Criminal Justice Major

• What is Criminal Justice?
• What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?
• What Kinds of Students Major in Criminal Justice?
• What Courses Do Criminal Justice Majors Take?
• List of Criminal Justice Jobs
• What is the Median Salary Range for Criminal Justice Careers?
• College and University Departments to Consider

What is Criminal Justice?

Crime has far reaching consequences to our society. The social implications of criminal justice are far reaching. Society requires a variety of community resources to investigate, prevent and educate about crime. Criminal justice is the scientific study and application of law and natural sciences to the social phenomena of crime and delinquency. The focus of criminal justice centers on definitions, causation, prevention, legal processes, and the treatment or rehabilitation of criminals in our society. Criminal justice draws from many disciplines such as sociology, psychology, political science, economics, anthropology, geography, public administration, urban studies, history, biology, philosophy and law. Students of criminal justice are prepared to enter positions in law enforcement, prevention and law school.

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What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?

Various specializations related to a major in Criminal Justice may be offered by colleges and universities. These specializations may be of greater or lesser interest to you. A few of these specializations related to this field include, but are not limited to:

Community Policing	Corrections
Criminal Justice Administration	Criminology
Forensic Science	Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Justice	Juvenile Law
Law Enforcement Management

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What Kinds of Students Major in Criminal Justice?

There are certain personal characteristics that are vital to a student seeking a career in criminal justice; some of these include honesty, judgment, integrity, and a sense of responsibility. This student may be observant, analytical and enjoy investigations.

Is Criminal Justice the right major for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it is one of your top recommended majors!

What Courses Do Criminal Justice Majors Take?

The required and elective courses you would take for Criminal Justice majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.

Administration	Constitutional Law
Criminal Investigation	Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Reform	Criminal Profiling
Evidence	Eyewitness Testimony
Forensic Law	Judicial Process
Police Science	Psychology
Research Methods	Sociology
Victimology

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List of Potential Jobs in Criminal Justice

These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment in second major or in a minor.

Arson Investigator	Bailiff
Central Intelligence Agency	Crime Analyst
Department of Justice	Drug Court
Drug Enforcement Agency	Federal Bureau of Investigation
Guard	Immigration Officer
Park Ranger	Parole Officer
Police Officer	Postal Inspector
Private Consultant	Probation Officer
Secret Service	Security Officer
Sheriff	Victim Advocacy

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What is the Median Salary Range for Criminal Justice Careers?

U.S. Median Salary(starting):$35,900

U.S. Median Salary(mid-career):$59,300

Note: These numbers are national averages so you could make more or less than these amounts. Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information about the forecasted demand for a particular profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you to search on a particular job, whether listed here or not, to give you this information.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Colleges and Universities offering majors in Criminal Justice

MyMajors complete list has 1,903 schools in the USA with a major in Criminal Justice.
-View the national listing!

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For information on options available to campuses wishing to see their programs listed on MyMajors, contact for details.