A degree in criminal justice can lead to a career in law enforcement or government. Whether you’re interested in working for the federal government, your city’s police department, or a private detective agency, a criminal justice degree will prepare you to assume these roles. Most people working in criminal justice have at least a bachelor’s degree, while high ranking officials almost always possess a master’s degree.
There is a lot to learn when obtaining a criminal justice degree: communication skills, analytical and problem solving skills, public policy, computer security, technicalities of the law, criminology theories, and how the criminal justice system works. Those skilled to work in security utilizing the latest technology will find more job opportunities than those without tech skills. A background in psychology comes in useful when working with criminals and creating profiles for the police.
Depending on your area of interest, you can pursue many different career options in the criminal justice field such as: FBI agent, police officer, detective, private investigator, or lawyer. Related jobs of interest include: counselors, social and human service assistants, social workers, correctional officers, and fire investigators. Popular criminal justice degrees include: criminal justice, criminology, homeland security, law, legal studies, political science, psychology, and public safety.
The criminal justice field can be exciting, but you should be prepared for long hours, exhausting cases that go nowhere, and working with uncooperative suspects and witnesses. Overall, criminal justice jobs offer great opportunity for growth, compensation, and visibility. Graduates of criminal justice programs often assume leadership and management roles in their communities.
For more detailed information about criminal justice careers and a complete guide to schools with criminal justice degree programs, be sure to visit: http://careersincriminaljustice.net