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How a Master’s in Criminal Justice can help a law enforcement career

A Master’s degree in Criminal Justice may not matter in some career fields, however, if you are considering a successful career in Law Enforcement, getting a Master’s in Criminal Justice might be the best way to start.

Now, if you are wondering how exactly a master’s in Criminal Justice is going to help your Law Enforcement Career, wonder no more! Listed below are several ways a master’s in Criminal Justice can help a Law Enforcement Career.

What is a Master’s in Criminal Justice?

A master’s in criminal justice is an educational program designed for post-graduate students who want advanced knowledge of criminal justice and its application in the field. This degree teaches students the advanced skills and expertise needed to work in law enforcement and other relating areas; these include crime, policing work, correctional institutes, national security, legal departments, among others.

Coursework may involve, but it is not limited to, court services, forensic science, justice administration, corrections, security, crime, research, crime scene investigation. Getting a master’s in Criminal Justice is expected to equip students with an added advantage when trying to advance their career in their chosen criminal justice related field.

How can it help your career?

Below are some ways in which getting a master’s in Criminal Justice can help your law enforcement career:

Leadership/High-Level Positions

Getting a master’s in any Criminal Justice related field will help you gather experience and expertise needed to land leadership positions in a law enforcement career. No matter how good or keen you might be, not having the necessary professional certificates might keep at the lowest rung of the land. However, with relevant experience and certifications, such as a master’s in criminal justice, you can easily land that huge promotion/ role you have been dreaming.

Higher Pay

With leadership or high/level positions, comes higher pay. Research shows that the highest paid jobs in law enforcement usually require a master’s degree. Apart from getting higher pay, landing a high-level position with a master’s degree in criminal justice may also attract other benefits such as medical/health insurance, juicy retirement pension, sick leave pays, paid vacations, among others.

Room for specialization

A master’s degree will allow you to become an expert in a specific law enforcement field. Becoming an expert in a particular field comes with its perks such as special job offers or assignments, contract jobs, etc.

Opportunity for Career Advancement

Getting a master’s degree in criminal justice can open a window for career advancement in your law enforcement career. Having an advanced degree automatically qualifies you to be among the top choice in your field, especially in a situation when your counterparts only have bachelor degrees. For instance, as a master’s degree holder, you only need a year full-time professional experience to apply for the position of an FBI Special Agent, on the other hand, degree holders require at least two years’ experience to be eligible to apply.

Provides a middle ground to intersect with other fields in Law enforcement

With a master’s in criminal justice, you can level your playing field by crossing or pursuing careers in other relating fields. For instance, a master’s degree in criminal justice will provide you with enough expertise to work in these various law enforcement positions/ fields:

  1. Criminal profiler
  2. Custom officer
  3. FBI special agent
  4. Chief of Police.
  5. Federal Marshall
  6. Paralegal/ Legal Assistant

Job Security

If you are looking for job security, then one of the best ways to ensure this is to get a master’s degree in Criminal Justice. According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), due to the growing concerns about security, the BLS predicts an increase in job growth in careers within the criminal justice field between 2014 and 2024. Thus, with a master’s in criminal justice, you would have most likely secured yourself a successful long career, instead of worrying about being laid as a result of economic instability.

Critical Thinking

Getting your master’s degree generally would sharpen your critical thinking and also expose you to all the latest knowledge about your field. The knowledge gathered during this time will be relevant in handling leadership positions and other assignments that require a high level of critical thinking. Apart from these, you get exposed to the most recent theories and best practices that put you ahead of your colleagues in the field.

Conclusion

Having a Master’s degree in any field will always give you an edge. However, as someone looking to make career headways in Law Enforcement, bagging a master’s degree in Criminal Justice is most likely the best thing you can do for your career. A master’s degree will not only level the playing field for you to be among the top choice but also offer opportunities to pursue careers in relating fields.

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