Criminal Justice Schools

For those interested in become a policeman or sheriff's deputy, you’ll usually need to obtain an undergraduate degree in the criminal justice field. Criminal justice is a broad field that encompasses many areas, including the court systems, criminology, forensics, evidence, law enforcement, corrections, sociology, ethics and criminal law. Criminal justice schools can be found all throughout the country and most commonly offer certificates and degrees at the associate’s and bachelor’s degree levels. More and more criminal justice schools are offering undergraduate degrees and programs to fit the schedules of working professionals.

A certificate program often provides specialized training in an area of criminal justice. For example, criminal justice schools may offer certificates in paralegal studies, crime scene technician and court reporting. Students with a degree in another field often complete certificate programs to gain new skills to use in their current career.

Criminal justice schools also offer associate’s degrees, which are often completed in two years. An associate’s degree teaches basic skills in the field, while requiring general education classes, making students more well-rounded. Most criminal justice careers require some college education, so pursuing an associate’s degree is a good way to meet this requirement, especially if you don’t want to commit to a four-year program. Bachelor’s degrees provide the knowledge and training needed to find entry-level positions at many types of agencies and private companies. Criminal justice schools offer many degrees at this level.

Three popular certificates and degrees taught at criminal justice schools are criminal justice, crime scene technician and security management. Criminal justice degrees teach students analysis and technical skills, as well as how to communicate effectively. This degree focuses on political science, legal studies and the legal system.

The crime scene technician certificate teaches students crime scene procedures and how to preserve evidence. They learn to analyze evidence and communicate effectively.

Another certificate taught at criminal justice schools is security management. Security management is a growing field due to the amount of terrorism and the efforts to prevent future attacks. Students learn about terrorist techniques and how to analyze security proposals and response plans.