PhD in Criminal Justice

From senior management positions to teaching to consulting, a PhD in Criminal Justice can open a wide range of professional opportunities in a variety of settings. Career roles could include city administrator, police captain, research consultant, criminal investigator, intelligence analyst, bureau chief, and more. Walden University’s PhD in Criminal Justice offers six specializations—in addition to a General Program—so that you can tailor your degree to the career in criminal justice you wish to pursue.

Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

Professionals in the criminal justice field confront tough challenges every day as they work to reduce crime, improve public safety, and protect and serve society. Issues confronting criminal justice professionals may include:

• Human Trafficking – This issue is a point of focus for many criminal justice professionals and state and federal lawmakers who are working to shape policy, laws, and programs to reduce occurrences and protect and support victims.
• Mental Illness – Tackling the mental health issue in the U.S. criminal justice system is a big job, and one law enforcement officers, criminologists, mental health providers, policymakers, and other professionals with careers in criminal justice are working together to address.
• Drug Crime – Drug-related arrests are putting a big strain on the U.S. criminal justice system. Many professionals in criminal justice have dedicated their careers to combating drug crime through better law enforcement, more effective policy, and new laws.
• Cybercrime – Data breaches. Extortion. Cyberstalking and other forms of online harassment. Identity theft. With internet-related crimes on the rise in the U.S., cybercrime has become one of the fastest-growing areas of focus in the criminal justice field.
• Homeland Security – Professionals with criminal justice careers that focus on homeland security work every day to combat terrorism, cybercrimes, human trafficking, and other threats to the safety of our country.

The study of criminology is complex and the varieties of criminal justice jobs are numerous. If you’re looking to begin or advance your criminal justice career, there are a number of disciplines you can study, including:

• Human Services – Professionals working in human services devote themselves to helping people find stability in their lives, from children’s protective service workers to social workers to addiction counselors.
• Psychology – Like human services professionals, psychology professionals can be instrumental in helping crime victims as well as those with a history of drug abuse or crime, improve their future through better mental health.
• Emergency Management – Communitywide emergencies not only threaten lives and property, they create opportunities for criminals. This is why emergency management professionals also plan for the aftermath of emergencies and develop procedures to prevent and address crime.

There are a number of things that can differentiate a criminal justice program, including flexibility, specializations offered, and student support. Coursework in Walden’s PhD in Criminal Justice degree program is 100% online, making earning a degree more accessible than ever. Walden offers two tracks for the PhD program: One for students who have earned their master’s in criminal justice or a related field, and one for students who have a master’s degree in another discipline. Walden’s class sizes are small and students have comprehensive support services throughout their program.