Wondering what's taught in a criminal justice program?

Some courses you can expect include: The History of Violence in US Society, Criminal Law, Police Administration, Criminal Procedure and Evidence, and Interviewing and Interrogation.

Most programs also offer coursework that covers specific areas of criminal justice, including:

• Probation and Parole
• Terrorism
• Crisis Intervention
• Domestic Violence
• Emergency Management
• White Collar and Organized Crime Investigations
• Cybercrime
• Gangs and Juvenile Justice

Programs educate students on the specifics of the American justice system and emphasize oral and written communication, as police, forensic scientists, and other criminal justice professionals must be able to clearly communicate their findings to build their case. Criminal justice programs also tend to be concentrated in social and behavioral sciences with core coursework in government, law, sociology, and psychology.

Many programs also include an internship, which helps students gain professional experience and define their career goals. These positions may be within government agencies, private security operations, prosecutor's and public defender's offices, courts, or other organizations.

Graduates of a criminal justice program often go on to enroll in a police academy or receive training from a government agency. For the police, a degree might not be mandatory, but will help you advance in rank and will increase your starting salary. This is also true for those who decide to work in the private sector, since, as with most professions, those with post-secondary education command a higher salary.