Masters Degree Question

[BoxingBoy]

Sorry for asking a whole bunch of different questions, but does having a Masters Degree make you more appealing to Federal Law Enforcement, or do you need more experience?

[Trip]

Sorry for asking a whole bunch of different questions, but does having a Masters Degree make you more appealing to Federal Law Enforcement, or do you need more experience?

I don't think they mind different questions, BoxingBoy....some people ask lots of questions

[schoromanski]

I think it depends, several agencies hire directly out of college especially through the SCEP programs (CBP etc). Off the top of my head, when the USMS, ATF, DEA, USSS have hiring drives open and you apply within the "9 month rule" you are good as good. But what can you bring to the table, thats the question....

Are you currently in college? if so I highly encourage you to start pursuing internships with the local pd, state or federal agencies, the experience learned through them and the contacts are essential, you never know.. they might be able to pull a few strings and get you a job before you graduate ;)

[BP348]

Masters degree can't hurt. That being said I don't think I've met more then 6 - 8 Criminal Investigators who have Master degrees.

[retdetsgt]

Graduate degrees come into play more when you are going for upward mobility anywhere you work. For entry level, it's more important to meet the minimum educational level and then do well on all the testing.

[Kimble]

What everyone else has said is spot on from my past experience applying to federal LE jobs. Even though I had a master's degree and qualified on paper for GS-9 and lower positions, I didn't a whole lot as far as invitations to tests or interviews. When I got some experience as a local cop coupled with my BS and MS degrees, then I started getting more invitations to other steps in the process.