An associate of arts degree is a two-year degree that enables the degree holder to gain an entry-level position. A student seeking an AA degree in criminal justice and criminology learns about theory of crime and criminal behavior, social psychology, juvenile delinquency and justice, and information technology in criminal justice.
The two-year degrees increase the student's knowledge in crimes as well as in processing alleged criminals. A student with an AA degree has the ability to enter the law enforcement field or to work in the court system as a court clerk or a security or corrections officer.
A bachelor's degree takes about four years to complete. For those already in the criminology and criminal justice field, the degree gives the degree holder the opportunity to advance her career. A bachelor's degree prepares students to work in positions that include police officers, deputy sheriffs and fraud investigators. Depending on the school, the student may have the opportunity to earn a professional certificate along with the degree. For example, the Colorado Technical University online degree allows a student to earn a certificate in law enforcement skills, corrections technician crime, legal studies and court process, and crime scene investigation. The student may complete a degree online or on campus.
A master's degrees is a preparation for a management position. Common management positions are in corrections, probation, security and immigration. Through the coursework, a student will have the ability to identify and solve problems in the criminal justice system.
A master's degree in criminology provides a student a solid foundation in the criminology field. The master's degree prepares the student to work in professional positions in the criminal justice system. A master's degree also enables the student to work in administrative education, community college teaching, counseling, research and management. Admission into a master's program may include strict requirements. For example, California State University-Fresno requires a master degree candidate who holds a baccalaureate degree to have a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. The degree must be from an accredited school.
Before entering a Ph.D. program, the student must demonstrate a master's level of knowledge in the criminology or criminal justice field. The candidate must have the ability to do original and independent thinking as well as independent research. Each school sets the requirements for this degree. For example, Florida State University requires all candidates to complete the program within five years of the start date. At the university, the students must have a passing exam score in each of the three required exams. The exams are theory in criminology and criminal justice, research methods and statistics, and a substantive area of specialization.