Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ) – General
Inspire and Lead Law Enforcement Agencies with Liberty’s Online Doctor of Criminal Justice – General Degree
Liberty University’s 100% online Doctor of Criminal Justice – General can help you pursue senior leadership positions in law enforcement and prepare you to serve your community with uncompromised excellence. At Liberty, you can earn a professional doctorate online and network with industry experts from the comfort of home – all while maintaining your personal commitments.
This degree program is taught by esteemed law enforcement professionals who have terminal degrees. You can be confident that you’re receiving a quality education as you study under the real-world experience of distinguished criminal justice authorities. By partnering with Liberty for your Doctor of Criminal Justice degree, you won’t just have the opportunity to earn a terminal degree – you can gain an invaluable credential that can help you take your career to new heights.
What is the difference between a Doctor of Criminal Justice and a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice?
Our Doctor of Criminal Justice and Ph.D. in Criminal Justice both have the same curriculum; however, our Ph.D. in Criminal Justice has a dissertation. Our Doctor of Criminal Justice has a research capstone project and is more applied in nature. For this reason, the Doctor of Criminal Justice is considered a professional degree and is more geared toward the applications of criminal justice in a variety of forums including think tanks, government agencies, and even academia.
Our Ph.D. program is also geared toward those who want to make a difference in the criminal justice field and may appeal to those who desire to enter directly into academia or research-based professions.
What Will You Study in Liberty University’s Doctor of Criminal Justice – General?
- Advanced corrections policy
- How to anticipate and mitigate organized crime
- Terrorism, intelligence, and how to protect your community from terrorist threats
This degree program is designed with your success in mind. The skills you can gain from our Doctor of Criminal Justice – General can serve you well in law enforcement leadership and academia alike. At Liberty, you can learn to lead criminal justice organizations in a professional and ethical manner while earning your community’s respect.
Potential Careers for Doctor of Criminal Justice Graduates
- Crime scene investigator unit manager
- Prison warden
- Professor
- Public policy advisor
- Sheriff
Benefits of Pursuing Your Doctor of Criminal Justice with Liberty University
As a leader in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create a flexible and affordable education for busy people. Since we have been investing in distance and online learning for decades, our experience has taught us how to streamline our degree options so you can focus on what really matters to you. While many schools offer online degrees, we believe Liberty stands out.
Here’s what sets us apart:
- Our online programs are backed by our brick-and-mortar campus – ranked among Niche.com’s Top 5 College Campuses in America – and that commitment to excellence extends to our online students as well. Earning your online degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
- The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university.
Military Tuition Discount
We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want — at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour. Here’s how:
- If you’re earning or have earned a master’s degree through Liberty, you automatically qualify for the low price (when you begin within 2 years of your master’s completion).
- If you haven’t earned a graduate degree through Liberty, our Executive Certificate program allows you to pay only $300/credit hour for a postgraduate certificate that can stand alone or potentially count as the first 21 hours of a related doctoral degree. Then pay just $300/credit hour for your doctorate. Learn more!
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Credit Hours

Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Next Start Date
Jun 23, 2025
Accreditation
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC










600+ Online Degrees
With over 600 online degrees, we have something that will accommodate your dreams and calling.
Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus
Our residential campus ranked among Niche.com’s Top 5 College Campuses in America. That commitment to excellence extends to our online students as well.
No tuition increase for 9 years
We want to help you pursue your goals - so while tuition rates at most universities have continued to increase over the years, the majority of our rates haven't.
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Morgan Schlesselman, Master's in Public Policy
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