Online Distance Learning Program Graduates Entering Private Security With A Sense Of Purpose

The purpose of the criminal justice system is to keep the public safe. There are a number of career paths to follow in order to join the honorable task of working the keep everyone secure. Earning an online degree in criminal justice at an online college is the first step to becoming part of the ranks that are focused on serving and protecting the general public.

The amount of higher education a student needs will vary greatly by their various career goals. Since criminal justice involves every level of law enforcement, there are many applicable career paths to follow. Students can pursue certificates, bachelor’s degrees or master’s degrees in criminal justice and become anything from a corrections officer to an FBI agent.

An associate’s degree is like an introduction to higher education, allowing students to complete two years worth of college. Students who follow a criminal justice program in an associate’s degree obtain complete foundational work in core classes like mathematics, science and English. They can also start studying to work in law enforcement, corrections, and private security or as a paralegal.

One of the most popular jobs graduates pursue after earning their associate’s is working as a crime scene technician. Crime scene technicians have been made popular on recent television shows; they help to solve puzzles at crime scenes using clues left behind, such as physical evidence. Crime scene technicians must remain objective about their work and need strong organizational and computer skills.

Students who complete their associate’s degree may decide they want to complete more education in pursuit of their knowledge within the criminal justice field. The next step after an associate’s degree is a bachelor’s degree, which takes an additional two years to complete. The majority of online schools will allow students to transfer completed credits from one degree program to a higher degree program, so students who decide to move onto a bachelor’s degree won’t have to worry about losing completed classes. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice will open more doors than an associate’s degree, allowing students to work in fields as social workers or probation officers.

One of the final steps in the educational field for criminal justice is to earn a master’s degree. After earning a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree is another two years of study. However, it will become the portal to even more jobs and opportunities that may not have existed before. Students who are seriously considering a career as an FBI agent, police chief, or even a college instructor will find the completion of a master’s degree satisfying and worthwhile.

Students who graduate with any higher-level degree in criminal justice need not worry about employment. Although the criminal justice salary for graduates will vary according to field of work, there are plenty of jobs available within the industry for graduates. Jobs aren’t scarce either – the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to see an 11 percent increase in employment for a number of police and sheriff’s jobs, as well as a 16 percent increase in correctional officers’ employment.

For students who are willing to put in a fair amount of hard work and dedication, earning their Online Public Safety Degrees will be challenging but not difficult. The ability to serve and protect the general public from harm will be worth the effort put into the degree from distance learning degree programs. Any level of higher education is a boon in pursuing a career in criminal justice.