The demand for criminal justice degree is very high and enrolling in criminal justice degree programs empowers students to begin a meaningful and thrilling profession. Today, various colleges and universities are conducting campus oriented and web based programs in criminal justice. After the completion of criminal justice degree course successfully, you can work as criminologist, law enforcement officer, forensic specialist, corrections officer, FBI agent, DEA agent, crime scene investigator, homeland security, US marshal, private investigator, police officer, parole and probation officers, law office manager, etc.
Various universities and colleges offer different criminal justice programs. They are:
- Certificate Programs in Criminal Justice,
- Associate Degree in Criminal Justice,
- Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice,
- Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice,
- PhD in Criminology or Criminal Justice.
Certificate Programs in Criminal Justice
Generally, certificate programs take one year to complete. After the completion of this course, students can seek jobs in crime scene analysis, national security management, criminal justice, terrorism, etc. Through this program, students learn some common perception and fundamental issues such as adult and juvenile criminal justice system, forensic counselling, juvenile delinquency, etc. This course is enough for getting entry level jobs in various criminal justice fields.
Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice
Students can complete their associate degree in criminal justice course in 2 years. During the course, they need to study law enforcement, courts and legal system, and correctional system and these are the major elements of criminal justice system. Most of the associate degree programs concentrate on criminal justice and fundamentals of law enforcement. The curriculum also includes:
- Foundations of justice system,
- The court system,
- Technical aspects of law enforcement,
- Societal cause of crime,
- Criminal procedures,
- Juvenile justice,
- Introduction to corrections,
- Introduction to security, etc.
You can earn associate degree via campus based training or online training. Kaplan University, University of Phoenix, Keiser University, Argosy University, Everest University, Salem University, Chancellor University, Ivy Bridge, etc are some of the popular accredited online schools which conduct courses in criminal justice degree.
Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Criminal Justice programs designed to train students who already have an associate’s degree in areas such as corrections technology, law enforcement, human services technology, or police administration. This degree program helps students to broaden their education and increase the quality of their career in law enforcement administration, police administration, juvenile and adult corrections, forensic science, parole and probation, etc.
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, you can seek employment opportunities in law enforcement, investigation, parole, private protective services, corrections, public safety, juvenile justice, probation, loss prevention, etc. The curriculum of Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice includes:
- Introduction of criminal justice,
- Natural Science,
- English,
- Social psychology,
- Law enforcement,
- Methods of research in sociology,
- Principles of correction,
- Victimology,
- Sociology of law,
- Criminal justice administration,
- Juvenile delinquency,
- Sociology of family,
- Technology and society, etc.
Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice
This is a postgraduate professional course in the field of criminal justice. After the completion of the course, students can either prepare for doctoral programs or seek jobs in areas such as probation and court service, security management, justice administration, forensic psychology, administration, crime and delinquency, homeland security, corrections and correctional counselling, public safety, executive management, leadership, law, global issues, criminal justice planning and research, human services, prevention and control, crime analysis, etc. In order to undergo training in Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, students must at least hold a three year undergraduate degree. Depending on the taste and preferences of students, they can enroll in different types of Master’s degree courses, such as:
- Managing criminal justice organizations,
- Research methods in criminal justice,
- Criminological theory,
- Administration of criminal justice,
- Law and public policy,
- Crisis and emergency management,
- Victimology,
- Terrorism/counter terrorism,
- Mental health and criminal justice,
- Criminal mind and behavior,
- Forensic psychology,
- Criminal profiling,
- Issues in policing,
- Domestic terrorism and hate crimes,
- Overview of homeland security,
- Threat assessment and risk management,
- Substance abuse,
- Gender, race and crime,
- Crime analysis and mapping,
- Intimate partner violence,
- Sex offenses and offenders,
- Responding to child maltreatment, etc.
PhD in Criminology or Criminal Justice
Some universities and colleges offer specialized training in criminal justice by conducting PhD in criminology or criminal justice. These programs are designed to prepare students to initiate positive changes in the field of criminal justice. This is an intensive program and the coursework include complex issues surrounding criminal behavior, penal system, prevention and intervention, development of public policy strategies, etc.