Admission: Helms School of Government Doctoral Degrees

Why Should You Seek Admission to a Helms School of Government Doctoral Degree?

The Helms School of Government offers the following 100% online doctoral program tracks:

• Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ)
• Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP)
• Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Criminal Justice
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Administration
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Policy
• Executive Certificate in Criminal Justice
• Executive Certificate in Law and Policy
• Executive Certificate in Public Administration 
• Executive Certificate in Public Policy

These programs are designed to equip you with a terminal degree or certificate as well as advanced studies and training for senior leadership and management in the specialized fields of criminal justice, administration, or public policy.

How Do I Complete the Admission Requirements for the Helms School of Government’s Doctoral Degrees?

1. Apply online or call (800) 424-9596 to apply to a degree program with an Admissions Counselor.
2. A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
3. Mail official college transcripts (sealed, unopened copies or via a direct electronic transcript system). Admission requires a regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA* for admission in good standing. Students with a GPA of less than 3.0 may be considered for admission on caution.

4. Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Please note: The Office of Graduate Admissions may request additional documentation when conducting admission reviews to evaluate a candidate’s record before a final admission decision can be made.

*A GPA of 2.8 is required for admission to the Executive Certificate in Law and Policy.

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript must be issued directly from the institution in a sealed envelope with a signature across the back. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
• Complete a master’s self-certification form confirming your completion date. The form can be downloaded from our Forms and Downloads page or you can contact an Admissions Counselor who can submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit a transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date listed by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Liberty University Admissions Office Contact Information

Back to the Doctor of Criminal Justice page
Back to the Doctor of Law and Policy page
Back to the Doctor of Public Administration page
Back to the Ph.D. in Criminal Justice page
Back to the Ph.D. in Public Administration page
Back to the Ph.D. in Public Policy page
Back to the Executive Certificate in Criminal Justice page
Back to the Executive Certificate in Law and Policy page
Back to the Executive Certificate in Public Administration page
Back to the Executive Certificate in Public Policy page