Program to be first doctoral degree offered at the university beginning in fall 2022
by Bobbie Handcock | Office of Communications
GRAMBLING, La. – June 24, 2021 – Grambling State University (GSU) has received approval from the Board of Regents to establish a Doctor of Philosophy in Criminology and Justice Administration. It will be the first doctoral degree program offered at the institution and the first program of its kind in the state.
“We are all elated to have such a timely program. The Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice Administration will provide so many opportunities in the state of Louisiana, nationally, and globally for students,” said Dr. Tazinski Lee, head of GSU’s Department of Criminal Justice.
She said she sees the program as “a catalyst for community renewal which will offer insights as to designing and managing an effective criminal justice system; a system that provides equality and fairness for all. The Ph.D. program in Criminology and Justice Administration will provide students with the avenues needed to reform the criminal justice system.”
Scheduled to begin in fall 2022, the program will focus on the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior while examining the structure of the criminal justice system, its procedures and processes and how they can work to provide a fair system for all, Dr. Lee said.
She said the doctoral program has a strong component in leadership, policy, and applied skills.
Graduates will not only be prepared to work as faculty and researchers, but also as human resource managers, program evaluators, legislators, program trainers, analytical scientists, urban and regional planners, policy analysts, criminologists, mid-and high-level administrators, and managers in agencies involved with the criminal justice system at the local, state, federal and international levels.
“Grambling State University’s Ph.D. program will provide excellent opportunities to in-service practitioners at senior levels in agencies to improve and upgrade their knowledge bases, analytical skills, and expertise,” Dr. Lee said. “Specifically, their training, and expertise will be instrumental in the research required to craft groundbreaking public safety policies or consultancy jobs in various organizations.”
The 57-hour program contains 21 hours of core courses, 12 hours of research, 12 hours of electives (specializations); and 12 hours of dissertation. It has two areas of concentration: Minorities and Social Injustice Policy, and Justice Policy and Administration.
The program focuses on the systematic study of crime as a socio-pathological phenomenon, the behavior of criminals, and the social institutions evolved to respond to crime. It includes instruction in the theory of crime, psychological and social bases of criminal behavior, social value systems and the theory of punishment, criminal law and criminal justice systems, rehabilitation and recidivism, and more.
“The focus of the Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice Administration will ensure that students will have the skills, tools, and theoretical context and background needed to be successful practitioners,” Dr. Lee said.
The program would not have been possible without the many people interested in creating an interdisciplinary academic experience that will prepare leaders qualified to bring about equity, reform, and justice to society, she said.
“I would like to thank all faculty and administrators who had a hand in making the Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice reality,” Dr. Lee said.
For more information about the doctoral degree in Criminology and Justice Administration, contact Dr. Tazinski Lee at leeta@gram.edu or 318-274-2109.
About Grambling State University
Grambling State University, located in Grambling, Louisiana, is a historically black university founded in 1901. The University has been accredited by 13 accrediting associations and holds accreditations in all programs required by the Louisiana Board of Regents. The 590-acre campus offers 43 undergraduate and graduate academic programs. Grambling State University is a member of the University of Louisiana System. For more information, visit gram.edu.