Law enforcement agencies all around America are changing and evolving. As contemporary criminals become more sophisticated in their activities, a better understanding of criminal conduct is necessary to help stop future crime. To do this, researching, understanding and anticipating current criminals and crimes is the core of what is taught in today’s criminal justice courses.
Criminal justice is now a social science that has three main levels of educational degrees that will offer work opportunities throughout all areas of law enforcement. There are distinct qualification stages in this discipline and the one you need depends upon what type of job you would like to have once your graduate. Degrees may be earned on the web or by attending a traditional campus. The three education levels are associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, and master’s degree, and each one takes you to a higher level of potential work opportunities.
Going after an associate degree takes about two years and is the primary qualification for the vast majority of community and state law enforcement positions. An associate’s degree is the entry-level degree the majority of employers really want to read on an applicants resume. This degree conveys to them that you have been coached and educated on the tasks that you will be in fact going to do. Jobs available on this level are often police officers, correctional facility workers, and airport and transportation security. Forensics specialists and cyber-crime analysts and private security officers are also popular options.
People may carry on their schooling with a bachelors degree program which makes them eligible for higher level employment and, in almost all instances, higher paying job opportunities. This four-year bachelor’s diploma gives graduates a wider variety of job opportunities, particularly in the government agencies such as the FBI and Secret Service. Prospective careers also will include criminologist, fraud investigator, CIA agent, DEA agent and Homeland Security officer. There are also options for less stressful positions as a FBI accountant, probation officer or legal assistant that are also obtainable with this level of degree.
A masters degree is the top level, opening up even higher positions with the best paying jobs. A master’s degree can really open up a number of new possibilities, particularly on the management level. Many law enforcement professionals accelerate their career with a master’s degree. This is how many get promoted faster into a management job and higher paying employment. A person can move from being a patrol officer to a supervisor to police chief with a masters degree in hand and some strong, solid work experience on their resume.
Criminal justice diplomas and careers in law enforcement go perfect together today. This industry presents some good opportunities for those who want to work either in the private or public parts of law enforcement. Given that there are lots of employment opportunities in this field, more and more young people are now contemplating pursuing a degree in criminal justice and getting themselves on an exciting new career route.