Major Area Paper

Doctoral students in the Criminology, Law and Society PhD program are required to write a Major Area Paper (MAP). The MAP serves as the qualifying exam requirement to advance to candidacy. The MAP is an opportunity to conduct an expert analysis of a particular topic of interest. A successful MAP may be the foundation for a student’s dissertation proposal, but a MAP is not the same as a dissertation proposal. A dissertation proposal leads to an argument for a specific study. A MAP is a critical synthesis about what we do or do not know about a research area and includes logical conclusions based upon this synthesis. It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their development toward becoming an independent scholar, a process that is concluded with the successful completion of the dissertation.

Students are eligible to submit the MAP after they have a total of 36 credits (including transfer credit) applied toward their doctoral degree. Students must complete the MAP requirement before they are eligible to enroll in CRIM 998: Dissertation Proposal credits.

The department has one MAP submission date each semester: September 1 and February 1. MAP Proposal Forms are due four months prior to each submission date. The Major Area Paper Guidelines (see below) provide important information about the content, format, recommended timelines, and evaluation process for the MAP. 

Fall Submission Date for MAP: September 1

• If you plan to submit your MAP in fall, you must submit your MAP Proposal Form by May 1 (4 months in advance)

Spring Submission Date for MAP: February 1

• If you plan to submit your MAP in spring, you must submit your MAP Proposal Form by Oct 1 (4 months in advance)