Several types of criminal justice degree are available. The most basic is the certificate degree. Depending on which field you choose, if you are able to finish the whole course, you will get your certificate afterwards.
Usually, for certificate programs in criminal justice, what students learn about are the basic elements of the criminal justice field. There are some people who use these certificates to get jobs and then there are those who enroll in higher level degrees after getting their certificates. Apart from skills improvement, it is also possible to utilize these certificates if you want to get into a new field.
Years before, a high school diploma was enough if you wanted to pursue employment in a law enforcement agency but today, you will have to get an associate’s degree in criminal justice if you want police groups to consider your application. What you have here is due to the fact that the criminal justice system is no longer as basic as it once was. When it comes to this, getting someone who is not knowledgeable about the field is useless to employers.
For any kind of associate’s degree, it takes about two years to complete. Aside from exposing students to criminology, sociology, and psychology, this program will also help them develop their skills when it comes to criminal justice. The criminal justice system has technical aspects that have to be addressed and some associate’s degree programs focus on these.
Employers like the kind of dedication that applicants with bachelor's degrees have and this particular type of degree is the most basic one that can land you a job in the field of criminal justice. When it comes to law enforcement positions, roles as investigators or private detectives are really popular these days and if you have a degree, you can be an investigator or detective yourself. Many private investigators work with individuals or companies, solving mysteries or issues for clients, from crime cases to suspicious injury claims from workers.
The thing about individuals who are bachelor’s degree holders is that they can engage in different forms of employment from agency work to administrative positions in the judicial system. In bachelor's degrees, the topics shared by this program and the associate’s degree are discussed in depth and this is what is absent when it comes to this particular option. This is primarily the reason why certain criminal justice jobs call for degree holders.
It takes four years to finish a standard bachelor’s degree. From deviant behavior to criminology and criminal justice, there are different fields that students can engage in when it comes to criminal justice programs from schools like the John Jay College for Criminal Justice and forensic psychology and forensic science are other potential options. It is possible to take an entry level job in the field if you have a bachelor’s degree but you can also take further studies to advance in your profession.
For those who are able to graduate with a masters in criminal justice, they will be able to work effectively in administrative and corrective fields of justice. Aside from gaining entry into the academia, it is possible for those with a masters in criminal justice to engage in jobs as court officers and the like. Usually, criminal justice graduates work in social work and use their degree to advance in their careers.
Some people take doctoral degrees in criminal justice and when it comes to this, they become criminal justice instructors in schools. A doctoral degree in criminal justice is more intense and comprehensive compared to a masters program. You have to submit a dissertation when it comes to this and apart from passing several exams and completing difficult course work, your writing and speaking skills will be graded as well.
Armed with a criminal justice degree, you can easily find work in the criminal justice system. You may join the sheriff, local police force or gang task force at the local level while at state level you can work for a crime lab, a prison, a state police department or in the courts. If the public sector is not your thing, go private and join insurance agencies or security companies.
When in need of reliable info about criminal justice careers , do not hesitate to hit the link and you'll be helped.
