What Can You Do with a Criminal Justice Sciences Degree?
A degree in criminal justice sciences allows students to explore working in all facets of the country's criminal justice system. Earning a bachelor's degree in the field prepares students to enter graduate school or begin their careers. Criminal justice sciences majors often find work in law enforcement or the legal field. However, because students receive a well-rounded liberal arts education when earning this degree, criminal justice sciences programs equip them with the skills to succeed in a number of careers.
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Law School
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Students who want to attend law school may choose to major in criminal justice sciences. Criminal justice sciences programs teach students about law enforcement, the legal system and corrections, according to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Career Services. Studying these topics at the undergraduate level prepares students for a deeper analysis in law school, so attending law school---and eventually becoming a lawyer---is a natural career path for criminal justice sciences majors.
Law Enforcement
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Positions in law enforcement are the top jobs for criminal justice sciences majors, according to PayScale.com. Students can choose from a number of positions in law enforcement. They can work in the field as police officers, sherrif's deputies and detectives. Criminal justice sciences majors can begin careers as corrections officers, probation officers and parole officers, according to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They can find law enforcement positions at the city, county, state and federal levels.
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Legal Work
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Because criminal justice sciences majors likely take an interest in the criminal justice system, they can pursue positions in the legal field. Even if students do not want to attend law school, they can work as paralegals or administrative assistants at law firms. These jobs expose students to the inner workings of the legal system, which allows them to develop their skills or even attend law school in the future.
Counseling
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Criminal justice sciences majors can also work in a counseling role. They can work as victim or witness advocates, where they help counsel victims or witnesses of crime. Other positions in the social services field include crisis counselors or youth counselors, according to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Career Services. Students will use their knowledge of the criminal justice system to help rehabilitate victims of crime or criminals themselves.
Private Security
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Criminal justice sciences majors can also secure private sector jobs as security officers. In this position, students provide security detail for office buildings, shopping centers or private individuals. They patrol properties and keep an eye out for suspicious individuals. This position also offers room for advancement, where the security officer becomes the supervisor of a security team.
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References
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