Friday, January 13, 2012

Thinking About a Criminal Justice Degree

When it comes to a criminal justice degree, there are various types. Here, the certificate degree is actually the lowest one on the pole. A certificate is handed to people who are able to last for the entire duration of the training course in a related field.

Several educational facilities provide criminal justice certificate courses where students tackle the basics of criminal justice. 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. What you have here is not only ideal for shifting careers but also ideal for the development of your skills at work.

Some police officers only needed a high school diploma to get into the line of work that they are currently in but for new bloods, an associate’s degree in criminal justice is being required by law enforcement organizations. What you have here is due to the fact that the criminal justice system is no longer as basic as it once was. Hiring applicants with knowledge on the subject makes more sense to employers than accepting those who are unfamiliar with the field.

For any kind of associate’s degree, it takes about two years to complete. Here is where you can expect to learn all about criminology, sociology, and psychology while having an avenue for the development of your criminal justice skills. You will be able to find associate’s degree programs that focus on the technical aspects of the criminal justice field.

Getting a bachelor’s degree proves to the employers that the applicant is devoted to the field, and fortunately for a degree holder, this degree level is the minimum requirement in many criminal justice degree occupations. In law enforcement, investigative and detective work are fast rising occupations and people that are degree holders can have the chance to work in these kinds of positions. Handling all sorts of issues is what private investigators do for a living when they are hired by individuals or business organizations.

Depending on the kind of position that bachelor’s degree holders are interested in, there are numerous opportunities in the judicial sector and they can choose to be anything from parole officers to FBI agents. The coursework of this degree program usually covers the same topics of the associate’s degree, such as court systems, crime control policies and law enforcement, but the bachelor’s level discusses these subjects in depth. If you are not a degree holder, you might be limited to the administrative positions.

The thing about a bachelor’s degree is that it takes 4 years to complete. Apart from deviant behavior and criminology, other courses that you can apply for in certain schools like the John Jay College for Criminal Justice which is world renowned include criminal justice, forensic psychology, and forensic science. Once you have acquired a bachelor’s degree, you can take entry-level employment or proceed to an advanced degree like masters or doctorate level.

A masters in criminal justice degree allows students to look through and be an expert in a specific area of criminal justice, such as administration or corrections. From jobs in social case working to those related with court officiating, such positions will be open to holders of masters in criminal justice degrees. Aside from professional improvement, participation in social work is one of the reasons why people opt for criminal justice degrees.

For those with doctorates in criminal justice, they end up as university professors teaching the same course. A doctoral degree in criminal justice is more intense and comprehensive compared to a masters program. Students should complete rigorous course work, present strong writing and verbal skills, pass comprehensive exams and submit dissertation.

A criminal justice degree leads you to employment in many aspects of criminal justice system. If working for the state courts or state police department is not to your liking, as a degree holder you can also try out for local jobs in the local police force or gang task force. There are also many private sector openings such as insurance agencies or security companies.



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