Name

Jon Maskaly

School

University of South Florida

Degree Program

Third year PhD student in Criminology

Previous Degrees

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from University of Nevada, 2009; Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from University of Nevada, 2007

Thesis Topic

The reciprocal relationship between formal and informal social control mechanisms within neighborhoods

Research Interests

Measurement; advanced statistical modeling; GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping

Advisor

Lyndsay Boggess

Advisor’s Research Focus

Communities and crime

Hobbies

Mountain biking, racquetball

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I selected University of South Florida’s PhD program in criminology because I wanted a university that had research focuses similar to my own. After I finished my masters degree in criminal justice at University of Nevada, I knew that I would prefer to get my PhD from a school that placed as much if not more of an emphasis on research rather than teaching, and this eliminated a lot of potential schools right off the bat. I also knew that Lyndsay Boggess, my advisor, worked at University of South Florida, and I really wanted to have the opportunity to work with her.

It also didn’t hurt that University of South Florida is located in a warm climate. I came from the cold and snowy high desert in Nevada, so it is a definite bonus that I can experience 75-degree weather in January for the next few years.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

I probably didn’t do as much as I should have to prepare myself for graduate school, especially when I was applying to masters programs while I was finishing my bachelors degree. It is a bit chaotic when you are a senior in college, trying to juggle all of your responsibilities as well as study for the GRE exam and prepare your application documents.

I think I spent more time on the supporting documents required with the application than I did on studying for the GRE, so I could have gotten higher scores if I had prioritized differently. As it is, my scores didn’t hurt my masters degree applications, nor did they hurt my more recent application to the PhD program at University of South Florida.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

Yes, my application to University of South Florida’s PhD program in criminology required applicants to submit test scores from the GRE exam. I was able to use the scores that I received when I applied for my masters program, since they hadn’t expired.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

For my personal statement, I focused on how I saw myself fitting into the program and what my research interests and strengths were. When it came time to write the statement, I sat down with my masters advisor and my undergraduate advisors, and they told me that you don’t actually need to include a lot of personal information, even though that is often the perception that prospective students have.

The most important things to include in your personal statement are your research interests and an explanation of any deficiencies that might exist in your application. It can help to explicitly address weaknesses in your academic record or background and try to smooth them over with words rather than pretend like they don’t exist.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

When I applied to my PhD program in criminology, I asked faculty in my masters program who I had worked with closely for letters of recommendation. It was more of a challenge to approach faculty for letters when I was applying to my masters program as an undergraduate because I had taken such a wide variety of classes, as opposed to my masters program, in which I worked closely with just a handful of professors.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in criminology?

One tip I have for students who are applying to graduate programs in criminology is to think about what you want to do with your career and what kind of program will help you to gain the skills you will need. I have seen many students come into the program at University of Florida thinking the program will fit their needs, but it doesn’t prepare students for some jobs.

I also recommend that students make sure they understand what the difference is between criminal justice and criminology. Even though the 2 disciplines are often associated, they actually cover different topics and approach ideas differently.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

The PhD program in criminology at University of South Florida requires 60 credits to complete if you enter the program with a masters degree, and 90 credits to complete if you enter with just a bachelors degree. The program is designed to be completed within 4 to 5 years.

The first year and a half or 2 years is devoted to coursework. Once students enter the second year, the approach starts to become more individualized, and some students opt to take directed research hours where they work on their own to fulfill credit-hour requirements.

Right now, I am in my third year of the program, so I will take my comprehensive exams this spring. Once I have passed the exams, I advance to candidacy, and my last major task is to write my dissertation.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

Though I am still in the exam stage of my PhD program and haven’t completely defined my dissertation research, I know that it will examine the reciprocal relationship between formal and informal social control mechanisms within communities. I am interested in examining how law enforcement works alongside community members, and how informal social control is affected by potentially antagonistic actions of residents toward the police.

Can you describe the process of researching for and writing your dissertation?

The process of beginning to research and write my dissertation began while I was still taking courses. Since students are usually required to submit an extended research paper at the end of each course, and sometimes even asked to submit a version of their dissertation prospectus, we have already been thinking about our dissertation topics during our coursework.

To decide on a dissertation topic, I think students most often consider what kinds of questions they should ask that would have a practical benefit to the field. You try to identify where there are gaps in the scholarship and figure out, with the help of your advisor, how you can help to fill those gaps through your dissertation research.

How is the dissertation process different from working on a masters thesis?

Well, I haven’t begun to write my dissertation yet since I haven’t taken my comprehensive exams, but I can tell you how these PhD-level exams differ from the comprehensive exams that I was required to take in my masters degree program. The masters exam was a somewhat terrifying thing at the time, though, looking back on it, it was a much simpler and less stressful version of what I am required to do now. The exam material was based on what I had learned in my classes, and it was given in one 24-hour period. I was asked to write responses to 3 or 4 questions, and each response was no more than 5 to 10 pages long.

The PhD exams are quite different. The knowledge I am expected to be able to cover is much broader but also much more specific. I am supposed to be able to identify problems in the field and also suggest how I would attempt to solve them. On top of that, I should be able to talk about how I would design scientifically and methodologically rigorous tests in order to figure out if my suggested solution is viable or not. This exam a 1-day take-home exam, and I am expected to write between 60 and 80 pages. In the following 10 days after I submit my exam paper, I have an oral defense with a committee of faculty members.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

My advisor plays a very important role in my education, especially in my recent process of working on my comprehensive exams and beginning to narrow down a topic for my dissertation. My advisor helps to guide my research and suggests possible areas that I should look into for my future research.

How does a doctoral program differ from graduate study at the masters level?

Studying at the PhD level requires much more research than masters level study. This is especially evident when I compare my masters program with my doctoral program. University of Nevada didn’t have a PhD program in criminal justice, so the department wasn’t very focused on research at any level. Instead, my masters program primarily trained students to be critical consumers of justice policy. It was designed for people who wanted to get promotions within law enforcement agencies or other criminal justice service-providing agencies.

In contrast, PhD programs train students not only to learn about topics and think critically, but also to conduct their own research and make headway in the field. You will be taught to identify problems and design studies which will test established theories and arguments.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PhD program cost?

I don’t know exactly how much my PhD program costs because I receive a tuition waiver that covers nearly all of my costs of attendance. In terms of additional costs, I spend about $500 each semester on books. And if I wasn’t an employee of the university, I would probably need another $500 for statistics programs. As it is, I am able to access these programs for free. In addition, living expenses around Tampa cost about $500 or $600 a month before utilities and food.

How are you funding your education?

I am funding my education at University of South Florida through a graduate assistantship, which provides me with a tuition waiver. The assistantship requires about 20 hours of work per week. Right now, I am working on a nationally funded project through the Department of Justice that studies police supervisors, police organizations and police officers over time.

I also teach an undergraduate statistics class, and I take out a few student loans as well to cover the cost of living.

How difficult do you anticipate it will be to pay off your loans after graduation?

I have been lucky since I haven’t had to take out too many loans to fund my education. I don’t expect that it will be very difficult to pay these back after I graduate.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in criminal justice?

Each class I take requires 3 to 4 hours of classroom time. Depending on the subject and my interest in it, I spend at least double that amount of time studying and preparing for each class. This might include reading, writing or looking into research articles for the long paper I usually need to write for each class. I also spend 20 hours each week working, and I have side projects and other academic interests that I pursue outside of my classes. It is definitely a big time commitment.

How has graduate school affected your personal life?

Maintaining relationships with people who are not in graduate school can be very challenging. Graduate school is not a 9-to-5 job, and you don’t necessarily get to take weekends or holidays off. Sometimes people who have more predictable schedules find it hard to understand. This can make personal relationships difficult to maintain.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I see myself as an assistant professor at a university, hopefully a university that has a strong masters or PhD program. I hope to be on the tenure track and working on my academic career.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a PhD in criminal justice?

I think students who are interested in pursuing a PhD in criminal justice or criminology need to be honest with themselves about how much time they are willing to spend on school. Unlike undergraduate programs and even masters degree programs, it is no longer good enough to just do the bare minimum and skate by in a PhD program.

You should also honestly assess whether you are willing to invest 5 to 10 years in school that will in some ways put you 5 to 10 years behind your peers. Some of my friends who I went to high school with already have children, marriages and homes. But I still live in an apartment, and I am still going to school.

When you start your program and you are sitting in class, look to your right and your left. In 2 years, chances are that only a few of the people who you begin your program with will remain. The biggest reason for not finishing a program is the interruption of personal life. Try to plan ahead so that you can ensure that your personal life won’t get in the way of your studies.