PhD in Criminal Justice Programs in Georgia

What Can I Do With My PhD in Criminal Justice in Delaware?

By keeping an eye on Georgia laws and policies, you can quickly find out that reform is an ongoing process in this state. Statewide proposals would keep school behavior issues out of the court system and help released criminals get established in society (Augusta Chronicle, 2016).

If you currently work in criminal justice, earning your criminal justice PhD could be the next step in your career. Demand for judicial law clerks in Georgia is expected to jump 9% through the year 2030 (CareerOneStop, 2022), and professionals in this field currently earn a median income of $45,940 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022).

Becoming a criminal justice professor puts you in the academic and research sectors of this field. The median salary for a criminal justice professor is $65,510 annually (BLS, 2022) and job openings may swell 11% through the year 2030 (CareerOneStop, 2022).

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Georgia contained here reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2023.

There are many ways that a PhD in criminal justice can broaden your horizons. Learn more by contacting PhD programs below.

What Will It Take to Earn My Criminal Justice Graduate Degree in Georgia?

Deciding to earn a PhD is a huge step in your education and a significant investment in your future. It’s worth your time to evaluate different programs and select one that is in line with your beliefs and goals. Across the board, you may find that most PhD programs involve between 50 and 80 credits of graduate-level work.

If you already possess a Master’s degree in a related area, it’s likely that at least some of your credits may transfer to a PhD program. To use this option, you may need to supply a copy of your criminal justice thesis or graduate project.

Criminal justice degrees in Georgia have a classroom component, an experience component, and a dissertation component. In the early stages of education, you may spend much of your time in the classroom taking PhD courses like:

• Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
• Prevention and Correctional Strategies for Juveniles
• Law Enforcement Issues
• Workplace Law for Criminal Justice Managers
• Domestic Terrorism
• Statistics in Criminal Justice
• Community Policing
• Family Violence and Criminal Justice
• Ethics in Criminal Justice

Coursework at this level prepares you for the challenges of doctoral study. You may then complete an internship at a local research institution, law enforcement agency, or legal agency. On top of this experience, many schools expect PhD students to work as research assistants or teaching assistants in exchange for program funding.

Your dissertation takes up approximately 12 credits at most Georgia criminal justice PhD programs. With the help of an advisor, you develop a research plan and idea that relates to your area of professional interest. Over a period of two years or more, you write and defend your dissertation. This process often involves adapting your research in response to feedback and staying on top of current research and evidence.

A strong criminal justice system is the foundation of the society that is fair, safe, and evolved. Discover educational options by contacting colleges in Georgia for criminal justice.