Online Teaching in Higher Education

Fast-Track Option

Walden offers a Fast-Track Option. Students can complete their doctorate in less time by taking advantage of this path. With the Fast-Track Option, students take additional courses and begin their dissertation early to expedite their path through the program.

Choose the Path That Is Right for You

TRACK I: Choose this track if you have a master's degree in criminal justice or a related field.

TRACK II: Choose this track if you have a master's degree in a discipline other than criminal justice.

I have a master's in criminal justice

Curriculum

Minimum Degree Requirements

• Doctoral Writing Assessment
• Foundation courses (3 cr.)
• Core courses (20 cr.)
• Specialization courses (15 cr.)
• Research courses (20 cr.)
• Completion of Doctoral Dissertation
  
  • Dissertation support course (5 cr.) 
  • Dissertation writing courses (5 cr. per term for a minimum of four terms; taken continuously until completion)
• Four PhD residencies

Walden students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral program unless they petition for an extension.

In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.

Please refer to Walden’s catalog for more information about degree requirements.

This sequence represents the minimum time to completion. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.

Fast Track to Your PhD

For the highly motivated student with discipline and a flexible schedule, Walden offers an expedited path to your doctoral degree. With the Fast Track option, you can complete your PhD in Criminal Justice in a shorter amount of time by taking additional courses per term. Learn more about this exciting option or contact your Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286 to see if it’s the right choice for you.

Courses

Show Course Descriptions

Course Code	Title	Credits
	DOCTORAL WRITING ASSESSMENT
DRWA 8880G	Doctoral Writing Assessment Show This course is part of Walden's commitment to help prepare students to meet the university's expectations for writing in courses at the doctoral level. In this course, students write a short academic essay that will be scored by a team of writing assessors. Based on the essay score, students will complete or be exempted from additional required writing support needed to meet writing proficiency standards. This required assessment course is free. Students will be enrolled automatically in it at the beginning of their doctoral program.	(0 cr.)
	FOUNDATION COURSE
CRJS 8002	Foundations of Doctoral Study Show Students in this course are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as a scholar-practitioner and social change agent. They assess the relationship of mission and vision to professional goals and develop a program of study and strategies for online success. Students also explore resources used throughout the program, such as the online Walden University Library. Students engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence as they relate to practice in public policy and administration.	(3 cr.)
	CORE COURSES
CRJS 8350	History and Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Show Students in this course look at the evolution of crime—from lone criminals to worldwide syndicates—using the scientific rigor built into the selected readings and discussions. Among the topics examined are the philosophy of community- and problem-oriented policing, transnational crime, terrorism, and the new nexus between them. Current and future leaders are equipped with the knowledge and depth of understanding to assess and manage the opportunities, innovations, and challenges in their profession.	(5 cr.)
CRJS 8351	Policy and Analysis in Criminal Justice Systems Show Criminal justice professionals must understand the various factors that influence the development of criminal justice policy, and how to evaluate whether existing policy meets its objectives. In this course, students will examine the principles of policy analysis and the role that scientific information plays in the development of criminal justice policy. Topics explored include policing, corrections, and sentencing; juvenile justice; the relationship among drugs, race, and crime; deterrence as a crime control policy; and the use of public registries. Through further analysis of criminal justice policies, students determine how these policies have changed over time, gaining insight into possible future trends of policy development and analysis.	(5 cr.)
CRJS 8352	Leadership: Putting Theory into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration Show Students in this course are introduced to the problems that currently confront the administration of the criminal justice system, as well as problems predicted for the future. To be prepared to lead efforts to address these challenges, students acquire powerful models for strategic, critical, and reflective thinking. Students immerse themselves in discussion about the major components of effective justice administration: organizational thought and theory, leadership, human capital, policy development and implementation, and collaboration with other public safety and community organizations.	(5 cr.)
CRJS 8381	Program Evaluation Show Students in this course are introduced to the tools used by policymakers and policy analysts to evaluate the impact of social programs. Topics include selecting programs to evaluate, crafting program descriptions, identifying stakeholders and their interests, developing logic models, framing evaluation questions, applying utilization-focused evaluation techniques, using quantitative and qualitative tools to complete formative and summative evaluations, and providing evaluation reports and feedback to decision makers. By the end of the course, each student will develop a program-evaluation design for a social program.	(5 cr.)
	SPECIALIZATION COURSES
CRJS 8171	Theories and Frameworks for Adult Learning Show To understand adult learning, one must ask and answer complex questions: Who is the adult learner? What is the social context of learning? What motivates adult learners? In this course, education professionals explore the theories and frameworks that inform the field of adult learning today. They identify, compare, and contrast foundational and emerging perspectives on adult learning with the aim of transforming theory into practice. They engage in an integrative course project through which they synthesize and apply various theories to real-world situations, including their own development; summarize how the idea of wisdom impacts their experiences as adult learners; interview an adult learner; and assess various perspectives in regard to educating diverse learners.	(5 cr.)
CRJS 8177	Using Technology to Enhance Adult Learning Show Emerging technologies are rapidly altering the field of adult education today. Innovative technologies are removing traditional boundaries to learning and encouraging a global perspective on school, work, and communications. New developments in software, multimedia applications, Internet technologies, and mobile computing are transforming the educational landscape and empowering learners around the world. Educators and students leverage these advances to enhance the learning process and improve outcomes in today's digital information society.	(5 cr.)
CRJS 8764	Instructional Design for Online Course Development Show Students in this course explore instructional design for the development of online courses. Different types of online courses and the roles of online instructors are addressed. Students analyze learning theories and approaches for promoting community in online classrooms. Students analyze criteria for developing learning objectives and online instructional strategies in relation to diverse student populations. Issues related to technology, copyright compliance, fair use, and academic integrity are explored. Students analyze assessment and evaluation approaches and explore future trends in online higher education in relation to delivery of instruction and positive social change.	(5 cr.)
	RESEARCH COURSES
RSCH 8110	Research Theory, Design, and Methods Show In this research course, students are provided with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the graduate level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the role of theory, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research designs and data collection methods are introduced. The alignment of research components is emphasized. Students also explore ethical and social change implications of designing and conducting research. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing an annotated bibliography. (Prerequisite(s): RESI 8401.)	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8210	Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis Show In this research course, students are provided with the opportunity to develop core knowledge and skills for designing and carrying out quantitative research at the doctoral level, including the application of statistical concepts and techniques. Students explore classical common statistical tests, the importance of the logic of inference, and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. Students approach statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to derive statistics from quantitative data and interpret and present results. (Prerequisite(s): RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110, and RESI 8401.)	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8310	Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis Show Students in this research course are provided with the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills for conducting qualitative research at the doctoral level. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry, how theory and theoretical and conceptual frameworks uniquely apply to qualitative research, data collection procedures and analysis strategy, and how the role of the researcher is expressed in the ethical and rigorous conduct of qualitative research. Students practice collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting data, and they develop a detailed research topic for conducting a qualitative study. (Prerequisite(s): RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110, and RESI 8401.)	(5 cr.)
	RESEARCH COURSES - Choose One
RSCH 8260	Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis Show Students in this research course build upon knowledge and skills acquired in the prerequisite quantitative reasoning course and are presented with opportunities to apply them. They are provided with more specialized knowledge and skills for conducting quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding multivariate data analysis and applying more advanced statistical concepts, such as factorial ANOVA, mediation, moderation, logistic regression, ANCOVA, and MANOVA. Students explore existing datasets and apply suitable statistical tests to answer research questions with social change implications. In this course, they approach statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting the appropriate statistical tests for more complex research questions and social problems. Students use statistical software to perform analyses and interpret and present results. They will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by carrying out a quantitative research project. (Prerequisite(s): RSCH 8110 and RESI 8402.)	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8360	Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis Show Students build upon the knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8310 - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis. and have experience applying them. Students develop a more sophisticated understanding of the theoretical antecedents and practical applications of eight contemporary qualitative approaches. Students gain experience developing qualitative interview guides, collecting data, and managing the process from transcription through analysis. The unique challenges of confidentiality and ethical issues are explored as well as implications for social change. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan using a topic relevant to their capstone. (Prerequisite(s): RESI 8402.)	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8460	Advanced Mixed-Methods Reasoning and Analysis Show Students build upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8210 - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis and RSCH 8310 - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis for more specialized knowledge and skills to design mixed-methods research at the doctoral level. Students are provided with more specialized knowledge and skills for designing mixed-methods research at the doctoral level. They gain an understanding of the types of mixed-methods designs and how to select the most appropriate approach for the research question(s). The emphases of this course are on integrating quantitative and qualitative elements into true mixed-methods studies, practice in data analysis, and integration of qualitative and quantitative data within a research write-up. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a mixed-methods research plan that incorporates qualitative and quantitative elements appropriately. (Prerequisite(s): RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110, and RSCH 8210 or RSCH 7210 or RSCH 6210, and RSCH 8310 or RSCH 7310 or RSCH 6310, and RESI 8402.)	(5 cr.)
	COMPLETION OF DOCTORAL CAPSTONE - DISSERTATION PREPARATION COURSES
CRJS 8115	Writing a Quality Prospectus Show The prospectus is a brief paper, typically 5–10 pages in length, that helps students organize, delineate, and make decisions regarding their doctoral study and appropriate research methodology. Students create a prospectus to establish the background for the problem statement; the problem statement itself; a survey of the relevant literature (typically 25–75 references); and a research, implementation, and evaluation plan for the solution of the problem. Students in this 5-credit course focus specifically on the process of writing the dissertation prospectus. They employ their preliminary research plan to develop a problem statement for their dissertation. Students further refine the problem statement and carry out the planning and the library research that lends to the formulation of a dissertation prospectus.	(5 cr.)
	DISSERTATION WRITING COURSES
CRJS 9000	Dissertation Show Through this course, doctoral students have the opportunity to integrate their program of study into an in-depth exploration of an interest area that includes the completion of a research study. Students complete the dissertation independently, with the guidance of a dissertation supervisory committee chair and committee members. Students complete a prospectus, proposal, Institutional Review Board application, and dissertation. Once students register for CRJS 9000, they will be registered each term until successful completion of the dissertation.Students take this course for a minimum of 4 quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.To complete a dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.	(5 cr. per term for a minimum of 4 quarters until completion)
VIEW ALL COURSES Less Courses

Students are continuously enrolled in CRJS 9000 for a minimum of 4 quarters until completion of their dissertation with final Chief Academic Officer (CAO) approval.

To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the Chief Academic Officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

8-Year Maximum Timeframe
Students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral degree requirements. See the policy in the Walden University Student Handbook. Students may petition to extend the 8-year maximum timeframe, but an extension is not guaranteed.

Note: Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic, such as tuition and fee increases; transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; writing, research, and editing skills; use of external data for the dissertation; and individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations, caregiving responsibilities, or health issues; leaves of absence; or other personal circumstances.

Tuition and Fees

Standard Option

Curriculum	Requirements	Cost	Total *
Tuition-Coursework	63 quarter credits	$620 per quarter hour for coursework credits	$39,060^
Tuition-Dissertation	20-130† quarter credits	$620 per quarter hour for dissertation credits	$12,400-$80,600*
Technology Fee		$160 per quarter	$1,760-$5,120*
4-Day Residency Fee	Four Residencies (residency two and residency four may be virtual; additional residencies may be required)	$1,375 (travel, lodging and other expenses are additional)             $1,475 (virtual)	$5,700
Estimated Range:			2.5-Year Minimum	8-Year Maximum
			$58,920	$130,480*+
			(assuming completion in a 2.5-year timeframe)	(assuming completion in a 8-year timeframe)

Fast Track Option

Curriculum	Requirements	Cost	Total *
Tuition-Coursework & Dissertation	5 terms	$6,800 per term	$34,000^
Tuition-Dissertation	15-125† quarter credits	$620 per quarter hour for dissertation credits	$9,300-$77,500*
Technology Fee		$160 per quarter	$1,600-$5,120*
4-Day Residency Fee	Four Residencies	Included in tuition	$0
Estimated Range:			2.5-Year Minimum	8-Year Maximum
			$44,900	$130,220*+
			(assuming completion in a 2.5-year timeframe)	(assuming completion in a 8-year timeframe)

These are ranges of what a student can expect in terms of time and tuition cost to complete a degree. It does not include other fees, nor is it adjusted for tuition increases over time. Walden faculty has concluded that generally students who do not complete their program in eight years are unlikely to complete and only allow students to exceed that time frame when a student petitions for an extension and provides good reason for the delay and assurances that obstacles to completion can be overcome. Time is calculated using the time allowed for each semester or unit that the student completes. Students are encouraged to work continuously during the program so as not to extend the time needed to complete the degree as work can become stale and students lose focus. Students who earn two grades of “Unsatisfactory,” who repeatedly drop a course before a semester or unit has been completed, or are unable to complete in the eight year time frame, should expect that they may be dismissed from the program. Walden believes that it is in the best interest of a student who is unable to complete the degree in the stated ranges to strongly consider withdrawal or obtaining a lesser degree.

Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic such as tuition and fee increases and/or the student’s transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; writing, research and editing skills; use of external data for their doctoral study/dissertation; and/or individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations; care giving responsibilities or health issues; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; leaves of absence; and/or other personal circumstances.

Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included. Students may incur additional costs for remedial writing assistance, if necessary.

^This assumes students successfully complete their coursework on the first attempt.

† Based on a 2.5-year or 3-year minimum completion requirement and an 8-year maximum timeframe as outlined in Walden academic policy.

*Tuition and fees will be higher if students petition to extend the 8-year maximum timeframe or choose to take more expensive elective courses.

+Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships or other tuition discounts. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-642-0198.

I have a master's in a different discipline

Admission Requirements