PhD in Criminal Justice – Leadership Shaping a Future of Excellence In Criminal Justice
Lead in the Criminal Justice Field with Integrity by Earning an Online PhD in Criminal Justice Leadership
Are you an experienced criminal justice professional? Perhaps you’ve worked in law enforcement for years, or maybe you’re a prospective criminal justice professor who would like to earn a PhD and ascend to the pinnacle of criminal justice academia.
Leading a large criminal justice organization often requires more than just career experience in law enforcement. At Liberty University, you can learn the advanced principles and practices that underlie large and diverse corrections organizations by conferring a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Criminal Justice – Leadership online degree.
This online criminal justice PhD program will challenge you to master advanced topics in criminal justice, such as organizational conflict and program evaluation. Mastery of these skills and others can hone your leadership abilities in criminal justice and bolster your résumé as you eye upper-level positions at law enforcement agencies.
Through Liberty’s PhD in Criminal Justice – Leadership program, you can learn how to critically assess your organization and outline possible areas of improvement. Our criminal justice doctoral program online can also help you acquire knowledge in a wide range of subjects — making you even more valuable to your criminal justice organization.
This degree program also covers topics like strategic planning and advanced human resources development. Additionally, you can learn from seasoned professors who teach from a Christian worldview. Our professors have a passion for teaching you how to apply biblical principles to ethical challenges frequently faced by law enforcement officers, FBI agents, and CIA officers alike.
If you are interested in a terminal criminal justice degree with a curriculum that goes beyond the day-to-day work of police departments, Liberty University’s online PhD in Criminal Justice – Leadership may be a great fit.
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- Private Nonprofit University
- 600+ Online Degrees
- No Standardized Testing for Admission
- Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
- Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree
Why Choose Liberty University’s Online Doctorate in Criminal Justice – Leadership Program?
Liberty University recognizes the need for senior leaders in the criminal justice field who are equipped with relevant knowledge and skills rooted in biblical foundations and ethics. All of the classes within our online PhD in Criminal Justice program are taught by Christian professors who have years of experience as professionals in their field. They understand the unique challenges of commanding large organizations and are dedicated to your academic and personal success.
In addition, our PhD in Criminal Justice Leadership degree is offered 100% online with no set login times and no required intensives, so you can earn a terminal degree from the comfort of your own home or office. Liberty University is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), so you can rest assured that you are earning your degree at a respected institution of higher learning with years of experience training principled law enforcement professionals on a virtual platform.
Become a well-respected leader and excel in your field with the advanced training you gain in our PhD in Criminal Justice – Leadership online degree program. Don’t wait any longer — apply today and take your career to the next level.
What Will You Study in the Online Criminal Justice PhD – Leadership?
Your PhD in Criminal Justice – Leadership courses provide advanced study of principles that underlie the management of large criminal justice organizations. Through this degree, you can learn key leadership principles, such as how to properly develop subordinates and how to set up effective employee feedback channels within your organization.
The PhD in Criminal Justice – Leadership degree consists of 5 sections: core courses, research and evaluation, advanced focus courses, leadership-specific courses, and a sequence of dissertation courses. The core courses of this degree can help you understand various theories of crime, the intricacies of criminal justice systems, juvenile justice, and corrections policy.
The research and evaluation courses will cover research design methodology in addition to quantitative and qualitative analysis of criminal justice as a whole. The advanced focus section of your degree program will cover organized crime, terrorism and intelligence, stress management for law enforcement professionals, and organizational conflict within the criminal justice field.
The leadership specialization consists of 3 courses: advanced criminal justice leadership, strategic planning in criminal justice, and advanced human resource development for criminal justice professionals — where you can learn the skills needed for setting priorities, time management, and effective communication within your organization.
Your dissertation is designed to be completed in several phases. You will develop a research concept and a dissertation prospectus. After completing the prospectus, you will develop a dissertation proposal and conduct research before defending your dissertation in this degree’s final course.
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Tuition & Aid
At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.
| Doctoral Full Time | $610/Credit |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Part Time | $675/Credit |
Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $375/credit hour (learn more).
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Military Tuition Discount
We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $375/credit hour. Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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