Criminal Justice only way to go?

[USMC OCS]

I didn't know exactly where to put this thread, but I'm signing up classes at my college (Auburn) and was told that Criminal Justice might not be the best option. The Marine Corps doesn't really care what I get a degree in (I asked the Officer Selection Officer). My question is this: If not criminal justice than what? Would a degree in Public Admin or something to the like be better? Or does it depend more on the situation each person is in?

[Creeker]

I didn't know exactly where to put this thread, but I'm signing up classes at my college (Auburn) and was told that Criminal Justice might not be the best option. The Marine Corps doesn't really care what I get a degree in (I asked the Officer Selection Officer). My question is this: If not criminal justice than what? Would a degree in Public Admin or something to the like be better? Or does it depend more on the situation each person is in?

LE doesn't require that you have a CJ degree. Some of us who have been there, got the t-shirt, have since come to realize that the use of having a CJ degree is limited in scope as opposed to other degrees in the event of unforeseen circumstances, ie, a LE career ending injury/retirement or you just don't like LE. Anything that you will need in LE will be taught to you at an Academy and in OTJ and Professional Developmental classes.

If you can find a Degree in a field that would appeal to you aside from CJ, that's what I would do.

[Kimble]

If you had only looked one thread above this one you'd have found your answer: Should one major in Criminal Justice to be a LEO?

[USMC OCS]

If you had only looked one thread above this one you'd have found your answer:

Yea, I read that on another window as I typed. Tried to delete, but I couldn't.

[Brendon]

My Uncle who is a retired Police Officer said the Agency he worked for preferred their applicants to have CJ degrees, as it showed they wanted to get into LE and were serious about it, apposed to the applicant who would join because their Office laid them off and the economy was bad. You'd also have to have a CJ degree to get a Promotion to a Sergeant Position.

[mcsap]

My Uncle who is a retired Police Officer said the Agency he worked for preferred their applicants to have CJ degrees not always true, as it showed they wanted to get into LE and were serious about it,not always true apposed to the applicant who would join because their Office laid them off and the economy was bad. You'd also have to have a CJ degree to get a Promotion to a Sergeant Positionnot always true.

Dept policies for degrees vary greatly. My PD does not require a degree , will hire and promote those without a degree based on competitive testing.

[Creeker]

My Uncle who is a retired Police Officer said the Agency he worked for preferred their applicants to have CJ degrees, as it showed they wanted to get into LE and were serious about it, apposed to the applicant who would join because their Office laid them off and the economy was bad. You'd also have to have a CJ degree to get a Promotion to a Sergeant Position.

No disrespect to your Uncle, but I'd recheck that in this day & age.

My former Agency has gone from no degree requirement to a minimum of Assoc. degree and back again to no degree requirement due to a lack of qualified applicants within the last 15 years.

"Policies" can change on a dime and they don't even wait on the ink being dry on the latest Accreditation Policy change.:rolleyes:

If they did demand a CRJ Degree, I'd seriously consider elsewhere.

[Brendon]

Dept policies for degrees vary greatly. My PD does not require a degree , will hire and promote those without a degree based on competitive testing.

I didn't say that was for all Agencies, I said that was for their Agency. That's why I put 'their' applicants.

If they did demand a CRJ Degree, I'd seriously consider elsewhere.

Right now they feel they can demand whatever they want right now. The Department he worked for hires once every ten years, and out of a large pool only a few applicants get selected. You no longer need a Associates Degree to join (Need more than 32 College Credits I think), but you need a CRJ degree to advance to a higher position.

Right now you're even lucky if they hire you out of the once every ten years thing, since they are currently still at Odds with the US Justice Department over hiring quotas, but that's another story.

[LittlePinky82]

I think it depends on what it is you want to do career goal wise. If you want to work at a fed level you need a bachelor's except for Secret Service they take Associates and you can work your way up. However I would go a head and get a bachelor's cause you might want to work somewhere else in the fed field. As other's have mentioned if you just want to be a local or state level leo you'd just need a high school diploma or a GED. Even with Correction's. Just check out the requirements of the places you're interested in working with. While you're there what do you want to do? I would just check out all the places you're interested in.

With me my goals just kinda landed in my lap so to speak. Don't put pressure on yourself to just stick with something cause you have to. I'm doing a cj degree now and my professor, who is a former cop himself and has a couple of degree's (criminal justice, criminology and sociology) believes in a few yrs even local/state level cops will have to have some sort of college degree. I remember seeing a video of some cop guy on that "Rookie" program I believe it was saying that he didn't want to hear if you were just using the job to get experience to go higher up the food chain. They generally want people who are serious about working with them.

[pafindr]

I'm doing a cj degree now and my professor, who is a former cop himself and has a couple of degree's (criminal justice, criminology and sociology) believes in a few yrs even local/state level cops will have to have some sort of college degree.

Umm, they're already out there.
In Michigan you have no chance of becoming a LEO unless you have at least an associates degree.

[Kimble]

I think it depends on what it is you want to do career goal wise. If you want to work at a fed level you need a bachelor's except for Secret Service they take Associates and you can work your way up. However I would go a head and get a bachelor's cause you might want to work somewhere else in the fed field. As other's have mentioned if you just want to be a local or state level leo you'd just need a high school diploma or a GED. Even with Correction's. Just check out the requirements of the places you're interested in working with. While you're there what do you want to do? I would just check out all the places you're interested in.

Littlepinky,

While you're enthusiasm to post helpful posts is admirable, the posts you've made thus far on this site are either half-truths or responses to threads that have been long dead.

For example, now where in the requirements listed to be a SA with Secret Service does it require an AS/AA degree (see here). However, it does state to meet the minimum qualifications at the GS-7 salary level, you need to either have a 4-year degreee or qualifying (i.e. criminal investigations) experience.

Also, some local and state departments require a 4-year degree. Others require only a HS diploma/GED. Making a blanket statement like "to be a local or state leo you'd just need a high school diploma or a GED" is not accurate, as there are plenty of agencies out there at the local/state levels that require more education. Even those that only require a HS diploma/GED often will not hire someone with just the minimum requirements due to other applicants having better credentials brought to the table.

Before you post more information that is only half true, do your research. If you truly want to be a "fed", you'll be spending a lot of time doing research as part of a criminal investigation... why not get some practice on that now?

[LittlePinky82]

Littlepinky,

While you're enthusiasm to post helpful posts is admirable, the posts you've made thus far on this site are either half-truths or responses to threads that have been long dead.

For example, now where in the requirements listed to be a SA with Secret Service does it require an AS/AA degree (see here). However, it does state to meet the minimum qualifications at the GS-7 salary level, you need to either have a 4-year degreee or qualifying (i.e. criminal investigations) experience.

Also, some local and state departments require a 4-year degree. Others require only a HS diploma/GED. Making a blanket statement like "to be a local or state leo you'd just need a high school diploma or a GED" is not accurate, as there are plenty of agencies out there at the local/state levels that require more education. Even those that only require a HS diploma/GED often will not hire someone with just the minimum requirements due to other applicants having better credentials brought to the table.

Before you post more information that is only half true, do your research. If you truly want to be a "fed", you'll be spending a lot of time doing research as part of a criminal investigation... why not get some practice on that now?

1) As far as Secret Service goes a friend last term went to a career fair my school has every year and every year the FBI and Secret Service go. I wasn't able to go so I didn't get to ask myself. However my friend said one of the agents who was representing the Secret Service said you can have just an A.S. and work your way up. This was back in March so maybe things have changed since then. I doubt however the Secret Service would send an agent who was uninformed about their own policy's for joining. Of course it's obvious if you start out with the S.S. if you just have an A.S. you won't start anywhere near the top. My friend did say it's possible for you to work your way up with just an A.S.

2) NCIS only takes the minimum requirement of a b.s. I know because that's where I want to work so I checked everything out before figuring out my game plan with my education goals and what I need to get done, if I'll be able to attend university etc.

3) As far as state/local cops go obviously each state is going to have their own rules. Majority of the state's I've checked out anyways say you just need a high school diploma or GED and then go into their academy and training. My point about the local leo's just needing a high school diploma is that you can work your way up a lot of times with these organization's. In a lot of the info I've read online about what you need to do you start off doing patrol and after 2-3 yrs you can work your way to doing investigation's.

Uh please don't say whether I have or have not done something. You don't know me and I've just arrived here so how can you make that claim? As a college student my life is full of research and papers already. If people truly want to know they can do a simple google/yahoo search for themselves to see the requirements. Excuse me for putting in information that I may know that other's might not. As a student I come across information all the time. I'd love to see you tell that Secret Service agent who talked to my fried about it that they were wrong about their own organization.

[Kimble]

2) NCIS only takes the minimum requirement of a b.s. I know because that's where I want to work so I checked everything out before figuring out my game plan with my education goals and what I need to get done, if I'll be able to attend university etc.

:rolleyes:

I'm not going to argue with you. You clearly know more about getting hired in LE than someone who actually is a LEO. Also, I might know a little bit about getting hired with NCIS (hint, hint).

... I'm done.

[Creeker]

:rolleyes:

I'm not going to argue with you. You clearly know more about getting hired in LE than someone who actually is a LEO. Also, I might know a little bit about getting hired with NCIS (hint, hint).

... I'm done.

:confused:But... But... Pinky Really Thinks he knows what his friend is talking about!! :confused:

:rolleyes:

Tell Jethro his next boat needs to be a Catamaran... ;)

[ChevySSP]

1) As far as Secret Service goes a friend last term went to a career fair my school has every year and every year the FBI and Secret Service go. I wasn't able to go so I didn't get to ask myself. However my friend said one of the agents who was representing the Secret Service said you can have just an A.S. and work your way up. This was back in March so maybe things have changed since then. I doubt however the Secret Service would send an agent who was uninformed about their own policy's for joining. Of course it's obvious if you start out with the S.S. if you just have an A.S. you won't start anywhere near the top. My friend did say it's possible for you to work your way up with just an A.S.

And whose your friend? Paul Blart, Mall cop?

2) NCIS only takes the minimum requirement of a b.s. I know because that's where I want to work so I checked everything out before figuring out my game plan with my education goals and what I need to get done, if I'll be able to attend university etc.

Minimum means you have to have that piece of paper. And judging by your history skills you probably aren't as good at researching as you thought.

3) As far as state/local cops go obviously each state is going to have their own rules. Majority of the state's I've checked out anyways say you just need a high school diploma or GED and then go into their academy and training. My point about the local leo's just needing a high school diploma is that you can work your way up a lot of times with these organization's. In a lot of the info I've read online about what you need to do you start off doing patrol and after 2-3 yrs you can work your way to doing investigation's.

My State Agency requies and AS MINIMUM. Most of, if not All local PDs in Texas require college hours to even be considered. A GED or a HS Diploma means squat. And btw, you work up organizations with Hard work and no talkback, something you have not displayed in the slightest.

Uh please don't say whether I have or have not done something. You don't know me and I've just arrived here so how can you make that claim? As a college student my life is full of research and papers already. If people truly want to know they can do a simple google/yahoo search for themselves to see the requirements. Excuse me for putting in information that I may know that other's might not. As a student I come across information all the time. I'd love to see you tell that Secret Service agent who talked to my fried about it that they were wrong about their own organization.

Police officers are supposed to be able to characterize a person within a few minutes of meeting them. Im a college student and I got to tell you based off of my research your in for a rude awakening come application time. And btw Google is a powerful thing, and so is firsthand knowledge, something you DO NOT have.

Embedded.


You know for a CJ (my major as well) your particularly bad. Idk if its cause your so full of it you believe your own spew, but people see through that stuff real quick.