Many freshmen students start out college undeclared; they aren’t sure what they want to major in and hope to use their first year to find something they want to study. Unfortunately, a lot of students take up to 2 years to decide on a major, and they may even switch majors several times up into their junior year. This wastes a lot of time and money, and can significantly delay graduation.
It’s not unusual for students who are uncertain of their path to take a little time off from college while they reassess their options. If taking this educational break isn’t realistic for you, it’s worth performing some research to discover a major you feel suits your personality and priorities. You’ll find the sooner you declare a major you’re passionate about, the more you’ll be able to commit to the classes you need to graduate. This allows you to stay on track to graduate on time.
If you’re interested in exploring some of the varied careers in criminal justice, you’ve come to the right place. This feature on careers in criminal justice is just one in our series, “Undeclared,” which explores potential career options in different fields, from private enterprise to public healthcare.
A Degree in Criminal Justice
When the words “criminal justice” come to mind, you might immediately think of police officers or attorneys. While those are common careers you can step into as a criminal justice major, there are plenty more to consider.
If you have a desire to help people and serve, or you understand the need to maintain order in society, a career in criminal justice could be for you.
When it comes to studying criminal justice, you’ll cover everything from social sciences to corrections-specific training. Expect to have classes on the following:
- History
- Political science
- Communications
- Psychology
- Sociology
If you have a passion for a specific criminal justice career, you can choose an area of expertise to hone in on your studies. Some common specialties include law enforcement, forensic science, homeland security, and case management.
Before you decide whether this is the right major for you, understand that careers in criminal justice often require you to make tough decisions under pressure. You’ll need to be able to work quickly and efficiently, and not let situational stressors influence your ability to perform.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few careers you can choose from.
Police Officer
Most people recognize being a police officer as one of the most common careers in criminal justice. While some police agencies have their own academies and training programs, majoring in criminal justice will showcase your experience and expertise from the moment you apply. Anything you’ve studied outside the scope of what that particular academy requires can be used to speed up your career path.
Police offers have to face dangerous situations every day, think on their feet, and make tough decisions in the blink of an eye. To be successful at your job, you’ll need to learn which decision-making process works best for you, and be able to put it into practice on every call. If you’re able to do that, and you don’t mind working “odd” hours, this is one of the most rewarding careers of service imaginable.
Substance Abuse Counselor
If your passion is helping others overcome addictions and take control of their lives again, consider becoming a substance abuse counselor. The main duties of this career include:
- Evaluating mental health
- Evaluating physical health
- Providing support to addicts and caregivers
- Creating goals and treatment plans
- Helping clients find jobs or go back to school
As a substance abuse counselor, you’ll work with a lot of people who are in a rough place in life. Many people start using substances as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, and it can become a vicious cycle. You can help them break free of that cycle and find freedom from addiction.
FBI Agent
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employs about 35,000 people, with job titles including:
- Support professional
- Intelligence analyst
- Language specialist
- Scientist
- IT specialist
However, one of the most important and widely-recognized jobs within the Bureau is that of Special Agent. The duties of an FBI agent change every day, and some agents have specialties that others don’t. You’ll do everything from conducting surveillance to collecting evidence and analyzing data. FBI agents can even make arrests. The ultimate goal is to protect the country and its citizens, and a lot of the work is done “behind the scenes.”
While working for the FBI can be tense and stressful at times, you can take pride in knowing you’re part of the central organization of security for the U.S.
Park Ranger
You might not immediately associate majoring in criminal justice with becoming a park ranger. However, most National Parks require a bachelor’s degree for an applicant to even be considered as a ranger.
With a degree in criminal justice, you can assist visitors, take charge of community outreach programs, and protect the park utilizing whatever resources are available and necessary. If you want to go one step further and be a law enforcement ranger, you’ll be responsible for things like:
- Emergency management
- Search and rescue
- Criminal investigations
- Suspect apprehension
Unfortunately, even some of the most notable and secure parks in our country experience crime. It’s the job of park rangers to ensure guests and visitors are kept safe. While you can become a park ranger with degrees in environmental science or tourism management, a criminal justice degree allows you to go further with what you can do to ensure that safety.
As you can see, there’s more to majoring in criminal justice than you may have originally thought. Whether you’re interested in a more “traditional” career in the justice system or you have a specific passion you’d like to follow, all of the careers listed here have their own benefits and rewards. Whether you’re uncertain about which path to take right now, or you’ve been trying to find a career path that stands out, criminal justice could be right up your alley if you want to serve and protect in a variety of capacities.
