Doctor of Philosophy in Criminology and Sociolegal Studies

The primary aim of the graduate program at the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies is to provide students with opportunities for advanced multidisciplinary study and supervised research experience in the areas of crime, the administration of criminal justice, and social studies of law and regulation. The program familiarizes students with existing bodies of criminological and sociolegal research, and develops critical, analytical and methodological skills. It is not a training program in forensic science, nor in professional legal studies. Rather, it is designed to educate students for careers in teaching or research, as well as jobs in which the ability to evaluate criminological or sociolegal research critically is necessary or desirable. The graduate program is identified with two fields: criminology and sociolegal studies.
The criminology field includes the study of patterns in crime, criminal behaviour, and the administration of criminal justice. Subject areas include, for example, theories of crime and order, politics and crime, the psychology of criminal behaviour, policing, the criminal process, sentencing, penology, youth crime and justice, and criminal justice history.
The sociolegal studies field includes the study of how various types of law (e.g., criminal, civil, administrative, regulatory), as well as different mechanisms of social regulation, are used to prevent manage and sanction harmful conduct and effect security. Subject areas include, for example, theoretical perspectives on law and society, regulation, law, crime, and the economy, and, risk, regulation, and security.
Candidates for the PhD degree are normally expected to be in full time residence for the period of their program, and it is expected that all students will complete their doctoral program within four years.

Applicants normally hold an MA degree in criminology or a cognate field, with a minimum A- standing or its equivalent from a recognized university. Students with MAs in disciplines unrelated to criminology or sociolegal studies may be required to take additional courses as part of their doctoral program.

It is essential that all incoming graduate students have a command of English. Proficiency in the English language must be demonstrated by all applicants educated outside Canada whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English. This requirement must be satisfied using a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a verbal and a written component. To be considered for admission, applicants must achieve the following minimum scores:

paper-based TOEFL exam: 580 and 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE)

Internet-based TOEFL exam: 93/120 and 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Official copies of these scores must be submitted to the University of Toronto before a formal offer of admission can be made.