Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2025 through summer 2026. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Program Courses
CJUS 700	Theories of Crime	3
CJUS 701	Comparative Criminal Justice Systems	3
CJUS 702	Advanced Juvenile Justice Policy	3
CJUS 703	Advanced Corrections Policy	3
Research and Evaluation Core Courses
CJUS 740	Advanced Research Design	3
CJUS 745	Quantitative Methods of Research	3
CJUS 750	Qualitative Methods of Research	3
CJUS 801	Criminal Justice Program Evaluation	3
Advanced Focus Courses
CJUS 810	Transnational Organized Crime	3
CJUS 820	Advanced Topics in Terrorism and Intelligence	3
or CJUS 840	Stress Management in Criminal Justice
CJUS 830	Criminal Justice Organizational Conflict	3
Dissertation Courses 1
CJUS 885	Research Concept	3
CJUS 987	Dissertation I	5
CJUS 988	Dissertation II	5
CJUS 989	Dissertation III 2	5
CJUS 990	Dissertation IV - Dissertation Defense 2	0
Total Hours		51

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Homeland Security Cognate
HLSC 710	Contemporary Issues in Cyber Security and WMD (CBRNE) Threat Analysis	3
HLSC 720	Critical Infrastructure: Vulnerability Analysis and Protection	3
HLSC 730	Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence Strategies	3
Total Hours		9

¹

Once the student enters the Dissertation phase, he/she must maintain continuous enrollment (Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters) until all degree requirements are completed.

²

Any student who is not ready for enrollment in CJUS 990 after completing CJUS 989 may be required, as determined by the student's dissertation chair, to repeat CJUS 989 until deemed ready for enrollment in CJUS 990.

All applicable prerequisites must be met

Graduation Requirements

• Complete 60 hours
• A maximum of 50% of a post-graduate and doctoral degree may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
• 3.0 GPA
• No grades lower than a B- may be applied to the degree
• Liberty University course work that is more than 7 years old may not apply towards this degree. Students are required to repeat the course if it has exceeded the age limit.
• Successful completion of Research Concept
• Successful defense of Dissertation
• Degree must be completed within 7 years
• Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student’s anticipated graduation date

Program Offered in Online Format

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
First Semester		Hours
CJUS 700	Theories of Crime	3
CJUS 701	Comparative Criminal Justice Systems	3
CJUS 702	Advanced Juvenile Justice Policy	3
	Hours	9
Second Semester
CJUS 703	Advanced Corrections Policy	3
CJUS 740	Advanced Research Design	3
CJUS 745	Quantitative Methods of Research	3
	Hours	9
Second Year
Third Semester
CJUS 750	Qualitative Methods of Research	3
CJUS 801	Criminal Justice Program Evaluation	3
HLSC 710	Contemporary Issues in Cyber Security and WMD (CBRNE) Threat Analysis	3
	Hours	9
Fourth Semester
CJUS 810	Transnational Organized Crime	3
HLSC 720	Critical Infrastructure: Vulnerability Analysis and Protection	3
HLSC 730	Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence Strategies	3
	Hours	9
Third Year
Fifth Semester
CJUS 820 or CJUS 840		3
CJUS 830	Criminal Justice Organizational Conflict	3
CJUS 885	Research Concept	3
	Hours	9
Sixth Semester
CJUS 987	Dissertation I	5
	Hours	5
Fourth Year
Seventh Semester
CJUS 988	Dissertation II	5
	Hours	5
Eighth Semester
CJUS 989	Dissertation III 1	5
	Hours	5
Fifth Year
Ninth Semester
CJUS 990	Dissertation IV - Dissertation Defense 1	0
	Hours	0
	Total Hours	60

¹

Any student who is not ready for enrollment in CJUS 990 after completing CJUS 989 may be required, as determined by the student’s dissertation chair, to repeat CJUS 989 until deemed ready for enrollment in CJUS 990.