Criminology and Criminal Justice

The Criminology and Criminal Justice Program offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to prepare students for a range of careers in the criminal justice system. Graduates have built successful careers in law enforcement, child protective services, juvenile justice and as lawyers, researchers, teachers and professors.

Our faculty includes leading scholars and criminologists with industry experience who regularly publish in academic journals and have been honored with numerous teaching and academic awards. With a strong focus on research, the program provides opportunities for students to work with faculty on projects ranging from violence prevention in schools to policing to community corrections and white-collar crime. Students also can gain valuable experience through internships and by participating in student organizations. The University’s The Pre-Law Advising and Resource Center helps students prepare for acceptance into law school, with many attending Top 20 schools.

PhD Criminology Job Market Candidates

Criminology Graduate Student Paper Award

The Graduate Student Paper Award is presented to acknowledge outstanding scholarly work by students. It aims to encourage graduate students to submit papers that explore conceptual and/or empirical aspects, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and focusing on criminology or criminal justice topics.

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See how UT Dallas is built different.

UT Dallas Criminology students are collaborating with VolunteerNow to evaluate their Community Service Restitution (CSR) program and its impact on recidivism. This long-term study, initially led by Ph.D. students Allison Escobedo and Kerrie Ann Hull, is now being continued by graduate students Hailey Olszewski and Emily Stern.