As you can see from the descriptions above, the main difference between legal and criminal justice programs is that they focus more on criminal behavior, how to deal with that behavior, why it is, and how best to deal with it. Legal studies focus on the legal side of things, including court proceedings and laws. Both programs can be excellent precursors to law school, but the law degree could provide more meaningful information to someone who wants to pursue this at a later date. All programs will improve the profile of candidates seeking admission to police academy programs, but those who choose criminal justice will have a better understanding of the law enforcement issues they may encounter during their studies. Our program is aimed not only at individuals who are already working in the field of criminal justice and need to increase their academic qualifications in order to access senior management positions, but also at busy professionals who are looking for a career change. Central Christian College offers an online gateway to career opportunities for criminal justice graduates. The answer to the question ”What can I do with a criminal justice degree?” is essentially this: You can immediately work in any criminal justice profession, from police officers to paralegals. While there are many entry-level jobs in criminal justice for professionals with a lower degree, a Doctorate in Criminal Justice qualifies students for the most prestigious and highest-paying positions. The most common opportunities include senior researchers, university professors, lobbyists or policy writers, and forensic scientists.
A typical program explores topics such as communication, criminology theory, and criminal justice trends. Schools can offer a BS or BA in Criminal Justice, with most degrees lasting four years (or less, for accelerated online programs). Graduates are eligible for positions such as Probation Officer, Victim Advocate and Correctional Officer. Are you interested in one day attending law school and becoming a lawyer? Although Rutgers does not have a law degree or concentration, criminal justice is a great place to start: it gives you a basic knowledge of criminal justice and how the criminal justice system works from the three aspects of the criminal justice field: law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Consider studying in fields such as political science, philosophy or English and combine them with a second major in criminal justice or a minor in criminology. The main difference between programs is that the criminal justice system focuses on criminal behaviour, how it is treated and why it is committed, and how best to deal with it. Law studies focus on law, including court proceedings and litigation. Both degrees offer career prospects in law enforcement. While your GPA is an essential part of your law school applications, a 4.0 in mechanical engineering is more impressive for a law school than a 4.0 in preschool. Law schools tend to think that getting good grades in pre-law is not as difficult as in most other majors. Similar majors such as law and criminal justice are also considered simpler majors.
One might wonder if a transcript is more convincing for law schools, as the student has taken undergraduate courses in law-related subjects such as constitutional law or the history of law. The answer is – not really. A degree in constitutional law, for example, is usually very different from a bachelor`s degree in the same field. But if such courses do not significantly improve the chances of admission, they can be very useful for the baccalaureate candidate in another sense. A student who finds a course in constitutional law, American legal history, or logic confusing, boring, or both should seriously consider whether or not he/she wants to take at least three years of challenging courses in closely related subjects. It is best to resolve such a question before applying to law school. In 2001, the five most common majors for students entering law school were political science, history, English, psychology, and criminal justice. [1] The five majors with the highest acceptance rates were physics, philosophy, biology, chemistry, and government service. [1] While schools are most likely to offer bachelor`s degrees in criminal justice, some schools offer bachelor`s degrees in science. A BS in Criminal Justice is usually a more accurate technical program than the broader bachelor`s degree. Courses in a BS could examine police work in the United States, the U.S. criminal justice system, and technology in criminal justice, while BA programs cover topics such as criminology, white-collar crime, and juvenile delinquency.
If law school is in your career plans, a law or criminal justice degree can be beneficial. However, most bachelor`s degrees are acceptable if you are applying to law school. For students who are not interested in law school, the decision depends on your career plans, criminal justice, as the name suggests, is about fighting crime. The criminal justice graduate strives to prevent, investigate and enforce the law. The law graduate may be confronted with the consequences of the crime. It focuses more on how the legal system deals with crime. A master`s degree in criminal justice can improve the employment and salary prospects of existing law enforcement, criminal justice and homeland security professionals. In addition, earning a Master`s degree in Criminal Justice can provide learners with the qualifications they need to transition to the practice of law or behavioural analysis or become a professor. Some – but by no means all – include company law, labour law, property law, criminal law, civil rights, intellectual property law, entertainment law, international law, sports law, administrative and economic law – to name a few. But before you can understand the principles, precedents, and procedures in areas of law like these, you need to understand what the legal process is and how it works. That`s what you`ll be exposed to in your first year of law school, a year in which you`ll likely have virtually no choice of courses to take.
You will study criminal law, property, civil procedure law, tortious acts (a fanciful term for contracts other than criminal errors) and be introduced to legal drafting. Still, many students will find a transition from Rutgers-Newark to law school a daunting experience, even if they`ve just graduated — perhaps with honors — from four years of college. Why is this so? ”One of the benefits of earning a degree in criminal justice is its versatility and opens you up to a variety of careers,” says the Guide to Criminal Justice Degrees. Earning a degree in criminal justice can lead to a variety of careers, each with its own salary and opportunities for growth. As shown below, lawyers and judges earn the highest median salaries, while paralegals and legal counsel earn much less. However, paralegal jobs are in high demand, as evidenced by projected 12% employment growth between 2018 and 2028. The fields of criminal justice and law are closely linked and offer many career opportunities for those interested in the development, application or application of law. Earning a degree in criminal justice can lead to a career in law enforcement, law enforcement, advocacy, or politics.
Criminal justice programs can also provide a foundation for aspiring lawyers before they pursue law school. Bachelor`s degrees in criminal justice build on the core skills acquired in an associate program and prepare students for an expansion of career opportunities. Unlike an associate program, undergraduate students can choose a specialization in criminal justice. Common specializations include corrections, criminology and homeland security. With broad applications in various fields, criminal justice degrees lead to career opportunities at all levels of education. .