Ph.D. Program
Eligibility
Application (deadline Feb. 1st)
GRE
Financial
Aid & Awards
Admission
Advisor
Course Descriptions
Pre-Registration
Course Loads
Registration Checklist
Transferring Graduate Credit
Course
Requirements
Amount of Coursework
Evaluation
Qualifying Papers
Dissertation
Department News and Announcements
Current
Ph.D. Students
Graduate Student Association
Alumni
Application to the Ph.D. Program
***All application materials must be received by the Graduate Admissions Office by February 1st***.
It is imperative that you read this document thoroughly.
Should you not find information you need on this page or links on this
page, please email ccjgraduate@umsl.edu.
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Undergraduate applicants must have a baccalaureate degree or expect one by the end of the academic year in which they apply. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or greater (on a scale of A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.
Graduate applicants who have or will have a master's degree must have a grade point average of 3.0 or greater (on a scale of A = 4.0) for their graduate course work.
Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly competitive.
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To consider an applicant for admission, the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice must have transcripts, three letters of recommendations (each person providing a recommendation should also complete a standard recommendation form), GRE scores, a writing sample, and a personal statement (see guide). Applicants with master's degrees should include a chapter of their thesis. International students whose native language is not English are required to submit scores from the TOEFL examination.
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must apply online. Applicants are informed of admission and funding decisions by mail from the Graduate School.
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Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice requires scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytic components of the Graduate Record Examination. Applicants should consult the appropriate office on their local college campus, or contact the Educational Testing Service (Box 592, Princeton, NJ, 08540, U.S.A.), or www.ets.org, for information on taking the G.R.E. examination.
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The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers a variety of forms of financial support to Ph.D. students, including teaching and research assistantships, university fellowships, and tuition and fee waivers. Financial award decisions are made annually at the time of application review.
Students must indicate on their application to the Graduate School and to the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice that they are requesting admission to the Ph.D. program. The Department only admits students once per year. Graduate degrees are conferred by The Graduate School on the recommendation of the Department; therefore students are expected to be familiar with the requirements of the Graduate School as set forth in the latest Bulletin. Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive.
Following notification of admission and receipt of registration materials, new students are eligible to register for classes. Before registration, the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice will mail a set of materials to new students naming faculty advisors and stating how to register. Students who have received teaching or research assistantships will be notified of additional requirements in their letter of admission.
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The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) is faculty advisor to new Ph.D. students. S/he provides information on issues such as requirements, course selection, and prerequisites.
Students shall make an appointment with their advisor before their scheduled registration time. Prior to that meeting, students should review the recommended schedule of required courses (described below) and the Schedule of Classes published by the University. Students who have not had undergraduate training in statistics (the equivalent of CCJ 2220) should consult with their advisor before enrolling in an appropriate course as preparation for CCJ 6410.
The Bulletin describes undergraduate, graduate, and professional courses offered at the university. For more detailed information on course content, students should consult the professors teaching the courses (as listed in the Schedule of Classes). Most graduate courses are offered in the evenings.
Shortly after the midpoint of each semester, students should obtain a copy of the Schedule of Classes that lists course offerings for the following semester. Continuing students should schedule a meeting with their faculty advisor for approval to enroll in proposed courses. Students must receive the approval of their advisors and the Dean of the Graduate School to enroll in or withdraw from a course after registration. Registration is not complete until all University fees are paid.
The normal full-time course load for a regular semester is between six and nine hours. For an eight-week summer session, the maximum course load is six hours. Students admitted on a part-time basis should consult with the DGS for relevant conditions and requirements.
Entering a Course in Progress
Students wishing to enter a course in progress must have
the approval of the instructor, their adviser, and the Dean of the Graduate
School. Only under exceptional circumstances may students enter courses
after the first week of the semester.
Students may drop courses before the end of the fourth week of a regular semester or the second week of the summer session without receiving grades. At the end of this period and until the end of 12 weeks (or from the third through the sixth week of the Summer session), students may withdraw from courses with "Excused" grades providing they are passing the course and have the approval of the instructor, their advisor, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Otherwise, a grade of F is given. Students who stop attending classes without officially dropping courses also receive grades of F.
___ Review departmental course requirements
___ Make a checklist and mark the requirements you have met and the ones
you plan to meet in the coming semester
___ Review proposed schedule with advisor and give advisor a copy of your
work sheet showing which requirements have been met and which will be
met in the coming semester
___ Submit registration forms or use phone registration
Students with previous graduate work at other institutions with a grade of A or B may request transfer credit. To request transfer credit, students must provide supporting materials for each class such as course syllabi, exams, and papers. Students should submit their request to the DGS, who will make the decision. The decision of the DGS is recorded in the student's file. A student may be asked to take an examination if they are requesting transfer credit for a required course. Departmental faculty determines if prior graduate work meets Ph.D. course requirements. Transfer credits must constitute less than half of the total credits required for the doctorate.
The graduate program is designed to provide students with a command of criminological knowledge and analytical skills. Professional competence in theory and research methods is expected, as is in-depth knowledge in an area of specialization (described below). The doctoral degree is based on evidence that candidates have achieved a high level of scholarship and proficiency in research. The proficiency of students and their ability to work independently are assessed through course grades, qualifying and comprehensive examinations, and successful defense of the dissertation.
Sixty post-baccalaureate hours of graduate work are required for the Ph.D. More than half of these hours must be completed in residence. Twelve credit hours of dissertation research (CCJ 7499) are required. Students may enroll for dissertation credits (CCJ 7499) only when all other degree requirements have been completed.
Required courses for the Ph.D. are:
6400, Proseminar (3)
6405, Methods (3)
6410, Statistics (3)
5415, Foundations of Criminological Theory (3)
6420, Contemporary Criminological Theory (3)
6440, Nature of Crime (3)
6450, Criminal Justice Organization (3)
6465, Qualitative Research Design (3)
6470, Quantitative Research Design (3)
6471, Evaluating Criminal Justice Interventions (3)
6480, Multivariate Statistics (3)
Please note that the pre-requisites for Quantitative Research Methods (6470) listed in the Bulletin are incorrect. According to the Bulletin, the sequence is supposed to be Statistics (6410), Quantitative Research Design (6470), then Multivariate Statistics (6480). Actually, the sequence is supposed to be Statistics, Multivariate Statistics, then Quantitative Research Design.
Students are also required to complete at least
9 hours from the following courses:
5533, Philosophy of Law (3)
5555, Ethical and Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
6430, Law and Social Control (3)
6431, The Nature of Punishment (3)
6432, Criminal Law (3)
6434, Human Rights (3)
6435, Law, Courts, and Public Policy (3)
6436, Comparative Legal Systems (3)
6437, Private Justice (3)
6441, Juvenile Delinquency (3)
6442, Communities and Crime (3)
6443, Violent Crime (3)
6444, Organizational Crime (3)
6445, Property Crime (3)
6446, Sex Crime (3)
6447, Public Order Crime (3)
6448, Victimization (3)
6451, Juvenile Justice Systems (3)
6452, The Police (3)
6453, Adjudication (3)
6454, Corrections (3)
Additional courses beyond the above requirements are taken as elective courses. These courses may be at the 5000 level. Students are also encouraged to take courses outside the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Typical timeline for PhD completion
At the end of each academic year, the departmental faculty meets to evaluate each student's progress, course load and completion, and grades. The faculty also discusses each student's performance as a teaching or research assistant, and any special accomplishments such as presenting a paper at a meeting or publishing an article or book chapter. Each student's progress is compared to the standards for normal progress described below, and to that of other students -- particularly those who entered in the same year. The DGS will notify students of their progress in meeting requirements and their likelihood of completing the doctoral program. The DGS sends a letter to each student that (a) summarizes the evaluation of progress and standing, (b) conveys any special commendations or concerns, and (c) states any specific risks to good standing, with the steps and deadlines for correcting those problems.
Normal Progress
Normally, students are expected to complete course work and other degree
requirements in a timely manner. Reasonable progress for students admitted
on full-time status is demonstrated by completing...
... required core coursework in the first two years.
... all coursework (except dissertation research) in the first three years.
... the qualifying examination within the first three years.
... the preliminary examination within the first three and a half years.
... the dissertation defense within five years.
Defending the Dissertation within Five Years
The faculty discusses the case of any student who has not defended the
dissertation within five years. The student could be deemed in poor standing,
depending on the other things normally considered in the student's annual
review. More commonly, the student will be notified of marginal progress.
All students passing the five-year mark will be reminded of the eight
year limit set by the Graduate School.
Completing Courses on Time
Students should avoid delayed grades. Faculty have complete discretion
concerning whether or not a delayed grade is warranted. A history of DEL
grades indicates an inability to handle a normal workload and jeopardizes
good standing and financial aid.
Delayed grades must be removed within two semesters after the time recorded
or they automatically become failing grades.
Grades
Faculty has complete discretion in assigning grades. Point assignments
for grades are as follows:
A = 4.0 points
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3.0
B- = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2.0
C- = 1.7
F = 0.0
The Graduate School does not recognize a "D" grade for a graduate student enrolled in a course carrying graduate credit. According to the regulations of the Graduate School, grades lower than "C-" are recorded as "F".
Grades in Required Courses
Students must earn a "B-" or better in any required course (see
page 5). A grade of less than a "B-" in a required course indicates
an academic deficiency. Any required course in which the student earns
less than a "B-" must be repeated.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
All courses taken at UM-St.Louis for graduate credit figure into the calculation
of the overall GPA, including courses that may not be a part of the degree
program. However, only those courses included in the degree program figure
into the calculation of the degree program GPA. The degree program GPA
must be at least 3.0 ("B") for a student to receive a graduate
degree.
Probation
The department will place a graduate student on probation if their GPA
falls below 3.0, or if the standards of normal progress have not been
met. The student will be placed on probation for one semester, during
which time progress will be reviewed by the departmental committee. After
one semester the student will be removed from probation, continued on
probation, or dismissed from the program. Letters of probation and letters
of the subsequent outcome will be sent directly to the student, with copies
to the Graduate School and the Admissions Office.
Deadline Extensions
Students may request deadline extensions by consulting with the DGS. The
request must include a projected schedule that shows when requirements
will be met. Students must be explicit about the reasons for their request.
Family and medical leave are the most common reasons for approved extensions of deadlines. Extensions also may be approved for special academic needs such as study abroad.
Graduate students in the doctoral program are not officially classified as Ph.D. candidates until they have passed the Qualifying Papers pre-requisite. The goals of these papers are to establish a student's familiarity with the substantive literature, theory, and methods of criminology and criminal justice, and to demonstrate an ability to imaginatively and creatively use this knowledge to address broad criminological questions.
A three member Qualifying Papers Committee reviews two sole-authored papers that are submitted to the Graduate Director within one year of the completion of all coursework (see the table below). The manuscripts must address distinct topics and theoretical approaches and are evaluated on the basis of the substantive knowledge reflected in the presentations, the application of relevant theory, the use of appropriate data and research methods (if applicable), the clarity of communication, and creativity. One of the papers must represent the application of an appropriate methodological technique to an innovative research question, and the other must demonstrate a proficient knowledge of and a new perspective on a fundamental theoretical issue. The papers must be limited to 40 pages in length (inclusive of tables, figures, appendices, and references) and formatted in the current style of the journal Criminology. Because a student needs to be enrolled at the time of the review, the manuscripts may only be submitted for the first time during the Fall or Spring semesters.
The Qualifying Papers Committee evaluates the papers within two weeks of their receipt and immediately informs the student of a “Pass” or “No Pass” decision for each manuscript; the Committee and student then meet in a “debriefing” session at which the grounds for the decisions are discussed. If the Committee deems that one or both papers is of insufficient quality to merit a “Pass,” the student must submit a new or revised manuscript(s) to the Committee within six months of the original decision. If the second round of reviews also is not successful, the Committee immediately notifies the Chair and Graduate Director that the student has failed to meet this core requirement. This information is transmitted to the faculty, who then meet to discuss the case and to reach a collective agreement about the termination of the student from the program. This recommendation is sent to the Graduate Dean, who makes the final decision about the student’s status.
Date of completed |
Date Qualifying Papers are due |
December 2010 |
5:00 pm, December 16, 2011 |
May 2011 |
5:00 pm, May 11, 2012 |
December 2011 |
5:00 pm, December 14, 2012 |
May 2012 |
5:00 pm, May 17, 2013 |
December 2012 |
5:00 pm, December 13, 2013 |
May 2013 |
5:00 pm, May 16, 2014 |
December 2013 |
5:00 pm, December 12, 2014 |
The student initiates the Qualifying Papers process by submitting a one-page proposal for each paper, accompanied by a proposal-specific bibliography of all cited references, for approval by his or her Advisory Committee. A letter from the Advisory Committee chair approving the proposals is then sent with the proposals to the Graduate Director, who in turn forwards them to the Qualifying Papers Committee for its review. Both proposals must be submitted simultaneously, and this may be done at any time during the academic year. As is the case for the papers themselves, the proposals are reviewed up to two times, and each version receives an evaluation of “Pass” or “No Pass.” When a revised proposal is submitted, it must be accompanied by a copy of the original proposal. Since the completion of this stage of the process is included in the one year timeline, students are strongly encouraged to have the proposal reviews completed within the first three months.
The student may submit the actual qualifying papers once the Committee has completed its review of the proposals. It is important to note that all students proceed to the paper submission stage even if one or both proposals have not been “Passed” after the second round of reviews. However, this should be taken by the student as a clear sign that the Committee believes that the intended projects as currently described are problematic. Both papers must be submitted at the same time, and those that have not been preceded by the submission of a corresponding abstract will not be evaluated. Students are encouraged to seek advice from others on their papers, but the final products must represent their own independent work. The names and contact information of all persons who have commented on the papers must be included on the cover page.
The University's rules and procedures governing academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced (see Code of Student Conduct).
The dissertation is required of all Ph.D. candidates and demonstrates the student's scholarly expertise. The dissertation process formally begins when all other requirements of the Ph.D. program have been met. The dissertation committee assists in selecting and developing the research problem and evaluates the student's work on that problem.
The Dissertation Committee
Within six months of being advanced to candidacy, a student must constitute
their Dissertation Committee. The committee must consist of at least four
members of the graduate faculty of the university. Included in this number
is the committee chair, who must be a member of the Department of Criminology
and Criminal Justice and a member of the doctoral faculty. Also included
in this number is at least one person from outside the department. The
majority of committee members must be from the department.
Faculty who serve on the dissertation committee do so because they are
specialists on some aspect of the proposed dissertation. The student's
advisor will assist the student in identifying appropriate faculty members
for the student's topic of research. After the student and their advisor
agree on a Dissertation Committee, the student must ask the faculty members
if they will serve on the committee. The student will then notify their
advisor and the DGS, which faculty members have agreed to serve by completing
the form for the "Appointment of Dissertation Committee".
Committee membership may change before completion of the dissertation owing to faculty commitments. If this becomes necessary, it is the student's responsibility to obtain a replacement member and to inform the DGS of the new committee member by completing a new "Appointment of Dissertation Committee" form.
Committee Duties
The student should consult frequently with the committee when developing
their dissertation proposal and while doing research for the project.
The primary duties of the Dissertation Committee are: (a) to examine and
evaluate the student's dissertation proposal at the preliminary examination
(proposal defense), and (b) to examine and evaluate the student's completed
doctoral dissertation at the final oral examination. The chair of the
committee is responsible for reporting to the DGS on the student's progress
on the dissertation.
The Preliminary Examination
The preliminary examination in the Department of Criminology and Criminal
Justice is a formal oral examination. It is based on a written proposal
that the student has developed in consultation with the chair and other
members of the dissertation committee.
Preliminary examinations are open to all faculty and graduate students, but only the committee members have voice and vote. The student must arrange the time and place of the examination in consultation with the dissertation committee. All members of the committee must be present for the meeting. The preliminary examination should take place between the third and thirteenth weeks of the semester, or during the summer if the entire committee can attend the hearing. Students must remind committee members of the time and place of the meeting.
Two weeks prior to the date of the preliminary examination, the student must circulate copies of the dissertation proposal to all committee members and the DGS. Two weeks prior to the examination the student must also distribute a one page abstract of the proposal to all faculty members.
The chair of the dissertation committee records the results of the preliminary examination and provides a copy of these results to the student and the DGS. The results may be pass, fail, or adjourn. Special instructions to the student also are included in the record of results. Once the preliminary examination is passed, the chair will complete the "Preliminary Approval of Dissertation and Preliminary Application for Doctoral Degree" and forward a copy to the DGS and Graduate Dean for approval.
Upon preliminary acceptance of the dissertation, the Dean of the Graduate School appoints the Defense of Dissertation Committee to conduct the final examination.
If the dissertation proposal is not approved ("fail"), the student may take the examination a second time. The student must submit a revised dissertation proposal to his/her committee and to the DGS, distribute a new abstract, and schedule a new examination. Students will not be permitted to take the preliminary exam a third time. If the dissertation proposal is approved and the project is later found not to be feasible, the student must submit a new proposal to the dissertation committee and defend it according to the above procedures.
The Dissertation Defense: Final Oral Examination
The student's dissertation committee gives the final oral examination
after the dissertation is completed. In the final oral examination, the
student summarizes the dissertation. After giving the summary, the student
answers questions put forth by the dissertation committee about such things
as the ideas, hypotheses, methods, results, and inferences that can be
drawn from the work.
It is departmental policy that all students must be present on campus for their prelimanary examination and final defense.
When the dissertation committee deliberates on a dissertation, two negative votes are sufficient for failure, even if these votes are outnumbered by positive votes. An abstention will be considered a negative vote. A student failing an oral defense should be provided with an opportunity for an additional defense. The timing and requirements of the subsequent defense will be determined by the dissertation committee.
In order to obtain a specific commencement date, the student must plan well in advance. At the beginning of the semester, the student should notify the DGS and their dissertation committee in writing of plans to defend the dissertation (a brief dated note is sufficient).
Students must arrange the time and place of the examination
with the members of their committee. At least three weeks prior to the
final oral examination the student must provide each member of the dissertation
committee with a copy of the dissertation. At least three weeks prior
to the examination the candidate must submit an announcement of the defense,
including an abstract of the dissertation, to all faculty in the department
and to the Dean of the Graduate School.
The Graduate School requires a completed dissertation at least six weeks before commencement. Therefore, to obtain a degree in either January, May, or August, the student should have completed the dissertation text at least nine weeks prior to those commencement dates.
One copy of the dissertation, certified as complete and provisionally acceptable by all dissertation committee members, must be submitted to the Graduate School at least six weeks before commencement. The Dean of the Graduate School may assign the dissertation to other readers, on or off campus, or seek such other advice, as the Dean feels pertinent.
Upon preliminary acceptance of the dissertation, the Dean of the Graduate School appoints the Defense of Dissertation Committee to conduct the final oral examination. The Dean appoints members of the dissertation committee and such other members of the Graduate Faculty as seem appropriate.
The Defense of Dissertation Committee certifies the final acceptability of the dissertation to the Dean of the Graduate School on the basis of a final examination open to all Graduate Faculty members. The chairperson of the dissertation committee is responsible for verifying that all the changes suggested by the Graduate Dean and the dissertation committee has been incorporated in the final draft of the dissertation. This certification is made by signing the "Final Approval of the Doctoral Dissertation" form and deposition of the thesis at the Library and Graduate School.
Candidates for the doctoral degree are expected to attend Commencement.
For a Ph.D. Application Packet, contact:
Graduate Admissions Office
255 Millennium Student Center
One University Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63121
gradadm@umsl.edu