What Classes do you Take for Criminal Justice?
Considering a future in the field of criminal justice? When it comes to preparing yourself for a life in criminal justice, earning a bachelor’s degree is a great way to get started. You could gain the knowledge you’ll need on the job to protect individuals from criminals, and help to rehabilitate those who commit crimes to rejoin society.
Getting a formal education in criminal justice can appear daunting. Thankfully, there are accelerated programs, which don’t require 4-years of your life to complete and can even be done online to help you schedule around school or family obligations. Let’s take a look at some of the classes you will be likely to take for a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Keep in mind that all schools are different; be sure to check what the exact curriculum is before applying.
Starting Out: The General Education Classes
The goal of a bachelor’s degree is to give you a solid background in education. It might seem like taking classes in math or physics is extraneous, but it actually exposes you to different concepts and ideas, expanding your comprehension. As for whether or not you’ll use this material on the job, you might be surprised.
- English: You have to write out reports as a police officer and read all sorts of paperwork. You’ll need to be able to understand, comprehend, and even read between the lines. Composition classes can help you do just that.
- Science: Crime scene management and investigation uses science in a practical way. For example, blood splatter physics is exactly that; physics. Learning about the physical world and how it behaves can help you when you’re working.
- Public Speaking: As a police officer or detective, you will have to talk to people. Lots of different kinds of people. You might even need to address many people at once, such as community groups for safety awareness. Knowing how to speak confidently and clearly will help you perform your duties.
Moving On: The Core Classes
When it comes time to start studying for your core classes, it can be exciting to go down the list of classes you need and find out exactly what you’re going to be learning. Common core classes include introductions to subjects such as criminal justice and terrorism. Also, classes about criminal law, procedures, ethics, and criminology are likely. Other core classes focus on crime scenes and investigation methods, with entries such as crime scene management, investigations, and research methods.
The goal of core classes is to make you a well-rounded graduate who has had the opportunity to learn about many different subjects and methods in your field. Having experience through an externship or internship will be a different, but integral part of your college degree.
Your Pick: Elective Classes
It might seem like all of your classes have already been selected for you. But you have some freedom to choice what you take as well. If you are particularly interested in probation or parole work within the field, you might be able to take a specific class in it, better helping you prepare for your chosen position.
Sometimes referred to as the “fun” classes, your college or university might offer classes such as special topics in criminal justice, intelligence, juvenile justice, or even digital forensic analysis. Electives are a chance to explore the field and see which areas you are adept at handling and which ones you need to work a little harder on.
Are you interested in the field of criminal justice? If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, ECPI University offers this program in an accelerated format, on campus or online. For more information about this degree program, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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