Criminal justice is closely related to homeland security. Criminal justice is the application of different methods and practices that can better ensure the defense of the homeland.

Homeland security is one of the many applications of criminal justice. The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002 in order to better prepare against threats both domestic and international. Homeland security emphasizes prophylactic action in order to protect the interests of the nation through a variety of criminal justice techniques.

At Liberty, we offer both a PhD in Criminal Justice and a Doctor of Criminal Justice. The main difference between a PhD and a Doctor of Criminal Justice lies in the outcome of your research. The curriculum in our Doctor of Criminal Justice closely mirrors that of our PhD program; however, the PhD focuses on original research whereas the Doctor of Criminal Justice focuses on applied research.

A PhD in National Security primarily focuses on how to evaluate the threats that face our nation, how to respond to those threats, and how to resolve those threats before they are realized. Our Doctor of Criminal Justice – Homeland Security addresses these same issues but expands upon them and is more comprehensive. The focus of your research may be national security, but the entirety of your degree is designed to help prepare you for many kinds of applications in government, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, or even academia.

While national security is an element of homeland security, homeland security is broader and addresses national security amongst many other facets of criminal justice.

Our doctorate in criminal justice – homeland security is designed to help you serve effectively in many different sectors, both public and private. If you desire to work for a federal agency, many of those agencies may look favorably upon someone with a doctorate in homeland security as they tend to demonstrate the ability to apply research skills to real problems.

In addition, you may desire to work for a postsecondary institution, a think tank, a defense contractor, or the military. Our program is designed so that you can be prepared to pursue positions like these. Some other careers you may want to pursue with a doctorate in homeland security include prison warden, chief of police, detective, or even policy writer.

The requirements for becoming a special agent depend on the organization that you are seeking to work for. Regardless of what agency you’re applying to, a professional doctoral degree in criminal justice may help you stand out from other job candidates.

You will have access to a wide variety of online resources through Liberty University’s library portal throughout your time in the online doctoral program.