DCJ Criminal Justice at Arizona State University

Programme overview

The Doctor of Criminal Justice program is a professional doctoral degree that prepares you, as a mid- to senior-level practitioner, to become an expert who combines practical and academic knowledge in your field in ways that equip you to solve complex criminal justice issues. The DCJ program provides you with state-of-the-art, interdisciplinary education on crime and justice issues.

What you will study

60 credit hours including the required applied project course (CRJ 793) Required Core (18 credit hours) CRJ 701 Applied Criminal Justice Policy Analysis: Past to Present (3) CRJ 702 Applying Criminology and Criminal Justice Theory to Policy and Practice (3) CRJ 703 Applied Criminal Justice Research Methods and Program Evaluation (3) CRJ 704 Applied Data Analysis and Interpretation (3) CRJ 705 Advanced Topics in Crime, Criminal Justice and Inequality (3) CRJ 706 Organization, Management and Transformational Leadership in Criminal Justice (3) Restricted Electives (18 credit hours) CRJ 711 Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3) CRJ 712 Teaching Criminology and Criminal Justice (3) CRJ 720 Topics in Methods and Statistics (3) CRJ 730 Contemporary Policy Issues in Criminal Justice Systems (6) CRJ 790 Reading and Conference (3) Electives or Research (18 credit hours) Research (3 credit hours) CRJ 792 Research (3) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) CRJ 793 Applied Project (3) Additional Curriculum Information CRJ 730 should be taken at least twice for six credit hours.

Career pathways

The DCJ program provides a pathway to career opportunities in criminal justice agencies and academic institutions as well as nonprofit, advocacy and research organizations working in the crime and justice space.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice, criminology or a related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. Applicants are required to submit: graduate admissions application and application fee official transcripts personal statement professional resume two letters of recommendation proof of English proficiency Additional Admission Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency.

Domestic applicants: USD 13,327 a year (2026-27). Arizona resident tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads Source

International applicants: USD 24,780 a year (2026-27). International tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads ar Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer; the terms available for each programme are listed in Degree Search.

Graduate application deadlines are set by each programme office and listed in Degree Search; the application opens almost a year before the start term. The nonrefundable application fee is $75 for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA and international online students outside the U.S., and $120 for international students on a nonimmigrant visa studying in the U.S. Apply with ASU's graduate application (Law applicants use the law college's site); GRE/GMAT requirements vary by programme.

Apply through the official page: https://admission.asu.edu/apply/graduate/admission

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