PhD in Criminal Justice Programs in Maryland

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

Maryland recently created a justice reinvestment plan. This plan includes significant reform plans, including lower sentences for nonviolent offenders, more drug treatment options, and shorter wait times for drug rehabilitation programs for offenders (Washington Times, 2016).

One area of this industry that has gotten a large amount of attention in recent years is the necessary collaboration between criminal justice professionals and mental health professionals. The aim of these collaborations is to strengthen the social safety net, use incarceration more sparingly, and provide severely mentally ill residents with the help they need (Washington Post, 2016).

You may take some time to research career paths at the doctoral level. Overall, job growth is stable. By 2030, demand for criminal justice professors is expected to increase 16% (CareerOneStop, 2022) and job openings for judges may swell 2% nationwide (CareerOneStop, 2022). The average salary for a criminal justice professor in Maryland is $78,520 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Judges earn an average of $171,970 annually (BLS, 2022).

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

Your education and experience could benefit all of Maryland. Contact graduate criminal justice programs below to take the first step.

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

One of the first questions that prospective PhD applicants have relates to how they can afford a doctoral degree. After all, most PhD programs in Maryland last at least four years. In most cases, working outside the program is highly discouraged or outright forbidden. That’s why funding is a huge priority in doctoral programs.

If a university can secure strong researchers and leaders, those graduates may go on to conduct research or create programs that then reflect well on the university, increasing its prestige and donations. Particularly with very strong students, colleges and universities may offer funding packages that include paid tuition and a monthly stipend in exchange for research or teaching work. In addition, explore opportunities available through your employer or associations you may be part of. The Maryland Criminal Justice Association funds multiple scholarships each year.

Your dissertation is the final step of your PhD. To get to the point where you are ready for that level of research and analysis, you must build up your knowledge in many areas of criminal justice.

In your doctoral criminal justice curriculum, you can expect to find courses like those listed below:

• Fundamentals of Criminological Research
• Race, Crime, and Criminal Justice
• Policy Research Methods
• Advanced Research Methods in Criminology
• Communities and Crime
• Policing

When you begin your dissertation, it may comprise approximately 12 credits. However, while 12 credits may be one or two semesters of work in traditional classes, your dissertation may last closer to two years. Your relationship with your advisor is a big factor in the dissertation process.

That’s why it is important to do extensive research on criminal justice PhD in MD programs; the areas of research present among criminal justice faculty and the connection you form with a potential advisor should play into your decision.

An internship may or may not be required at your school. While many PhD programs don’t require an internship due to the focus on research, most programs do at least recommend an internship.

Whatever your vision of Maryland criminal justice is, you need the credentials and education to back up your ideas. Take the first step now and request information from graduate criminal justice programs.