Criminal Justice Degree and Certification Programs

Our legal system is great and diverse, encompassing not only our courts system but also many occupations involving; law, corrections, counseling, homeland security, probation, community service and civil service.

Ready to learn more about criminal justice? Check out these basics:

How long does it take to graduate from a criminal justice program?

Criminal justice includes so many different professions, that your options for study are very extensive. Depending on your goals, you could study for a four-year Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree – even a Master’s Degree – or you could get certified in a particular area of study, like homeland security.

Many colleges offer four-year criminal justice programs. These can prepare you for law school after you graduate, help get you started as a paralegal, or can get you the education you need to enroll in a local police academy.

If you’re more interested in working in corrections or other civil-service professions, you could probably complete your courses of study in two years and earn an AA degree (Associate of Arts). Be sure to check with your college or university’s academic counseling department to learn more. Many schools can help you decide on a career path by setting you up with internship programs.

Where could criminal justice take me?

A course of study in the criminal justice field can take you through careers in many parts of our legal system. You could work in law enforcement as a police officer; you could work in the courts system as a defense attorney or a paralegal; or you could work as a juvenile counselor or victims’ rights advocate in the psychology field.

Criminal justice majors are often interested in exploring how the legal system works – the courts – and also how the legal system is enforced – the detention system. Each of these areas has dozens of different careers that could interest you, like Probation Officer or Homeland Security Specialist. Jobs are more plentiful in areas that are growing, and most of these jobs are taxpayer-supported, which means your salary comes from state or local budgets.

What types of criminal justice degrees are available?

You can receive a variety of degrees in the criminal justice field. Many colleges offer four-year Bachelor’s programs in criminal justice. Other schools might create specific programs in corrections, law enforcement, paralegal, or security. Many students take their criminal justice studies further and get Master’s Degrees or even PhDs in criminal justice. These students often become lawyers or legal advocates who study jury trials, wrongful convictions and the use of science in the legal system. Many of these students become expert witnesses that testify in jury trials.

You also can get a two-year Associate’s Degree or even a certificate in criminal justice fields like corrections or security. Some cities require that you get these certifications before you enroll in their law enforcement preparation programs. You can earn these types of degrees in the criminal justice-related fields:

• Certificate: Certification for a specific set of skills, such as security.
• AA: An Associate’s Degree, which usually takes two years to complete and states that you’ve completed basic coursework on a subject.
• BA/BS: A Bachelor’s Degree, which is a four-year degree from an accredited college or university.
• MA/MS: A Master’s Degree, which you can earn after completing a Bachelor’s Degree.
• PhD: A Doctorate, which you also can earn after completing your Bachelor’s. Some students get a Doctorate after their Bachelor’s, while other enroll in Master’s and Doctorate programs concurrently. Doctorate programs are for students who want to devote their lives to studying and analyzing a particular subject.