ASU to launch new Doctor of Criminal Justice this fall
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Arizona State University will offer a Doctor of Criminal Justice starting this fall in what is believed to be the first program of its kind at an American public university.
Professor Charles Katz of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice said the new degree is unlike ASU’s existing PhD in criminal justice, which typically is a prerequisite for an academic career.
The DCJ is for established professionals who seek top management positions in local, state and federal criminal justice agencies, such as the police, courts and corrections, as well as a wide range of nonprofits in the criminal justice field, Katz said.
Katz, who is the director of the new program, likened the DCJ to the Doctor of Education. The EdD is normally the degree of choice for professionals who aspire to careers as school district superintendents, principals or other administrators, versus a PhD in education, which caters to students seeking a higher education academic appointment or job in research.
“Our targets are career professionals and policymakers with interest in leadership, organizational change, innovation in the criminal justice system and being able to enact incremental positive change,” he said.
The lack of such programs in the United States is one reason ASU created a DCJ program, said Katz, who said only a handful of small private universities currently offer the same degree.
The program, offered online via ASU Sync, consists of 60 credit hours of classes and an applied project. It is designed to teach students to how to make evidence-based decisions more clearly and rapidly, Katz said.
“Leadership in criminal justice today is more complicated,” Katz said. “Transparency in decisions made in the field is demanded more than ever before. But until now, executives at criminal justice agencies have had few options beyond a master’s degree.”
The criminology and criminal justice school at ASU has significantly expanded its offerings in the last two-plus decades since Michael Crow first became university president in 2002, Katz said. What started with a two-year concentration for juniors and seniors has evolved into a full slate, including a four-year bachelor’s degree, online and in-person master’s degrees, a PhD and now a DCJ.
School Director and Watts Endowed Professor of Public Safety Beth Huebner said the new degree is a prime example of the school’s longtime status as a leader in the criminal justice field.
“This program reflects our deep commitment to ASU’s mission of innovation, access and public service,” Huebner said. “It is designed to equip the next generation of public safety leaders with the knowledge and tools to drive and sustain meaningful change in our justice system.”
The deadline to apply for the program is July 1. An informational session about the new degree will be held via Zoom at 5 p.m. Arizona time on June 3. More information and registration for the session are available on the program webpage.
The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is part of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
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