How to Choose a Criminal Justice Course in Higher Education

Posted by Isra Anwar

March 01, 2015

Deciding to get into the world of criminal justice is a decision that comes with seemingly endless possibilities. You can become a police officer, detective, parole officer, jailer, or several other career options. When you are trying to get into the criminal justice field, you have to make sure that you go to a school that is credible in your area.

Choose a top-rated school. There are bound to be a highly rated school in your area. Be prepared to move if you have to.

Make sure the program is accredited. Your degree in criminal justice won't mean much if your degree isn't from an accredited school. You can check the accreditation status of a university by calling the university to inquire about the status. You can also contact the state in which the school is located to inquire about the accreditation status of a particular school. When you are checking out schools, make sure you specify the campus you plan to attend. Some schools have multiple campuses, but an accreditation at one doesn't necessarily transfer to another.

Decide on your career path. The career path you choose can have an impact on the courses you need to take. Criminology, for example, is the study of crime and falls under the general criminal justice category. If you are planning on working as a detective, police officer, or parole officer, a course in criminology might be helpful. If you plan on working as jailer, you might not need to focus on criminology and would only need a basic course in it. If you are unsure of the exact courses you need to take, speak with an academic advisor. In most cases, you will take courses in victimology, juvenile justice, policing, criminal law, community corrections, criminal procedure, methods of research, and a host of other topics as part of a four-year criminal justice degree.

Secure financing. You need to be able to pay for your courses. You can usually do this through a combination of paying cash, getting loans, and securing grants. The Financial Aid Department of the university you plan to attend can help you get started on financing plans.