WHAT IS AN ASSOCIATE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE?
When you pursue an associate degree in criminal justice, you are embarking on an in-depth degree program covering the criminal justice systems and procedures used in the United States to identify, apprehend, prosecute and punish people who break the law. You can expect to learn about laws, criminal procedures, forensics, ethics, how to write reports and much more.
An associate degree typically takes about two years to complete, although some students will finish sooner or take longer to complete their studies.
BENEFITS OF EARNING A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE
There are some criminal justice-related jobs you can still get without a college degree. However, employers are increasingly including degree requirements in job descriptions. Employers — whether state and local governments or private employers — also tend to prefer candidates who can demonstrate that they are serious about working in criminal justice careers. Earning your associate degree shows potential employers that you take your future seriously. It also demonstrates that you have up-to-date knowledge that brings value to the job.
Many people earn criminal justice degrees with the intention of becoming police officers or corrections officers in our prison system. Yet there are many other exciting careers in criminal justice. Your associate degree can open doors to these and other exciting career paths:
- Private investigator
- Probation officer
- Parole officer
- Private security guard
- Fraud investigator
- Forensic technician
- Computer forensics
- State patrol officer
- Insurance investigator
- Victim advocacy
GRADUATION DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN YOU’RE DONE LEARNING
Some people who earn their AA or AS degrees choose to transfer their associate degree credits to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor’s degree. Taking this path can help expand your career potential.
Even if you choose not to earn a bachelor’s degree after graduating with an associate degree, there are other ways to continue your education. For example, you could pursue advanced certification in a particular field of criminal justice such as forensics. This may make you more sought-after by employers and can help you command a higher salary.
At Generations College in Chicago, we offer an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice degree program. Our students get hands-on instruction designed to prepare them to begin working in criminal justice jobs right away. Many graduates also take advantage of Generations College’s articulation agreements with well-known four-year colleges and universities in the greater Chicago area, continuing their learning by applying their earned credits toward bachelor’s degree programs.
To learn more about our criminal justice associate degree program, contact us online or call (312) 922-1884 today.