An associate degree or certificate, proof of one to two years of college education in criminal justice, is required for most jobs. In fact, many applicants for police officer jobs already hold an associate or bachelor's degree in a criminal justice or public safety field. However, many people enter the field with no degree. For example, to apply to be a deputy sheriff in Jefferson County, Colorado, only a high school diploma or GED is necessary. College credits are a plus and are required for promotional opportunities. No degree is required.
There are many, many criminal justice schools in every state. They vary from public community colleges and universities to private schools such as Kaplan University, Brown Mackie College and Strayer University. All schools offer differing degree levels, and many have online programs.
Associate degrees usually take two years to complete and are the minimum requirement for entry into many criminal justice positions. Required classes cover such topics as the criminal court system, corrections, communications and policing practices.
Bachelor of Science in criminal justice programs are usually four-year degrees consisting both of core courses required for all Bachelor of Science degrees, plus criminal justice courses. Typical criminal justice course topics are theories of crime, punishment and corrections, criminal law and reasoning, juvenile justice and white-collar crime. Another option is a bachelor's degree program in which classes focus on a specific area such as law enforcement, forensic science, corrections, computer science, juvenile justice or administration of criminal justice. These programs can result in a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice with an emphasis in the area of specialization.
Masters degree programs vary greatly. At some schools, master's programs provide bachelor's degree holders with advanced training for promotions or management opportunities in criminal justice, such as the University of Phoenix's program for a Master of Science in administration of justice and security. At the University of Cincinnati, one master's degree program teaches about analysis of criminal behavior, research methods and professional writing.
Some criminal justice schools offer certificate programs that take one year to complete. Some certificate programs are for entry-level students and teach specialized areas of criminal justice. By contrast, Capella University offers a certificate program at a graduate level, for professionals such as counselors who might, for example, want to work for corrections agencies.