Criminal Justice
Pursuing a Career in the Criminal Justice System
If you are thinking about a career in the criminal justice system, you have a lot of choices. Roles vary from those you can enter with a high school diploma – court clerks, for example, and legal secretaries – right up to the law professor, who will require no less than a Ph.D.
The choice you need to make is how far you want to go in further education. By achieving your highest standard of education, you are opening doors to more senior and lucrative jobs.
We want to talk about the different levels of qualifications for criminal justice roles, and then we will outline the route to becoming a lawyer, perhaps the most popular of all jobs in the field.
Roles to Consider in Criminal Justice
The legal system in the USA employs great numbers of people. Here are some of the jobs you may wish to consider and the level of qualification required:
- Legal Secretary or Court Clerk These are jobs that you can apply for with a High School Diploma and are an excellent way of getting a foot in the door.
- Legal Assistant or Paralegal These roles require an associate's degree, which is a two year study program that may be undertaken at a junior college or university.
- Mediator or Practicing Lawyer You will need at least a bachelor's degree, and in the case of the lawyer, we will go into more detail shortly.
- Law Professor a critical role that will require a Ph.D.
These are not the sole jobs available in the legal system. You may wish to take a role in administering a lawyer’s office, for example, while you study for the next level of qualification. Now let’s outline what you need to do to become a practicing lawyer.
Becoming a Practicing Lawyer
There is always demand for lawyers and there is a clear and set path that you will need to follow should this be your chosen career. Here’s how it looks:
The first step is to achieve a bachelor’s degree. This is the minimum requirement to enter Law School. Most bachelor’s degrees will be accepted such as English, economics, philosophy, political science, and business degrees being among the most popular.
Pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) which is a combination of multiple-choice questions and a written piece. This is about assessing the candidate's appropriateness for the role.
Pass the JD – Juris Doctor – degree at Law School. This is the recognized degree for lawyers in the USA and is a three-year course.
Take the compulsory State Bar Exam which involves proving competence in tests and also being assessed by a board for competence and character.
Conclusion
This brief article only allows us to outline the various possible opening in the criminal justice system, and whether you want to enter at ground level or wish to study to your chosen qualification, we recommend you start investigating the possibilities now and be ready for a new career path.
6 schools found
American InterContinental University
Schaumburg, Illinois
Years
Private For-Profit
At AIU, we understand the demands and challenges you face on a daily basis. That’s why we’re here to support you along the way. Our degree programs are designed so you can learn in ways that fit your life, with 24/7 access to your classes online or through our mobile app. We also provide you with a Graduation Team, a group of four advisors you can turn to anytime throughout your journey. The team includes an Admissions Advisor, Financial Aid Advisor, Faculty Advisor and Student Advisor.
Bryan University
4255 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804
Years
Private For-Profit
Bryan University has been providing focused, relevant career training programs to students since 1982, and we’re just as passionate and committed to our students’ success now as we were back then. Bryan was founded on an unwavering desire to improve the lives of our students. That’s why it’s a part of our Mission Statement:
Our mission is to improve the lives of our students, our team and our employers. We accomplish our mission by providing quality education in an environment that enables our team to thrive and our students to realize their potential, creating a positive impact within our communities.
More than 30 years later, these things remain at the core of our goals and mission as a career training school. We strive to improve the lives of our students, whether they have a family, are in the military, or are just looking for a fresh start in life.
Colorado Technical University
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Years
Private For-Profit
Colorado Technical University’s mission is to provide industry-relevant higher education to a diverse student population through innovative technology and experienced faculty, enabling the pursuit of personal and professional goals.
Gwinnett Colleges & Institute
4230 US-29 Ste 11, Lilburn, GA 30047
Years
Private For-Profit
Are you ready to start a new vocational career in business, legal studies or healthcare at Gwinnett College? Because you are making the commitment to seek career-focused technical training and vocational education, we commit ourselves to providing you with exceptional customer service each step of the way. Gwinnett Colleges & Institute is committed to providing you with information on the college financial aid for which you may qualify in addition to the other career services we provide to our vocational college students. All of our school instructors possess education or career experience in the fields in which they teach which provides you with a quality learning experience. While we do not guarantee employment, we provide continuous career services assistance upon graduation from your vocational school program. Gwinnett Colleges & Institute is with you each step of the way!
Liberty University
1971 University Blvd Lynchburg, VA 24515
Years
Private Non-Profit
As an accredited Christian college with a 7,000-acre campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University offers you an education that is both academically challenging and rooted in a biblical worldview.
At Liberty, you’ll benefit from 35+ years of learning, growing, adapting, and innovating for the distance learner — and more than a decade of researching the needs of the online student. You can be confident that we’ve taken the time to learn what’s important to you.
Southern New Hampshire University
Online
Years
Private Non-Profit
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you reach them. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you.
200+ Degrees
Career-focused programs designed to give you the real-world experience employers are looking for
Low Tuition Rates
As a nonprofit university, we offer some of the most affordable online tuition in the nation