In some cases, an associate’s degree may suffice.
A typical associate’s degree takes about two years to complete. Although it is a basic degree, there are numerous employment opportunities available after graduation. You could work as a police officer or a correctional officer with an associate’s degree in criminal justice.
You could also work as a security guard or security technician. You could also become a private investigator or a police dispatcher. With an associate’s degree, you won’t be able to find the highest-paying jobs, but you will be career-ready in just two years.
You Can Earn a Degree Online
Criminal justice degrees are popular not only on college campuses but also online. Studying online allows you to attend to your studies whenever it is convenient for you. Because many classes do not have set meeting times, if you work during the day or have other commitments, you can complete your coursework in the evenings or on weekends as your schedule allows.
You don’t have to worry about potential employers passing you over in favor of a similar applicant with an on-campus degree because online degrees are accepted just as much as on-campus degrees.
You Develop Transferrable Skills
One of the most advantageous aspects of a criminal justice degree is that you learn a variety of transferable skills. In a criminal justice degree program, for example, you will learn the fundamentals of the criminal justice system. This is an excellent foundation for law school or a career in law enforcement.
Criminal justice programs, for example, typically include courses in communication, working with diverse populations, and sensitivity training. This knowledge and skill set is applicable to any profession, whether you work with inmates in prison, abused children in the court system, or students in a college classroom.
Degrees in criminal justice are light on science and math.
If you dislike science or math, a degree in criminal justice may be for you. In some cases, you may discover that you only need a few science and math courses to graduate. For example, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas criminal justice bachelor’s degree program requires six credits of science, including one course with a lab component and three credits of math.
For example, at Rutgers University, you must complete eight credits of natural sciences and three credits of quantitative reasoning.