<p>A lot of people deride criminology & criminal justice majors as useless, but Maryland's program is the cream of the crop. Would it still be "useless"? I kinda want to work in national security, and I figure a CCJ degree would be good for that, but maybe not?</p>
<p>Combining it with a degree in international relations and going to law school would help.</p>
<p>What kind of job placement record does the program have?</p>
<p>@bman but if I don’t want to be a lawyer?</p>
<p>@jingle no idea. I tried googling it but no luck :/</p>
<h2>A lot of people deride criminology & criminal justice majors as useless, but Maryland’s program is the cream of the crop. Would it still be “useless”? I kinda want to work in national security, and I figure a CCJ degree would be good for that, but maybe not? ~ DCHurricane</h2>
<p>What gives you the notion that CJ would be good for “national security” (which is extremely vague)?</p>
<p>What exactly do you want to do in “national security?”</p>
<p>For arguments sake, let’s just group “national security” into two career paths. Federal law enforcement and military…althought local/state/private entities play a vital role.</p>
<p>For federal LE, a CJ won’t do squat for you. They hire passed on previous work experience (typically local and state LE), and your degree is just a check mark. Plus, let’s get real here, what could a CJ major bring to the table that isn’t already there?</p>
<p>You’d be much better off going to school for Computer Science, Accounting, or Bio/Chemistry, as those disciplines are the basis for most investigations.</p>
<p>As for the military, the above majors good, as are Poli Sci/IR, Economics and some others. This is if you want to be an Officer.</p>
<p>The worst thing about CJ is that if you don’t get the job you want, you are stick with very few other options. </p>
<p>So, what is it you want to do?</p>
<p>Be a 1811/Federal Agent, 0132 Intel Analyst? 0083 Federal Police Officer? Local/State Police Officer?</p>
<p>But, to answer your question - no, it doesn’t matter what where your CJ degree is from.</p>
<p>“Combining it with a degree in international relations and going to law school would help.”</p>
<p>Getting a criminal justice, international relations, and a law degree are a great way to ensure that you graduate college with massive debt and no job prospects.</p>
<p><a href=“http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com/2010/09/touro-law-gradhouse-painter-drowning-in.html[/url]”>http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com/2010/09/touro-law-gradhouse-painter-drowning-in.html</a></p>
<p>@BigEast, a Federal Agent or Intel Analyst would be interesting. So would local/state police officer.</p>
<p>By national security I meant working at DHS or DoD. An agent maybe, or an analyst, anything that’s very… how do I put it, hands-on with the task of securing the homeland. Not a paper-pusher (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s not what I’d like to be doing).</p>
<p>Well, CJ isn’t a good choice for either an agent or an analyst.</p>
<p>However, you need to get real…what do you think Intel Analysts do? Push paper, basically. They take data and compile it into report form and pass it up the food chain.</p>
<p>If you want “hands on” work, go join the Marines/Army. That’s as hands on as you get.</p>
<p>The Air Force has some pretty awesome combat orientated positions, check out ParaRescue and Combat Controller. If you are an outdoors type check out SERE.</p>
<p>I would recommend joining the Army and work your way into Human Intelligence.</p>
<p>Or, test yourself and get your hands dirty. Spend 4 years in an Infantry unit. If you can’t make it there, you have no business being “hands on with the task of securing the homeland.”</p>
<p>Also, you say this:</p>
<p>“Not a paper-pusher (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s not what I’d like to be doing).”</p>
<p>How do you know? What makes you think you’d like being “hands on” more than a paper pusher?</p>
<p>I’m not saying you aren’t capable, but put your money where your mouth is. We have 18 year old kids fighting in the mountains of Afganistan…you think that’s what they “like doing?”</p>
<p>I’m not picking on ya…but right now, it’s all hat - no cowboy. Sure, it looks cool on 24 or The Unit, but that’s not real life.</p>
<p>TRUST ME, when you are huddled up on a mountain ledge taking fire, a job “pushing paper” sounds GREAT!</p>
<p>It all depends on how hands on you wanna get.</p>
<p>What school you go to DOES matter. The internships available, the alumbi network, the connections the program has…all of those things matter a lot! There are some colleges that due research work with the FBI and CIA, their students clearly have a leg up when applying for jobs with the FBI. It’s ignorant not to look into the work the program does with agencies and what kind of connections they have.
What internships does the Maryland CJ program offer? Do they have events for students in that major? What does their senior year involve? Does it require a capstone research projects? A thesis? Or an actual fieldwork project? All those things will effect your marketability when you graduate.</p>
<p>Internships aren’t very important. They certainly don’t hurt, but that’s about it.</p>
<p>Usually they are just viewed as a class, that’s all.</p>
<p>As stated a thousand times, you get hired based on work experience. Your college degree is just a check mark on your application.</p>
<p>The FBI requires 3 years of working experience to qualify, and it’s that experience that gets you hired, not anything you do while in school.</p>
<p>Finish school and then join the military or a police department. After a few years if you still want to work for the FBI then apply.</p>
<p>The details of your college degree will be completely irrelevant by the time you are able to be competitive. On all my interviews, my education has never even came up - not once.</p>
<p>To me, CJ just seems like one of those degrees where it’s a scaled down version of something else (indirectly). Such as with IT vs. engineering.</p>
<p>I suppose my last post wasn’t very clear, so I apologize.</p>
<p>I wasn’t implying that the things described by Shibbychic (internships, research) shouldn’t be done or a waste of time - far from it. A student should take every opportunity to develop themselves and acquire better experience, skills and training. </p>
<p>Things like internships and research are great ways to start building your resume and show employers that you are ambitious, capable, and competent. </p>
<p>My point was that a person shouldn’t be mislead into believing that these experiences are what gets you hired at these agencies. Because unfortunately, things like internships and research opportunities will be largely ignored by the hiring panel, which will be much more focused on real life work experience and performance, specifically experience that can be transferred to the job duties.</p>
<p>Internships are primarily viewed as part of your education and isn’t looked at as work experience. Of course there is exceptions, especially with high tech/science work, but that’s what they are - exceptions to the rule.</p>
<p>It’s possible to get hired into federal LE out of college, but the chances of it being a 1811/Criminal Investigator position is unlikely to say the least. It’s so unlikely that it’s not even worth focusing on. Instead focus on getting a good first job out of school.</p>
<p>I went to a federal career panel last week on campus where they had employees from everything from DOD to IRS to FAA to Federal Air Marshals. All of them recommended internships because they can be listed on your resume. More than that though, they all recommended applying for STEP, SCEP, FCIP or PMF. Four of the people on the panel had graduated within the past two years from my school and had interned with the FAA, DOD & Homeland Security…they were all hired immediately following graduation (within 6 months due to paperwork etc) due to their involvement in the above named programs.
So again, make sure Maryland has a coordinator in their Career Center that can give you information about whether or not they offer those opportunities.</p>
<p>^ I highly doubt they were 1811/Criminal Investigators.</p>
<p>Were they armed? All agency recruiters I’ve ever encountered were HR staff.</p>
<p>Getting an office administration (HR, program assistant) job isn’t that difficult, but that isn’t what we are discussing here.</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks they will be out working cases within 6 months of graduation needs to get a reality check.</p>
<p>Well BEAST, what would a person with CJ degree do straight out of college? Do most become police officers?</p>
<p>Yeah, police officer. Which is the best place to start a career in law enforcement.</p>
<p>Some make a jump into federal LE, others stay in local/state LE their whole career. If you’re from MD, I’d strongly encourage you to look into the MD State Police. They are one of the best state LE agencies in America. PA State Police is also a great option, as they are full service (opposed to just highway patrol).</p>
<p>Of course some become probation/parol officers, social workers, security guards, or join the military.</p>
<p>Remember, even at local LE departments it can take up to a year (or more) to get hired. I’ve personally had situations where I completed the entire process (written test, panel interview, medical, physical, polygraph, and background investigation) and was waiting on an academy date and the department went on a hiring freeze, which can last a year (or more or less). This happened to me more than once.</p>
<p>You will not become a federal agent (1811 Criminal Investigator) straight out of college. You simply will not be competitive without solid work experience.</p>
<p>It is also very unlikely you’d be able to become an intel analyst, as hiring has drastically slowed down.</p>
<p>Don’t forget, the wars are slowing down which will mean Officers will start resigning their commissions and enlisted servicemen won’t re-up. After nearly a decade of deployments people will want to start being home with their families more and have a steady way of life. This means much greater competition, as the military trains the best applicants for FLE/Intel.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d join the military. You don’t have to be a shooter, but you still have to undergo some serious training.</p>
<p>The best part of the military is that it will give you experience and skills. Real skills, not stupid internship crap shuffling papers in an office.</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Marine Corps OCS Officer Candidates School USMC](<a href=“Marine Corps OCS Officer Candidates School USMC - YouTube”>Marine Corps OCS Officer Candidates School USMC - YouTube)</p>
<p>Now who would you like to hit a door with? Them? Or some kid who did an internship for 2 months filing papers?</p>
<p>BTW, I just search to for 1811 openings and there isn’t a single agency currently hiring entry level Criminal Investigators (GS 5 - 7).</p>
<p>The closest thing was the Postal Inspectors who are hiring a Criminal Investigator in San Juan, PR. Which will most likely go to an internal hire.</p>
<p>Ditto for Intel Analysts. No agencies are currently hiring at an entry level basis, the lowest they are hiring is at a GS-9.</p>
<p>I’d love to join the military after school actually. Whether they’d take me is another issue entirely 
</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info so far btw, it’s very helpful.</p>
<p>Start applying to police departments about 9 months prior to graduation. That will give you a better feel on the process.</p>
<p>Also, head on over to officer.com and use their boards. You will get alot of good advice, plus you will be able to see what departments are hiring and how long the process is taking.</p>
<p>For example, I knew a guy that waited 3 years to get hired by Border Patrol, and a few others that took the same amount of time to get hired by the Air Marshals.</p>