Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hi everyone,

I am unsure of how to proceed in my education from here. I am graduating next month with an Associate in Liberal Studies Degree. I have done my "homework" and realize that education-wise, I would be qualified for two-thirds of all police departments for the position of police officer. I figured this from the few that still REQUIRE just a High School Diploma, the many that require an Associate's, and the few (at least around my area of the Northwest Chicago suburbs), but still growing amount, that require a Bachelor's.

I had a thought over the weekend of possibly going back for a second Associate's, this time an Associate in Applied Science in Criminal Justice. It would only take me next year to complete, and most of my credits from my Liberal Arts Degree will transfer to it. I feel that this would help me in being recognized that I have some accredited education in law enforcement. It's my opinion that if one is to get just an Associate's, that it should be in the field they are trying to get into, and if they're going for a Bachelor's, it can be in anything.

Another thought I had was to go fro a certificate in Criminal Justice. That way, I will still have an Associate's (the Liberal Studies Degree) and something to show for an official representation of Criminal Justice.

I am 23, soon to be 24 in February. At this time in my life, I really want to get things going as far as living and actually working in what I want to do. Going for a Bachelor's would be very expensive, due to the upper-level courses at the nearby transfer school. I haven't taken out any student loans throughout college so far, and I am not interested in taking any out now. Plus, it would take me almost two years to complete that, and at this time, I just feel it would be better to either use what I already have or complete some sort of necessary Criminal Justice education that would maybe aid in departments taking me more seriously versus just having a Liberal Arts Degree.... This being said that, even though, departments around here have no requirement in what the Associate's is in... Just that it's an accredited 60-hour degree. So, overall, my options in thought are...

(A) stick with my Liberal Arts Associates to apply for departments,

(B) go back for an AAS in CJ to have something better than my Liberal Arts Degree, even though it's in the same degree level,

or (C) go for the short-term certificate that will compliment my Liberal Arts Associates. If I go for the certificate, I probably won't go for the AAS.

You guys (and gals) probably get the point here, lol... What's your advice on my options that I have thought of?? At the same time, I will try next year to test for some departments around here. I have been on two ride alongs already this year, and I loved both of them. One officer has a Master's Degree, and the other had a Bachelor's. There has got to be SOME officers out there with just an Associate's of SOME SORT, right?? That's what I am looking to do in terms of education, at least for now, with these three options.

Thank you much for your answers!

If you are going to continue your education, then move forward and get a bachelor's degree. Neither other option will help you while applying.

The Bachelor's program that I originally looking at was a Bachelor of General Studies with minors in Business and Criminal Justice. It's still an accredited Bachelor's Degree.

That would work... Police Departments don't care WHAT degree you get; any degree will be fine.

If you want to learn something useful though, look at public administration or computer science. If you decide to move up in rank, a PA would be handy. Not just to get the promotion, but what you learn actually applies to the job. Computer science is good if you become an investigator. More and more crimes involve computers, either directly or indirectly. Another associates degree is a waste of time and money.

As far as Computer Science goes, there's way too much Math involved. I have taken and failed College Algebra twice already. The school I was looking to transfer to before does not offer a Public Administration major. Every major they have requires some sort of Research course, which College Algebra is listed a prereq. This includes for an actual Criminal Justice major. The only Bachelor's Degree they offer without any sort of Math requirements is a General Studies Degree and minors can be attached to it.

I just don't have the enthusiasm to keep on spending hundreds, make that thousands, of dollars on classes where I have friends who WITHOUT college are out living their lives. By that, I don't mean partying. I have a friend who is already married, has a small home, and bought a new car. It's the kind of things like that, that really make someone want to turn away from spending so much time AND money on class after class.

Like I said, I'll be 24 soon... February. My parents are wondering when all this "college stuff" will be done. My Dad, who does support me going to school and becoming a cop, has said you'll be six years away from 30. Before you know it, 30 will hit, then 40, then 50, etc. Kind basically saying, when are you going to start your "career and enter the real world??" I totally understand what he is saying. Five years ago, at 18, I never thought I'd STILL be in school this long. Sorry guys for the rant.