Anyone familiar with Law and Justice/Criminal Justice major? My son got accepted into many colleges and he wants to pursue a career in Law and Justice. He hopes to be in CSI/FBI. Any recommendations on this career? This is not the major my husband and I hoped for but this is his dream. He wants to live on campus which means tuition is minimum $30,000 a year at whichever college he chooses (some are $50,000).
Anyone familiar with this major? If he gets his masters, do you think he will be able to get a job (not a police officer)?
Should he minor in something too?
My oldest son is in his last year of medical school so we will be paying for two at the same time.
This is what I’m worried about. We tried to steer him towards something else. We are thinking public university which is $30,000 with room and board. I’m concerned about lack of jobs or lack of desirable jobs.
Again, what are his stats like? Does he understand how the CJ degree is viewed by professionals in the business? Has he ever made contact and done any research? Is he a 4 yr uni candidate?
OP- you can check out the hiring requirements of the FBI by googling. Most agents hired today have a degree in something else, and usually a Master’s degree. The work is increasingly sophisticated- computer science skills are in demand, foreign languages, accounting and finance. The days where it was a half step up from being a sheriff on a local force (not that those folks don’t do hard and dangerous work as well) are over.
If his dream is working for the FBI, let him spend some time looking through the federal websites. And he can look at CIA or ATF as well while he’s doing his research.
If I had a kid who wanted to work for the FBI, I’d be encouraging a computer science degree, plus fluency in a strategic language. Not criminal justice. But if this is his dream, he needs to take a look at what’s required to get hired. And definitely plan on grad school- whether he ends up at the SEC, FBI, CIA, Interpol, etc. he’ll likely need a Master’s degree.
And for CSI- chemistry. You can get a job as a tech with a CJ degree, but that’s for low end lab work (and those jobs don’t pay very well, even if the shows on TV show those techs driving fancy cars.) Does he realize that becoming a medical examiner means that you’re an actual MD? Not just someone with a degree in criminal justice?
I have a few friends in the FBI and they all have their JD and I have always been led to believe that a JD was a requirement, but I could be mistaken. If I am correct you will need to factor law school into the equation but that gives a little more flexibility for under grad as a CJ degree would not be necessary.
My best friend is one of the foremost experts in the field of CJ and is a professor at a top school (not one you listed). He started with an undergrad CJ degree and then kept going as the job prospects were not what he was looking for with just his BA and masters and he learned he liked to research and write which led to the land of higher ed.
not sure a CJ degree is needed for the feds. A neighbor’s daughter is a Frosh at U-Chicago – dunno her major, but they no not offer CJ – and she just interviewed for a summer internship with Chicago FBI field office.
fwiw: a CJ degree is not looked upon favorably by law schools, which tend to prefer a liberal arts degree vs. a pre-professional degree.
Is he a candidate for a rigorous undergrad degree? CJ just isn’t know as rigorous and if that is what attracts your kid to this particular approach, then it seems prudent to go the cheapest route. The kid I knew who wanted this degree went to CC but wasn’t 4 yr ready. Still isn’t years later though.
Finances trump desires when going to college. I am a firm believer in living on campus, especially as a freshman, instead of commuting from home. I would find the money for this.
Your son needs to research the background education for various jobs he wants. Criminal justice (and the like) may not be the preparation wanted/needed as posters have stated. My brother wanted the CJ major but dropped out of college- limiting his prison guard (there’s a loftier term) promotion opportunities. My impression is that CJ as a major may be more geared towards law enforcement on a lower level than your son desires.
Had a cybersecurity talk once by an investment firm we use where the presenter was now in the private sector but had been an FBI agent. A few scary incidents mentioned- such as family safety… My impression is that the FBI has a very diverse, educated workforce. Your son needs to look at an overall education for his bachelor’s degree. Going to the instate flagship is likely a best choice. CJ was offered at a far lesser school in WI (UW-Platteville), you may find that true for options in other states.
Do not worry about future jobs. He will figure those out when the time comes. He does need to do the research on who gets hired for jobs. He likely will be surprised. Looks like this weekend he has a project.
My son is a freshman in college and plans to work for the FBI/CIA. He is majoring in Intelligence Analysis(National Security Concentration) and will likely minor in Geo Sciences or CIS.
The one thing we’ve been told, and that stuck with me, is that the FBI can teach you the Criminal Justice part. They prefer applicants possess degrees and experience in other disciplines, like business, or high value languages.
My brother got his undergrad degree in CJ and worked as an undercover narcotics cop for many years. The police force paid for his master’s degree (computer forensics?), then he spent the last 20 years of his career with the FBI investigating fraud and, later, capturing Internet pedophiles. He loved every aspect of the work as he moved from young police officer to grizzled FBI agent. It took him three tries before he was finally able to walk away from the work for good and stay retired. I think he still misses it.
i am seeing the results of kids choosing this degree. they struggle mightily. as others have said, get a degree in something these agencies need. also ask this question - do you know anyone, literally one person, who does criminal forensics? this is a tv show job. even fbi agents - how many do you know? it’s extremely hard. being a cop or in the military would help. it’s not that unlike my previous field - journalism - no one wanted a comm major. show us something you know. not that you know how to convey it.