Doctoral dilemma...

I want to pursue a doctorate but I am confused about the field of study. I really love criminal justice but after I wasn't admitted to Cal U of PA's DCJ program, I've been exploring other options. The biggest issue currently is that I don't know what area I want to study. I most recently applied to WCUPA's DPA program. I want to teach criminal justice at a 2 year or 4-year college that does not have a research requirement. This field seems difficult to get into. I am now open to pursuing almost any doctorate as long as the career outlook for that field is good and it doesn't have to be a teaching career. Any suggestions? I want to pursue this sooner than later.

I am NOT interested in Liberty, Cumberland or any other school that is not LGBT friendly. I am also not interested in taking the GRE or any other graduate exams. I have done a lot of Google search but maybe someone knows of a program I haven't yet explored. Lately, I have been thinking about business administration, counseling, psychology. I may be even open to pursuing a third master's degree in a field that is actually well-compensated and growing because I've seen where criminal justice is among the worst graduate degrees

Here's the list of my applications between May 2016 - March 2018

American College of Education (Private, For-profit)
Ed.D. in Leadership - Accepted (completed the first course)

Argosy University (Private, Non-profit )
DBA in Management - Accepted (declined offer)

Grand Canyon University (Private, For-profit)
Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership - Accepted (declined offer)

Abilene Christian University (Private, Non-profit )
Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership - Accepted (registered in the first course; withdrew)

Southeastern University (Private, Non-profit )
Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership - Accepted (declined offer)

Franklin University (Private, Non-profit )
DBA in Management - Accepted (declined offer)

California University of PA (Public, State)
D.CJ., Doctor of Criminal Justice - Denied

West Chester University (Public, State)
DPA, Doctor Public Administration - Decision pending

 

I am currently (50% complete) in a DBA program at Keiser University and really like the school and the program, I have zero complaints.

My second choice was a tie between Franklin University DBA and Capitol Technology University Phd in Decision Sciences.


You seem to be all over the map with degree programs you have applied for . . . . .not sure why at this point in your education journey.


Regards,
Michael

 

It's time for you to get a little wake-up-slap. Your thinking is off. Here's the first thing - You have a clear goal - get a Doctorate and teach CJ. You make one (failed) attempt to get into a PhD program and then you give up. The first thing you should do id figure out why you weren't accepted into that program. Ask therm. Then correct the deficiency. Take some courses and then reapply. Do some research and then reapply. Whatever it takes. Option #2 - apply to a different CJ doctoral program. If you're not qualified to apply yet then spend your time getting qualified. Don't bail out of the original goal just because of one rejection. Here's the second thing - a doctoral program is a long, demanding, intense endeavor. Lot's of people don't finish even when they're highly motivated. The likelihood of finishing a doctoral program when you can't even identify an area of interest is quite low. Also, even if you identified an area of (marginal) interest, and even if you found a way to get accepted and even if you finish then there's a very low chance that you'll be happy in that field years down the line. So, sorry about the slap but I think you're giving up on your original goal too easily.

 

Thank you for your feedback. I agree that my applications have been all over the place. I applied to the Ed.D and DBA programs when I only had my MBA. However, I didn't feel like I was on the right track when I completed my first course at ACE. I then went to pursue my master's in criminal justice. I discovered Franklin's DBA shortly after starting the criminal justice degree and had planned to exit after 18 credits (July 2017). I was getting ready to start the DBA at Franklin last August then I learned about Cal U's D.CJ. Again, my focus shifted and I decided to continue in the criminal justice master's and apply to Cal U.

Congrats on your progress in your DBA program. Finish strong!

 

Thank you for the wake-up slap I needed it...

I theorized that I wasn't accepted because I am not in a mid-to-senior level position the in the criminal justice field. In fact, I am not currently working in the criminal justice field but previously did. The admissions requirement stipulated an earned master's in CJ or related field with graduate-level coursework in academic research methods, and graduate or undergraduate coursework in criminal law, criminal procedure, criminal justice, corrections and the court systems. I haven't earned my master's in criminal justice as yet but I will in May 2018. I completed the prerequisite coursework that they stated. Do you think the program chair would be the best person to reach contact about why I wasn't admitted?

The only other criminal justice doctorate that is worth considering is Nova Southeastern University but like I stated, I don't want to take any graduate exams. Furthermore, I don't know how I feel about spending 60k + on a degree especially when I am not looking to teach at a research university.

Thank you for the additional cautionary advice.

 

Chrisjm 18,

You may wish to consult with a Career Counselor to assist in narrowing your diverse and diffuse career/educational pursuits and develop realistic career goals and graduate programs that are congruent with these goals. In addition, a well trained Career Counselor may assist you in determining your level of readiness to pursue a doctoral program at this time or a masters level program.,

 

I responded to your previous thread. I think the best advice is to narrow in on what you want to do. If your passion truly is criminal justice, then find a way to make it work. If it is something else, maybe pursue that. If it is something else, that's fine, look at it, but keep in mind you might need to complete additional master's level coursework if it is an entirely different field. That may not be something you are prepared to do. If you do switch fields, I would be absolutely certain, as you do not want to invest time and energy into something else. But if you have had your heart set on criminal justice, I would really try to make it work.

I can only mostly reiterate advice stated previously. Find out why you got denied. Look at other programs. I would also strongly encourage you to consider the possibility of doing it on campus. That would give you many more schools as possibilities, since you would not be limiting yourself to online. If your grades are good, perhaps you might even get an assistantship. (That is somewhat common with a lot of doctorates taken on campus, although it depends on the field. I cannot say how plentiful they are in criminal justice.) Just because you have done online in the past doesn't mean you need to necessarily limit yourself to that in the future. This is assuming your previous schools are regionally accredited and with decent grades (if you are looking for a possible assistantship). If you try to get an assitantship, you might also need to take the GRE. There are books you can get to study if you feel the need to do so. It is more likely you would probably network better and be in a better position to secure a faculty position later if you went through a traditional route. An assistantship could be a teaching assistantship or involve research, or other. If your goal is to be a faculty member, that really is where you should concentrate your efforts, i.e trying to get an assistantship at a university for a PhD program. It could give you experience teaching, if you lack that. You still can get a teaching position with an online doctorate and no experience; it just may be harder.

You might find some programs that offer a hybrid approach. Perhaps some classes could be taken in person while others could be taken online? That still may require relocation.

If your situation prevents offline education for whatever reason, then you may have to make due with what is available. Try to find out how you can be more competitive at the school you want. Can you take some classes there as a non-degree seeking student and get all A's and impress them? That may (or may not) help your case. How else could you stand out? Doing well on the GRE can help certainly, even if not required. As I stated, there are books you can study if you need to. Put the time into it and do well. There certainly may be other ways to stand out and improve your chances. It also may be the case that they just get too many applicants for too few seats available at the school you want.

 

Thank you for your suggestion!

 

Thank you for your suggestions. I limited myself to online because of I am a "mover." I wouldn't want to disrupt my education because I have to relocate. I have looked at some on-campus Ph.D. programs. I am particularly interested in the Florida International University's option. 7 of the 10 required courses can be completed online. Of course, the other courses (core and electives) must be done on campus. I will explore some programs but I think it will be too late for Fall 2018.

 

Chrisjm 18

It is to your credit that you are attempting to find a career objective and a graduate degree that is congruent with that goal. However, by haphazdly flitting from one graduate program to another without a clear notion as to your career objective is putting the cart before the horse!

It is possible that by continuing to review numerous unrelated graduate programs you may hit upon one through happenstance that you feel is right for you. However, it may take an inordinate amount of time to do so and there is no guarantee that you will be successful. In a situation such as this one would be best to initially determine what they wish to do professionally and THEN pursue appropriate related graduate programs.

As mentioned in my previous thread, consulting with a Career Counselor may assist you in clarifying your career goals that are congruent with your interests, aptitudes, values and personality traits. It will also clarify your actual level of readiness to pursue an advanced degree!

The choice of how to pursue a suitable graduate program is obviously yours. However, based on the manner in which you have been attempting to find an appropriate school it appears that you have placed an inordinate level of time and effort without success, and if you continue to so there is no indication that things will change. Just my perspective.

 

Jan,

Thank you for your advice. I admit that I've been all over the place as far as choosing a doctoral program. However, I have a clear career goal in mind and it doesn't require a doctoral degree. Since there are only two online doctorate programs from non-profit/public schools, I will pursue a field that is related to criminal justice, i.e. public administrative.

Thanks,
Chris

 

I received some good news today! I have been admitted to the Doctor of Public Administration program at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

"Greetings from the Office of Graduate Studies at West Chester University.

It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to the University! This is an advance courtesy notice to let you know that within the next few days you should receive your admissions packet which will include your official acceptance letter. "

My application to West Chester was my final doctoral application. Once I receive my admissions packet, I will pay the $100 non-refundable deposit and register for my fall classes. Here are few of the reasons why I am confident that the DPA program is the right fit:

1. I want to teach criminal justice course at a community college, technical college or at a university in a rank where only a master's degree is required (generally lecturer or instructor). So why get a doctorate? For personal achievement as this has been a desire since age 10 or 11.
2. I will be able to transfer 9 credits from my master's in criminal justice to fulfill the concentration requirement of the program.
3. At the current tuition/fees rate, the DPA will cost $26, 937.05 (PA resident). The only other costs would be books.
4. The program only has 3 methods courses (9 credits) opposed to 4 - 5 or even 6 in some Ph.D. programs.
5. The program can be completed in 2 or 2 1/4 years.

Once I have received the admissions packet, I will reach out to the program coordinator and/or my advisor to get feedback on whether the capstone topics I introduced in my supplemental admissions packet will be feasible for the capstone project. In addition, I will find out if I can take 2 MPA courses (Public HRM and Grant Writing) in the upcoming summer semester. I also applied for a graduate assistantship, so hopefully, the admissions packet will contain information on whether my application for GA was successful.

I will keep you guys posted if you're interested.

Best,
Chris

 

Congrats on the acceptance. That must be very heart-warming and thrilling. A few things to consider:

The pay for tenure track assistant professor positions can be a lot higher than lecturer or instructor. That should be something to consider. The level of pay does depend on the field, and you are required to actively do and publish research for a tenure track position. Even if you get a DPA, that doesn't mean you can't publish research in the area of criminal justice, in peer reviewed journals, and thus increase possibility of landing such a position.

I am not overly familiar with using an unrelated doctorate to teach in a certain area. I think it would probably work in schools that are not extremely competitive. I have come across people like that. I am not aware though how a DPA compares to a Ph.D., so that may be an issue to investigate. Is there a dissertation? If there is no dissertation, it may not viewed in the same fashion as a Ph.D., and in some more selective schools they would view that differently. E.g. if it were something project-based or practitioner-based without a dissertation it would not carry the same weight or may not qualify you for certain positions, but if you don't care, that may be a moot point. But again the issue of pay may be important at some point once you are established and actively teaching. Other places, it may not matter. I think it would be best to get something with a dissertation, and I don't know that this one does or doesn't. If you do a decent dissertation, that could yield material for two to three journal articles, if you do it right.

Grant writing and obtaining grants for research definitely can be fruitful if you wish to go for a tenure track position (or even if you don't). If you can get grants to fund research, that can also more likely lead to publishable research and being able to fund help from graduate students.

A lot of graduate assistantships are on-campus only, but some places are getting more progressive, so there is a slight possibility of being able to do one online. You could also ask your program coordinator if there are opportunities teaching online as an adjunct.

I would still keep options open and check out on-campus schools offering criminal justice, see if you can get a GA position, and relocate (if at all possible), and maybe get more experience being involved in research or teaching. Either would be beneficial down the road.

 

Hi again.

Thank you for your advice and suggestions. I think you've missed the key point about my career goals. In my previous post, I listed 5 reasons I believe that the DPA is the right program for me. Reason #1 - I want to teach criminal justice courses at a community college, technical college or at a university in a rank where only a master's degree is required (generally lecturer or instructor). That said, an unrelated doctorate has nothing to do with my career goal. Nonetheless, a quick search on Google revealed that some DPA holders have obtained academic and administrative positions in criminal justice programs. Here are a few examples:

1. Professor, Founder and Director of the graduate criminal justice leadership program @ St. John's University
2. Chair, Criminal Justice Department @ Troy University
3. Associate Professor of Criminal Justice @ California Baptist University
4. Full Professor of Criminal Justice @ California Baptist University
5. Chair and Associate Professor @ Worcester State University.
6. Associate Professor of Criminal Justice @ Nova Southeastern University
7. Director of the Public Safety Administration Graduate Program and Assistant Professor @ Lewis University

The DPA is also popular among Public Administration/Public Affairs/Public Policy faculty members. It is not uncommon to see faculty postings in Public Administration and Policy requiring either a Ph.D. or DPA (see www.higheredjobs.com). At present, I have no interest in publishing once I've completed my doctorate. If it is the will of God for me to do so then the desire to research and publish will come naturally.

The DPA program at WCUPA culminates with a 4-part (12 credits) research capstone project.

DPA 801 Capstone Seminar I: Research Questions and Framing the Literature 3 credits
DPA 802 Capstone Seminar II: Data and Measurements 3 credits
DPA 803 Capstone Seminar III: Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis 3 credits
DPA 804 Capstone Seminar IV: Findings and Recommendations 3 credits

Finally, the GA I applied for is campus-based. I live approximately 2 hours from WCUPA. I know that online DPA students are eligible because the program chair told me to apply for admissions early if I wanted to be considered for GA.

 

Chrisjm 18,

If you ultimately decide to attend the DPA program, I wish you the best of luck for success. Jan

 

Thank you, Jan!

 

I was aware of your stated goals, and I did see those points. I just wanted to you to consider it carefully before you embark on a new journey. Only you can decide what is best for you. :=)

 

So, I emailed the director of the criminal justice doctorate at Cal U regarding the reason for my denial and I got the following response:

"Thanks for your email. You had a nice application. It was just a matter of others placing ahead of you. While there can be no certainty of acceptance, I do encourage you to apply for 2019.

Wishing you all the best. "

 

My advice is to go to a criminal justice doctorate that includes a dissertation for reasons previously stated, to keep future options open. But would consider possibilities for GA or adjunct if offered. I think you could meet with success if you select any of the paths you have outlined.