Criminology, PhD

Program code: CRIM-HH-PHD

IUP graduate programs in Criminology are designed to prepare students for careers in academia and for upper-level administrative positions in various fields of justice.

Admission Criteria

It is expected that students entering the PhD program in Criminology will have completed a master’s degree in either Criminology or a closely related discipline. However, in exceptional cases, a highly qualified applicant may enter the doctoral track with a baccalaureate degree. Such students would obtain the MA degree in route to the PhD.

Applicants must meet all School of Graduate Studies and Research admission requirements. Additionally, the doctoral coordinator, after consulting with the department PhD committee, will submit a recommendation regarding applicants to the School of Graduate Studies and Research. The following criteria are reviewed:

1. All official college transcripts
2. Three letters of recommendation
3. Statement of goals
4. Example of written work (thesis, articles, reports, etc.)
5. GRE scores (A combined score of at least 290 on the verbal and quantitative sections is expected. Some flexibility may be granted at the discretion of the screening committee.)
6. Skill requirement (foreign language, computer or statistical ability, or other skills approved by the PhD committee or the department’s graduate curriculum committee
7. Personal interview (may be requested by department PhD committee or by applicant)

Program Requirements

The PhD program in Criminology requires a minimum of 54 semester hours of acceptable graduate credit. Each student must complete requirements for (a) course work; (b) area of specialization requirements; (c) qualifying examinations; (d) skill requirement; and (e) dissertation.