msu graduate school dissertation submission

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Dissertation Completion Fellowships

Approximately one hundred and seventy (170) dissertation completion fellowships (DCFs) are available annually to allow students to devote full time to writing the dissertation with the goal that the dissertation will be completed during the tenure of the fellowship. Other MSU financial support, held simultaneously with the fellowship, cannot exceed a one-quarter time assistantship or the equivalent.

Unlike graduate assistantships, these fellowships do not include student health insurance or tuition/fee waivers.

Selection of fellowship recipients will be made by a student's college. The colleges will set the conditions and application procedures for the Graduate School Dissertation Fellowships and will notify the Graduate School of the recipients. The Fellowship awards will be dispensed by the Graduate School. Students should contact the associate dean's office of their college to find out their college's application procedure.

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• Apply for graduation  the first week of your last semester
• Fill out the graduate student exit survey
• Prepare dissertation following the Graduate School's formatting guidelines and deadlines
• Submit dissertation to committee at least 2 weeks before oral defense date
• After oral defense, edit dissertation as required by your committee
• Submit approval form and AUF documentation to the Graduate School via email:  [email protected]
• Full text of the dissertation in PDF format. This must be one file. If your manuscript is in a Word or RTF format, you can convert the PDF using a PDF Conversion tool. You also must embed fonts in the PDF. After you have created your account and arrive at this section, you will find a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page for the conversion tool and embedding fonts.
• 'Optional' Supplementary files. Michigan State University does allow supplemental files (audio, video, etc.). Please note that only those files approved by the major professor/committee, as denoted on the Graduate School approval form, are allowed.
• Advisor and other Committee Members' Names
• Subject Category: from ProQuest's list of subject categories
• Degree Granting Unit/Program: Neuroscience - Doctor of Philosophy. Located on Title Page, form in #3, and electronic submission)
• Type of Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy
• Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates

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Since 2011, the MSU Library has been housing electronic copies of STT PhD Dissertations and MS Theses.  Visit https://d.lib.msu.edu/etd/programs to search by program. You can also search by student name using the search bar on the MSU Library home page: https://lib.msu.edu/

Some hard copies of past dissertations and theses can be found in the STT Department's Katz Library.

To learn more about writing and submitting a theses or dissertation, please see the STT Graduate Student Handbook and the MSU Graduate School Electronic Theses and Dissertation instructions page: https://stt.natsci.msu.edu/graduate-programs/stt-graduate-handbook.aspx and https://grad.msu.edu/etd

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Finding Dissertations and Theses: Home

Electronic access, open access to united states-published theses and dissertations, open access to internationally published theses and dissertations, print access, finding msu theses and dissertations in the catalog.

• Start at the catalog advanced search page .
• In the search boxes at the top of the page, change the "All fields" dropdown menu to search for author, a subject or a title. Or, you can search by MSU department or college, such as "educational policy" or "chemical engineering."
• Under "Limit to" and "Format," select "Thesis."
• Enter a date range under "Year of Publication" if desired. 
• Click "Search" to return your results.

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If you are an MSU affiliate and cannot locate the full text of a thesis or dissertation either in electronic or print format, you may be able to order it for free from our interlibrary loan department .

Theses and Dissertations About MSU

• Dissertations and Theses about Michigan State University This guide identifies dissertations and theses written by MSU scholars that are about MSU in some way.
• Last Updated: May 25, 2023 11:53 AM
• URL: https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/dissertations

School of Criminal Justice College of Social Science

Doctoral program.

The Doctoral program in Criminal Justice permits students to emphasize the problems of crime, crime control, and justice administration, while simultaneously developing a strong foundation in social science theory and research methods. It prepares students for careers in college and university teaching and research, as well as advanced public policy positions.

Each student develops in-depth knowledge in one area consisting of either a basic social science discipline (anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, or sociology) or an interest area relevant to the student’s area of study. In addition, a sequence of advanced courses in research methodology and statistics prepares students for the design, implementation, and interpretation of research. The program is individualized to allow students, working with a guidance committee, to shape a program of study that is broad in scope yet consistent with specific student interests.

Doctoral level course work in the school focuses and synthesizes the interdisciplinary components and individual experiences. The program is designed to produce graduates who can apply a variety of research methodologies to the study of crime causation, social reaction, and the legal system. Throughout the program there is an emphasis on the relationship between theory and practice, as well as the interconnected activities of the many agencies and professions involved in the systems of justice and private security. Through their research, teaching, and practice, graduates can contribute to the development of improved systems for the prevention and control of crime and delinquency.

For further information regarding the doctoral program, please contact graduate secretary Melissa Christle at [email protected] or 517-353-7133.

Applications for the Criminal Justice doctoral program at MSU are screened for fall semester entry only. All application materials must be received by December 15 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.

Application materials that may be uploaded include :

• 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 should include information about your motivation to study criminal justice, a description of relevant research and/or work experience, and any other information that you would like the admissions committee to know. 
• One or more of the following: a copy of your thesis if it is defended; a copy of your thesis proposal outlining research up to data collection (if data collection is not complete); evidence of research preparation and capabilities (e.g., conference presentations, publications, research report, etc.).
• Three letters of recommendation from tenure-track faculty who can comment on your ability to perform graduate work. 

Additional required materials include :

• 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 US institutions may be sent electronically, and will be considered official if they are sent directly from the institutions attended to the graduate secretary at [email protected] . 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 at www.gre.com . Please note when scheduling your exam that it may take 4-6 weeks for your scores to be forwarded to the university and this department. The institution code for MSU is 1465 and the departmental code is 2202. Admission 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 secretary at [email protected] 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 masters degree, the screening committee looks for a strong methodological and statistical background.

Questions? Please contact graduate secretary Melissa Christle at [email protected] or 517-353-7133.

The student’s program will be individually designed upon matriculation at Michigan State University under the supervision of a guidance committee. All students must complete relevant criminal justice course work, either in the doctoral program or through completion of a Masters in criminal justice or criminology at an accredited institution.

Program requirements vary for students with Masters degrees in areas other than criminal justice. With the approval of the student’s guidance committee, relevant post-baccalaureate course work may be incorporated into the cognate requirements.

The program of each student shall consist of a minimum of 36 semester credits of course work and 24 credits of dissertation research, totaling a minimum of 60 semester credits. The program must be developed in consultation with a guidance committee and approved by the College of Social Science.

Required core courses:

• CJ 801 - Crime Causation, Prevention and Control 3 Credits
• CJ 810 - Proseminar in Criminal Justice 3 Credits
• CJ 901 - Seminar in Contemporary Criminal Justice Theory 3 Credits
• CJ 906 - Advanced Quantitative Methods in Criminal Justice Research 3 Credits
• CJ 909 - Advanced Research Methods 3 Credits
• CJ 910 - Qualitative Methods

Admitted without a Masters degree

Students admitted directly from an undergraduate program will take CJ 811 Design and Analysis of CJ Research and CJ 887 Quantitative Methods as prerequisites to CJ 906, CJ 907, and CJ 909. CJ 811 and CJ 887 may not be used toward doctoral program requirements.

Criminal Justice Courses

Students must complete twelve credits of additional criminal justice courses at the 800 level or above. Three of the core Masters courses in criminal justice taught at MSU may not be used toward doctoral program requirements (CJ 811, CJ 812, CJ 887).

Advanced Research Methods

Students must complete two 3-credit doctoral research methods courses in the College of Social Science as approved by the student’s guidance committee.   CJ 907 and CJ 909 may be repeated for credit and count toward this requirement when topics have changed.  

Responsible Conduct of Research Activities

Students must participate in 16 hours of RCR activities their first year, and three hours for each subsequent year. Information about applicable workshops, classes, activities, and reporting can be found at the RCR Requirements link under the Documents tab below.

Qualifying Papers

Students entering the program in Fall 2019 and thereafter will complete two qualifying papers rather than taking comprehensive exams. Qualifying papers allow for the assessment of adequate student learning in their chosen specialty area—criminological theory, criminal justice, or law and society—as well as in the areas of research methods in criminology and criminal justice and their chosen cognate. Students will be expected to address unique research questions in their areas of study using the appropriate methods of analysis, and should be able to contribute to the body of knowledge in ways consistent with high quality peer-reviewed publications.

Dissertation

Student must submit and defend a dissertation reflecting original research focusing on a significant problem or issue in criminal justice. The guidance committee is responsible for providing direction for the student’s research. All program requirements, including oral defense and submission of the dissertation, must be completed within eight years from the time of the first enrollment as a doctoral student.

Waived Credits

With approval of their guidance committee, students may waive a maximum of 6 credit hours toward CJ elective or advanced methods requirements.

• Criminal Justice Doctoral Program Handbook
• Responsible Conduct of Research Requirements
• Responsible Conduct of Research Verification Form

Fiona Chan  - Indiana University Bloomington Mark Gibson - Director, Nurture Nature Campaign

Jin Ree Lee  - George Mason University Roberta Liggett-O'Malley - University of South Florida Michelle Malkin  - East Carolina University

Alaina DeBiasi Podges - University of California Davis Brent Klein - University of South Carolina Sung Uook Lee - University of Southern Indiana Rebecca Malinski - Moravian College

Yi Ting Chua - University of Cambridge, Cambridge Cybercrime Centre Alison Cox - University of Northern Iowa Gregory Drake - Rochester Institute of Technology Marva Goodson - Vanderbilt University Ka Wai Li - Rutgers University

Giovanni Circo - University of New Haven Lauren Magee - Indiana University School of Medicine Robert Peacock - Florida International University

Michael Cassidy - Niagara University Jina Lee - Grand Valley State University Seung Paek - SUNY-Oswego Ksenia Petlakh - SUNY-Delhi Sarah St. George - Northern Ohio Regional Fusion Center

Levente Fejes - Asociatia pentru Relatii Comunitare

Sadik Arin - Turkish National Police Kimberly Bender - University of Massachusetts-Lowell Roy Fenoff - The Citadel Byung Hyun Lee - Central Connecticut State University Juli Liebler - SCJ Outreach, Michigan State University Michael Rossler - Illinois State University Brandon Sullivan - Michigan State University/ Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection 

Vaughn Crichlow - Florida Atlantic University Ryan Martz - Saginaw Valley State University Alexis Norris - California State University, San Bernardino Miriam Northcutt Bohmert - Indiana University Jason Rydberg - University of Massachusetts Lowell Charles Scheer - University of Southern Mississippi Rebecca Stone - University of Massachusetts Lowell Michael Suttmoeller - Missouri State University 

Margaret Fischer - Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety Melissa Garmo - Saginaw Valley State University Manish Madan - Richard Stockton College Raymund Narag - Southern Illinois University Carbondale Tia Stevens - University of South Carolina Julie Yingling - South Dakota State University 

Mohammad Ali -Punjab University Ismail Demirkol - Turkish National Police Joseph Johnson - Rowan University Wook Kang - Songpa Police Department Dae-Hoon Kwak - Illinois State University Juyoung Song - University of West Georgia Serkan Tasgin - Turkish National Police 

Jeremy Carter - Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Suyeon Park - SUNY Plattsburgh 

Nebi Cetinkaya - Turkish National Police Eric Grommon - Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Mustafa Halicioglu - Turkish National Police Jason Ingram - Illinois State University

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The School of Criminal Justice is also soliciting applications for the following traineeships. These traineeships are semi-structured PhD programs in which students focus on specific issues within criminal justice and criminology. Interested students should contact the traineeship point-of-contact to discuss their interest and the application process.

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