Applications for the Criminal Justice doctoral program at MSU are screened for fall semester entry only. All application materials must be received by December 15th for consideration for the following fall semester. Applicants are typically notified of admission decisions within 6-8 weeks of the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The graduate admissions committee takes a holistic approach to reviewing application materials. Committee members take into consideration all pieces of a student’s application rather than evaluating individual components. A deficiency in one aspect of a student’s application will not necessarily lead to a denial of admission.

Required application materials include:

An application for Graduate Study at Michigan State University may be submitted online here. The major code for the Criminal Justice doctoral program is 4725. After you begin your application, you will receive an email with a login and password. You will be prompted to upload the following documents and request letters of recommendation:

A statement of your academic and professional goals. This personal statement should address the following questions:
- Why do you want to obtain a doctoral degree in criminal justice?
- Why do you want to complete your studies at MSU (e.g., what are your research interests and what faculty do you see yourself working with)?
- What relevant research and/or work experience do you have that has prepared you for graduate study?
- Is there any other information that you would like the admissions committee to know (e.g., have you overcome difficulties in life, work, or school that demonstrate your ability to succeed in graduate school)?
One or more of the following: a copy of your thesis; a copy of your thesis proposal outline (if your thesis is not yet defended); evidence of research preparation and capabilities (e.g., conference presentations, publications, research reports, etc.).
Three letters of recommendation from professional references who can comment on your ability to conduct research and complete graduate-level coursework. We prioritize letters from tenure-track faculty, but will consider letters from others who have doctoral or master’s degrees of their own.
A graduate assistantship resume may be submitted here.
One set of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. A transcript of work at MSU is not required, unless you attended MSU College of Law. Transcripts from U.S. institutions may be sent electronically, and will be considered official if they are sent directly from the institutions attended to the Graduate Program Coordinator Mike Chapko. If they are mailed by the institution attended, they should be sent to the address that follows. International students must submit official transcripts in both the original language and English translation of transcript and diploma. Please have transcripts mailed directly from the institutions attended to:

Criminal Justice Doctoral Program
Michigan State University
Baker Hall
655 Auditorium Road Room 557
East Lansing, MI 48824
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general exam scores from a test taken within the last five years. Test preparation material and information about test dates can be found here. Please note when scheduling your exam that it may take 4-6 weeks for your scores to be forwarded to the university and our department. The institution code for MSU is 1465 and the departmental code is 2202. Admission typically requires scores at or above the fiftieth percentile.
International students must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam scores from a test taken within the past two years. MSU's score requirement is a minimum average score of 80, with no subscores below 19 for Reading, Listening and Speaking, and no subscore below 22 for Writing. The institution code for MSU is 1465. Students from countries where the primary language is English may have the TOEFL requirement waived with the approval of the department, college, and Graduate School. Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Mike Chapko, to determine whether the requirement may be waived.

Please note: Applicants must have achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 in prior undergraduate and/or graduate work. While formal admission to the program does not require completion of a master's degree, the screening committee looks for a strong methodological and statistical background.

Criminal Justice

Doctor of Philosophy