Comments on: Is a Criminal Justice Degree Major Hard to Complete?

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:58:21 +0000

Well, the above posting is very correct, even though it is rather vague. I have an A.A. in Liberal Arts, an A.S. in Administration of Justice, a B.A. in Criminal Justice, and an M.A. in Public Admin. I’m also a military veteran. I have been basically unemployed for 16 months since my graduation from grad school. Do not, I repeat, do not, do not pursue the criminal justice field at this time. I highly doubt any of you people will take this advice. Just experience failure for yourself. Good luck all.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:06:22 +0000

When they ask if you have taken drugs, they are asking you with a lie detector? And is it like no strings attached yes or no answer?
I am in high school and am not planning on doing drugs or anything illegal but I was just curious. Thanks!

By: Radek M. Gadek

Radek M. Gadek — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:12:05 +0000

By all means, a degree in Criminal Justice is not useless... but, it offers limited opportunities when compared to a truly versatile degree like Business. I recently wrote an article about what careers you can have with a Criminal Justice degree. Check it out.

By: Ronald

Ronald — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:48:01 +0000

I have a question. Is it true that a CJ degree is useless for anything else other than law enforcement officer? I really like law enforcement but I’m thinking of the future also. For example; I’m 20 years old right now, when i turn 40 something I would plan to be out of the field. What other job other than a law enforcement officer will I be able to obtain?

By: CJ Karen

CJ Karen — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:41:36 +0000

I am graduating September 10, 2011 with a BS in Criminal Justice Administration. My BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE to anyone pursuing a criminal justice degree is to FIRST…reflect on your past. Reason being, if there is anything on your criminal record, you can be eliminated out of the rigorous hiring process; but you won’t find that out until after you have completed the face to face interviews, the various testing, medical and psychological exam. You may do very well at ALL of these prelim steps, and getting to the top five is key…BUT when in the last five, then background checks come in and in some fields (law enforcement, probation), polygraphs are administered. If you can’t answer “NO” to questions like, “Have you ever used drugs?” (even if was way back in high school) …”Have you ever been arrested?”…”Have you ever been charged with a crime?” “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” then think twice about CJ IF you want to be in law enforcement or probation. As you study CJ you will find out there are ethics classes etc. so also be sure that not only is your “Moral Turpitude” of the highest caliber, but also any “ethics” issues…for example Bankruptcy, Evictions filed in court. You may get eliminated because the other candidates are working with a clean slate. Moral of the story…before you spend $35 -40,000 obtaining a BS in CJ, make sure you examine your your past, and make an informed decision. Go to usajobs.gov and look at some of the criminal justice type jobs there and see the job description and application requirements and processes.

Good luck…CJ classes are not difficult if you have your heart in the field. If it’s just a stepping stone for diversity and not really a career plan than you will have to work a little harder to learn the information.

Be sure to check out age restrictions or requirements when doing your job searches. SO, keep this in mind if you are an older returning student.

By: Brenna W.

Brenna W. — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:42:36 +0000

I’m a sophomore in high school, but i’m thinking a lot about college. I’m currently in a Biomedical class called PBS. The year just started but i think i’m going to love this class. It’s up to my expectations so far. I’m excited i took this class. I’m an addict of NCIS, CSI Miami, Criminal Minds, Without a Trace, and Law and Order SVU. I’m thinking i should go into Criminal Justice… should i?

By: Donya

Donya — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:14 +0000

I would have to agree I am studying Criminal Justice I am on my second year. I would recommend to people if they have a challenge with Math then be prepared to complete the math course that the program has to offer. I believe that the criminal Justice career can be rewarding and just practice your math skills this was the only class I have left to complete my Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and the only class to be a challenge. The program gives great information to prepare you for a rewarding career and the program have various areas of study such as why the prisons were first created and the meaning to the various institutions.

By: angie

angie — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:54:45 +0000

I am a second year Criminal Justice major. I would not say that the Criminal Justice courses are easy. You have to do studies in the courts, the prisons, and study police science. You have to study a lot and I mean a lot of theories. I have a real good gpa average but I study real hard. Criminal Justice is a real interesting field. I will obtain my Associates Degree in Criminal Justice by the end of next year. However the easiness depends on your professor too. Some professors are real tough on their students and some are more laid back.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:44:35 +0000

Hi I am looking to find out what degree I need to become a crime scene technician. I am not sure what degree path I need to follow. So if you can give me any input on this would be greatly appreciated

By: Radek M. Gadek

Radek M. Gadek — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:45:37 +0000

Internships are not guaranteed and spots are limited. I would take advantage of any career fairs the FBI participates in throughout the country.

Please repost your question here: http://criminaljusticeonlineblog.com/fbi-special-agent-career/ – so you can have better chances of getting more feedback.