Law enforcement careers include
administrative professionals, jail personnel and workers in parole and
probation supervision as well as police officers and related occupation.
These careers require a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or
related field. Master's-level programs in law enforcement and criminal
justice are also available.
Many universities offer bachelor's degrees in criminal justice or
justice administration. These programs allow students to learn about the
history of criminal justice, the practice of law enforcement and the
scientific techniques used in criminal justice.
With at minimum 120 credit hours required for completion, these
programs include general education requirements, like mathematics,
science and English courses in addition to courses specific to criminal
justice and law enforcement. Some programs require that students travel
to a specified location for completion of proctored examinations.
Popular Online Criminal Justice Courses
These programs help students to explore the nature of crime, the
psychology behind criminal behavior and victimology. Online courses
include an overview of institutionalized corrections, research and data
analysis.
Criminology Course
This course helps students to identify the various categories of
crime, from white-collar to organized crime, as well as those involving
property and crimes of a violent nature, including sexual crimes.
Students learn about the methods used in explaining and measuring crime
rates.
Institutional Corrections Course
Students taking courses on the corrections side of law enforcement
learn how institutionalized handling of corrections and other trends
affect how corrections personnel do their jobs. From treatment
philosophies to techniques used in corrections, students gain an
understanding of the sociological factors that affect the field of
corrections.
Research Methods in Criminal Justice Course
In the study of research methods, students explore the design and
measurement of social science research projects. Students explore
interpretations of these studies and how they relate to crime and
justice.
Law enforcement personnel, including police officers, are often
required to have, at the very least, a high school diploma, although
many agencies require applicants to have advanced degrees. An online
bachelor's degree program prepares a student for employment at the
local, state or federal levels, in policing, community corrections or in
the court systems. Police officers earned an average of $52,810 per
year according to May, 2008 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics. (
www.bls.gov)
Continuing Education
Master's degree programs in criminal justice are available online and
in face-to-face format. Sometimes, earning a bachelor's degree in
criminal justice or criminology can prepare students to earn a law
degree and start a career as a lawyer. Graduate-level programs may be
available online, although most are offered in the traditional format.
Students may be able to complete their studies within two to four years.
Overview of Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Degree Programs
A Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree includes courses in
white collar and violent crimes, policy making and theory that work to
explain why crimes are committed. In many schools, a Master of Science
degree in criminal justice or justice administration may be available
either online or on campus. Such programs may take anywhere from one to
two years to complete.
Online Criminal Justice Courses
Online law enforcement courses are largely lecture-based. Some of
these courses may require students to complete group projects as they
learn to analyze statistics and theory to gain an understanding of the
legal system.
Criminal Justice System Overview Course
Students begin an examination of the societal forces at work in the
criminal justice system in this course. Students look at the
relationships between police, courts, offender rehabilitation and other
systems involved in the criminal justice system.
Crime and Delinquency Course
An exploration of the factors involved in the commission of criminal
acts, from a psychological and sociological perspective. Students learn
how theory applies to offender treatment, and efforts to prevent and
control crime.
White Collar Crime and Justice Course
Some courses focus on white collar crime, giving students an overview
of the nature of the crime, liability and the history of law
enforcement's attempts to reduce corporate crime. This course includes
an examination of regulations and theories meant to control and explain
why white-collar crime occurs. Students examine political corruption,
securities fraud and other topics to gain an understanding of the issue.
Graduates with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice may find
employment in administrative positions in law enforcement or may be
qualified to teach at the college-level, after earning of a graduate
teaching certificate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
in May, 2008, there were 12,610 post-secondary teachers and professors
of criminal justice. The average annual income for those instructors was
$62,750. (
www.bls.gov)
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