PhD in Criminal Justice Programs in Montana

If you decide to explore criminal justice at the doctoral level, you may uncover issues and trends that aren’t extensively covered at lower levels of study. For example, statistics show that crime rates are falling in Montana (KPAX, 2016). Despite this, arrest rates are significantly higher than in previous years. Experts are looking for ways to keep incarceration rates down, due to the huge expense to taxpayers.

Ready to find out how a PhD can change your life? Use the list of schools below to contact criminal justice graduate programs.

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

If you consider yourself an advocate, a PhD could give you the background and expertise needed to affect meaningful change. One bill being proposed in Montana currently is Marsy’s Law (The Missoulian, 2016). This bill would help victims understand their rights and get a fair swing at justice.

Looking into career options may give you a vision of your future in this industry. Between 2012 and 2022, job openings for criminal justice professors are expected to increase 21% and the demand for judges is expected to jump 10% (O*Net, 2016). The average salary for a professor is $57,200 per year and the median income for a judge is $44,400 per year (O*Net, 2016).

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

Before you start applying to schools and planning the future of your career, it’s important to make sure that criminal justice is a good fit for you. While graduate study is primarily geared toward practical experience and front-line work, doctoral programs place far more weight on research and data analysis.

If you want to work in academia, legislation, leadership, or research, a PhD may be the choice for you. It offers extensive experience in teaching, research, and writing. By the time you graduate, you should have a fully written and defended dissertation.

The courses that make up your curriculum determine what you learn, what goals you must accomplish, and how you reach those goals. Although course names are unique from school to school, you may find that topics and subjects are quite similar.

The courses listed below and courses similar to them are common requirements for criminal justice doctorate programs:

• Contemporary Criminal Justice Theory
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Quantitative Research Methods
• Criminological Theory
• Seminar in Criminology & Deviance
• Seminar in Inequality and Social Justice

Financial influences may significantly impact your school decision. That’s one reason that it is essential to start preparing for your PhD program early. Since PhD students produce research, there tends to be much more funding available for them than for graduate students. However, to earn that funding, you must prove that the school is making a wise decision by investing in you.

This means a consistently strong academic history, clear dedication to criminal justice, and well-defined research goals. If you are selected for a full funding opportunity, you may have to spend up to 20 hours per week working as a research or teaching assistant. The Association of Montana Troopers and other local organizations award scholarships to students in PhD criminology and criminal justice programs.

The duration of your program may be determined by your dissertation and how hard you work on it. Although your dissertation only comprises 12 credits of your PhD, it can take several years to complete. Treating it like a full-time job and devoting a specific amount of time to it each week may help you get into the workforce more quickly.

A doctorate in criminal justice may put you in a position to change this industry for the better. Learn more about earning a PhD in criminology by contacting schools below.