Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice

The mission of the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice is to develop and disseminate knowledge about crime, criminal justice, deviance, and social organization through research, teaching, and service to the community. Grounded in the social sciences and governed by the Barefield College of Arts and Sciences of The University of Alabama, the department respects liberal values, encourages open-mindedness, and pursues in its programs both demographic and curricular diversity.

Concerning students at the master's level, the department's mission is development of research skills and the expansion of conceptual and practical knowledge critical to fulfillment of leadership roles in criminal justice or in the social services. Master's degree students planning to proceed to PhD programs can expect from the department thorough training in the theories, methodologies, and empirical findings that promote understanding of deviance, crime, criminal justice, and social organization.

The department’s doctoral program will allow students to earn a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice, which is a terminal degree in this field. Students will focus on one of three areas—violent crime, courts and corrections, or global criminology—for which they will gain a comprehensive understanding of the leading scholars, most significant work, and unanswered questions on subtopics for future study.  Ph.D. students will conduct original research on important socio-culture issues involving crime. 

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