Careers in Law and Criminal Justice
Careers in Law & Criminal Justice
As careers in law and criminal justice vary greatly, so do the education and employment requirements. Here are just a few of the career paths in this subject area:
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Becoming a Lawyer or Paralegal
Lawyer
Formal education requirements for lawyers include a 4-year college
degree, 3 years in law school, and successful completion of a
written bar examination.
Information on law schools and a career in law may be obtained from:
LSAT
Information on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), the Law School
Data Assembly Service, the law school application process, and the
financial aid available for law students may be obtained from:
Click here for information about courses and test preparation for the LSAT.
Paralegal
While some paralegals train on the job, employers increasingly
prefer graduates of postsecondary paralegal education programs,
especially graduates of 4-year paralegal programs or college
graduates who have completed paralegal certificate programs.
General information on a career as a paralegal can be obtained from:
Criminal Justice Careers
Criminal justice may be studied at the certificate, associate,
baccalaureate and master's degree levels. Most degree programs
provide students with a foundation in criminal justice and a broad
liberal arts knowledge base. Areas of concentration include
administration, law enforcement, private security and corrections.
Note that many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for
officers, detectives or special agents to work toward degrees in
criminal justice, police science, administration of justice, or
public administration, and pay higher salaries to those who earn
such a degree.
Career Planning Links and Resources
Here are some links for more information on careers in the criminal
justice system:
Further information about qualifications for employment as a Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent is available from the nearest State FBI office. The address and phone number are listed in the local telephone directory.
Information about qualifications for employment as a Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent is available from the nearest DEA office, or call(800) DEA-4288.
Information about career opportunities, qualifications, and training to become a deputy marshal is available from the United States Marshals Service.
Career opportunities, qualifications, and training for U.S. Secret Service Special Agents is available from the U.S. Secret Service, Personnel Division.
For information on career opportunities and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms operations, contact the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Personnel Division.
Information about careers in the United States Border Patrol is available from the U.S. Border Patrol.
Education Planning for Your Legal Career
When you investigate degree and certificate programs, consider the
following points when choosing which college or university to
attend:
- The degree program should be state accredited. Click here for more information about accreditation.
- Speak with admissions counsellors to determine the flexibility of the programs offered. For example, can you study a wide range of courses in your first and second years and then create a major and a minor in your third and fourth years? Maybe you wish to structure a major in your second year?
- What works best for you? Taking two years of college and then transferring to a four-year program? Or would you prefer four years at the same school?
- Does the school offer career services that include job placement, a resume service, job fairs and networking opportunities? Is there a fee connected with the career services offered? What is the placement rate for graduates of the program?
- Are you able to attend school full-time or part-time? Evenings or weekends only? Have you considered online or distance learning. Click here for more information on online learning.
- What is the cost of the education required? Will you require financial aid? Could you qualify for a scholarship? Are loans or grants available to you? Click here for more information about financial aid.
No matter what piques your interest, law and criminal justice professions today offer many options to students.
- Get Started: Visit the links on the left navigation bar to review current career information and learn more about the nature of the jobs that interest you, such as salary expectations, working conditions, future outlook of the profession, employment rates and educational requirements.
Pursue your Law Criminal Justice major today…
At University of Phoenix, we believe everyone deserves access to higher education.
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- A.A. in Criminal Justice
- M.S. in Administration of Justice and Security
Gain the tools you need for success at Globe University.
- Online
- BS in Criminal Justice
- AAS in Criminal Justice
Westwood College is an institution of higher learning dedicated to providing quality, career-focused undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and credentials needed to launch, enhance, or change careers.
- Online
- Associate Degree - Criminal Justice
- Bachelor Degree - Criminal Justice: Major in Administration
Earn your degree online or on campus and accelerate your life.
- Online
- B.S. in Criminal Justice
- B.S. in Human Services / Criminal Justice
Set your career in motion at Virginia College Online.
Visit www.vconline.edu- Online
- BS - Criminal Justice
- MS - Criminal Justice
Get the skills and training you need for a great career at Fortis Institute. * Programs vary by location * Please contact each individual campus for accreditation information * Fortis Institute- Indianapolis advertising code is AC-0163.
- Online
- Criminal Justice / Home land Security
We keep our tuition affordable because it is an integral part of the overall mission for our university.
- Online
- AA in Criminal Justice
