defend a dissertation proposal before advancing to candidacy.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Qualifying examinations

  • Qualifying examination of three exams: Criminology, Research Methods and Statistics.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Dissertation

  • Dissertation completed under a committee, followed by an oral defense; IRB approval needed for human-subjects research.
    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the school states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.
Prior degree
RequiredBachelor's degree from an accredited institution; cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. Master's degree holders should have a 3.50 graduate GPA. A background in social or behavioral sciences is preferred.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Prior degree
Not requiredApplicants to the fully funded track are not required to have a master's degree; the tuition-only fellowship requires an MA/MS/JD or other advanced degree.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Statement / essay
RequiredPersonal statement of 3-5 pages.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation, academic references preferred.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredCurrent CV or resume.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Writing sample
RequiredResearch or academic paper of no more than 25 pages.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Transcripts
RequiredTranscripts from each college or university attended uploaded in the online application.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not requiredGRE scores are not considered by the Admissions Committee.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
TOEFL iBT
RequiredInternational students, unless they hold a post-secondary degree from an English-only institution in a country recognizing English as an official language; Duolingo not accepted.
Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Application deadline

    January 1 for fall enrollment · for Fall

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
    Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
In-state — Level I, full time, New York residentsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$4,965per semesterSource: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Out-of-state — Level I, out-of-state residents and international studentsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$965per creditCalculated tuition$57,900 = 60 credits × $965 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
In-state — Level II, full time, New York residentsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$3,110per semesterSource: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Out-of-state — Level II, out-of-state residents and international studentsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$6,910per semesterSource: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
In-state — Level III, full time, New York residentsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$1,235per semesterSource: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Out-of-state — Level III, out-of-state residents and international studentsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$2,450per semesterSource: gc.cuny.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Scholarships and funding

Awards published by the school for this program or for its level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; service scholarships require government service after graduation. Graduate funding guide

Accreditation

Two different things: the school's institutional accreditation, and FEPAC accreditation of this exact forensic science program.

Institutional accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

FEPAC program accreditation

This program does not appear in FEPAC's accredited-program list. FEPAC accredits forensic science programs only and is optional; its absence is not a sign that a program is illegitimate, and the school's other programs or institutional accreditation do not imply it.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages and directories below. Last verified October 24, 2026.
  1. DAPIP — MSCHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  2. gc.cuny.edu/admissions-aid/tuition-and-fees — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 24, 2026
  3. gc.cuny.edu/criminal-justice — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026
  4. gc.cuny.edu/criminal-justice/admissions-and-aid — Official admissions page, verified October 24, 2026
  5. gc.cuny.edu/criminal-justice/admissions-and-aid/frequently-asked-questions — Official admissions page, verified October 24, 2026
  6. gc.cuny.edu/criminal-justice/curriculum-and-degree-information — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026
  7. gc.cuny.edu/fellowships-and-financial-aid/doctoral-student-funding — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Similar programs at other schools

Same degree level and focus. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

Capitol Technology University

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Forensic Criminology

Research doctoratePhDDedicated degreeOther forensicDoctor of Philosophy
Format: Fully online
Location: Laurel, MDSchool location, not a residency requirement
Attendance: No mandatory campus visits
Duration: Minimum of 60 credit hours; may require additional credit hours depending on dissertation time · 60 credits
Tuition: $980 per credit · All students — Doctoral students, per credit · Fall 2026-Summer 202
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
Accreditation: Institution accredited: MSCHE
Subjects: Criminology
View program
Northeastern University logo

Northeastern University

Criminology and Justice Policy, PhD (Boston)

Research doctoratePhDDedicated degreeDoctor of Philosophy
Format: Campus · Full-time
Location: Boston, MA
Attendance: Campus-based study
Duration: Duration not verified · 54 credits
Tuition: Tuition not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
Accreditation: Institution accredited: NECHE
Subjects: Criminology · Criminal Justice
View program

Criminal Justice Degrees is independent and not affiliated with CUNY Graduate School and University Center. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.