Learn more about criminal justice graduate programs.

Importance of Accreditation

As you research the available online criminal justice graduate programs, accreditation is one of the most important aspects to focus on. This step should not be taken lightly, because a lack of accreditation may prove your degree worthless or of little value if the program is not properly accredited.  The purpose of accreditation is to certify that education made available by institutions of higher learning meets satisfactory levels of quality. A few of the accrediting agencies to look for include the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC).

Career Choices

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts job growth of 11-17 percent in the next 10 years due to an increased demand for public safety and crime prevention. While a bachelor’s degree is typically enough for entry into the field, a degree from one of the accredited criminal justice graduate programs is required for those professionals wanting to join a specialized justice agency. Graduates generally seek positions with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Secret Service, the Border Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.  In addition, graduates pursue careers in justice administration, juvenile justice, or law enforcement.

Learn more about criminal justice graduate programs.

The criminal justice industry is popular career choice because the work is challenging, there are a wide variety of working environments, and there is a sense of personal responsibility associated with the profession.  A MS in Criminal Justice will allow you to stand above your peers for some of the higher level, specialized positions in the industry.

Why an Online Juris Doctorate Degree?

An online Juris Doctorate degree is a convenient way of getting your PhD while you work and care for a family. These are usually big priorities in an adult students life, and so being able to take courses online at any time during the day or night is a big plus for a college course.

They are fully accredited and offered by prestigious and well known schools, such as George Washington University, Cornell, and many others. There are also online universities that have been created purely for offering accredited distance learning programs online.

What can I Do as a Lawyer?

There are many reasons people go into law. Some do it for an interest in criminal justice. Some do it as a way to help their community and uphold the laws of our society that make up its’ very foundation. Others do it for the job security, and an average annual salary of $100,000 per year. The fact is, you will be achieving all of this in one go.

What Type of Lawyer can I Become?

There are a number of options, and each one has its’ own rewards and pay rates. You can get into something like business and bankruptcy, helping people in debt find their way out. You can become a civil lawyer and handle lawsuits and corporate problems. Or a criminal lawyer, helping in the defense or prosecution. These are only a few options.

The FBI or the CIA are federal organizations with employees that are great experts in their field. If you want to be part of their world, criminal justice graduate programs will help you. Taking only 2 years, these criminal justice graduate programs will prepare you for a position that will help bring order to your community and the world.

Criminal justice is a noble field. Being part of this industry makes you one of the guardians of order in this world. But if you want to be able to serve humankind in bigger ways, taking up one of the criminal justice graduate programs should be your ticket. Because you will be doing specialized studies, you will become an expert and a bigger asset to the criminal justice field.

As mentioned, criminal justice graduate programs will open doors for you in the FBI or the CIA. You can also work in the administrative divisions of police departments or correctional facilities. You can even work in the legal field or in educational institutions. The possibilities are endless.

Many high ranking criminal justice employees earn more  than $50,000 a year. Police supervisors, for instance, can earn more than $72,000 every year. For employees in the federal forces, salary can reach more than $90,000.

If you are working in the criminal justice field, you may have considered your future as a higher ranking member of whatever field you have chosen to excel. But to do this, you will probably need a higher education to beat out the competition, and for administrative or teaching positions within the criminal justice genre, that means a PhD.

But you don’t have to give up your job, time with family, or even go to a campus trying to fit in classes on a crazy schedule to get it. An online PhD criminal justice program will give you what you need, while allowing you to seek out a degree on your own time. This is a great benefit for many, as they work their way to the top.

What Can I Make With an Online PhD Criminal Justice Degree?

As you get into a higher position your salary will increase. If you work in the police force, a supervisory position will bring in around $60,000 a year. If you are in law, a lawyer can make up to $100,000 per year, and a judge even more. The amount you make will depend on your concentration and career choice, but with a PhD it will be significantly higher.

With an online PhD criminal justice program you can get into the highest ranks of the criminal law system, fighting in the name of justice and making the world a better and safer place. If you already have a masters, and you have been considering taking that last step on the ladder of education, look into an online PhD criminal justice program now.

1. What sort of criminal justice PhD programs are there, in terms of concentrations?
   There are a number of different common focuses people might choose for their criminal justice PhD.  For example, there are concentrations which focus on legal and social issues, like Law & Society.  There are forensic science concentrations, even IT concentrations.  And of course there are criminology and criminal psychology programs, as well as organizational and administration programs within the field of criminal justice.There are also public policy concentrations, and human services/social services concentrations within the criminal justice field.
2. What career fields are open to people who graduate from criminal justice PhD programs?
   As with most PhDs & other doctoral level degrees, a criminal justice PhD will qualify you to teach at the university level within the field.  A PhD will also open up the doors to opportunities in leadership positions within the legal, law enforcement, and government systems for those who want to pursue high-echelon careers.You should carefully look into the qualifications that will help you obtain your career goals.  And don’t enter a PhD program solely to get a job that requires one–these programs are challenging and ask a great deal of candidates, a very high price to pay for simply the possibility of a job you want.
3. Who should consider applying to criminal justice PhD programs?
   Candidates for doctoral programs in any field must be academically inclined, have excellent writing skills, and enjoy (and be good at) research.  In criminal justice programs, an educational and career background in the field is very helpful.  Spending time on the police force or in the courtroom is almost a must.
   
   
4. Where are criminal justice PhD programs available? Will I have to relocate?
   Almost anywhere, now that there are criminal justice PhD tracks available online!

What kind of careers are open to those with a criminal justice PhD?

A doctoral degree holder in the criminal justice field can expect to find career opportunities in education–teaching at the university level, for example, the judicial system and legal profession, in law enforcement, or, depending upon one’s specialization in fields as varied as psychology and social work.

How long does it take to finish an online PhD criminal justice program?

Most doctoral degree candidates take five to seven years to complete their doctorate programs.  This, of course, depends heavily on several different factors, like the length of time it takes you to complete your dissertation.  There are also online PhD criminal justice programs which offer accelerated classes for the coursework portion of the degree, which can significantly reduce the time it takes you to finish and receive your doctorate.

What specializations or focuses are available when getting a criminal justice doctorate?

This depends primarily on the student’s resourcefulness and the faculty at the university offering the degree.  For example, if you plan to specialize in criminal psychology, that type of program is only going to be available at a university with faculty who can serve in an advisory capacity for that specialization.

Who is a good candidate for an online PhD criminal justice program?

GMAT scores are almost always an important factor in being accepted for candidacy, as is your educational history.  Good transcripts and references help.

What sort of career background makes for a good doctoral candidate in the field of criminal justice?

There’s really no one ideal career background for candidates who wish to participate in an online PhD criminal justice program, but of course a career related to the field of criminal justice or your proposed specialization in that field can have a positive effect on your application’s chance of being accepted.

If you are considering working towards a PhD in criminal justice, there are some things you should know about the ideal criminal justice PhD program candidate.

Prior Education and Experience

Education

Those who wish to pursue their PhD in the field of criminal justice should have the proper educational foundation to do so.  A PhD program is an intensive educational program that builds upon the already substantial knowledge and experience of the candidate.  Successful candidates should have a master’s level degree in a related field; the degree need not be specifically in criminal justice, but it should be in a complementary field. Examples of master’s degrees that are an appropriate prelude to a criminal justice  PhD program are master’s in forensics, sociology, criminology, legal fields, human services, psychology, and the like.  The emphasis of the prior degree should be translated into the candidate’s focus for their PhD program.

Career-related Experience

Ideal candidates also exhibit their career experience related to their choice of PhD program.  This experience can vary widely, but as with the prior education requirement, it should be closely related to their proposed focus for their PhD.  Work in the fields of law enforcement, social work, psychiatry, and the legal profession are often ideal.

General Skills

All PhD programs, including a criminal justice PhD program, require an excellent grasp of research techniques, exemplary writing skills, and the motivation and dedication required to complete very high level coursework and projects.  The final portion of receiving your PhD is the successful completion of a dissertation based upon the student’s original research; this dissertation should contribute substantially to the field of study and be suitable for publication in a scholarly journal related to the field.

A Criminal Justice PhD Program for You

If you believe your PhD in criminal justice is the right step for your professional and personal journey, research your options carefully before enrolling.

]]> http://www.online-phd-degree.net/online-doctorate-degrees/criminal-justice-phd-program/feed/ 0 http://www.online-phd-degree.net/college-reviews/columbia-southern-university-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=columbia-southern-university-online http://www.online-phd-degree.net/college-reviews/columbia-southern-university-online/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:12:45 +0000 Sandra Wrangell http://www.online-phd-degree.net/?p=35 Columbia Southern University Online

• Columbia Southern University was established in 1993
• As one of the nation’s first completely online universities, all degree programs are offered by Columbia Southern are 100% online
• Open enrollment policy; no predetermined semester or session dates to contend with
• Generous transfer credit policy
• Accredited member of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)

About Columbia Southern University Online

If you are a busy professional looking to increase your salary, your job position and your knowledge, an online degree might be just what you are looking for.  By pursuing your degree online, you are able to define your own study and class schedule, because course content at Columbia Southern University Online is available at your fingertips 24/7.  The flexibility of the classes are designed with the adult student in mind.

Learn more about Columbia Southern University online.

Columbia Southern University Online Doctorate Degree

An online doctorate program is ideal for someone looking to obtain the highest degree in the nation in their particular field, without leaving their job to study.  Because Columbia Southern University Online offers the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) degree online, you can get quality education without jeopardizing your job.  This degree will not only increase your prestige, but also your overall knowledge about the business world.

Columbia Southern University Online Doctor of Business Administration

The online DBA program is made up of 61 semester hours that can be completed over a maximum ten-year period of time.

There are 45 hours of required DBA courses in this program, which include courses on economics, research methods, human resource management, business and global strategy, marketing, finance and many more core business elements.

There are also a required 12 hours of dissertation courses, in which students present papers, manuscripts and other bodies of research.  The remaining hours are made up of exams, orientation, and other courses.

The Columbia Southern University Online DBA program is perfect for a Master student who wants to integrate professional business knowledge with skills that can be applied directly to the workplace.

A typical graduate from this program will be equipped with the ability to provide business solutions to complex problems, build models of situations, and comprehend performance centered design and knowledge management.

Graduate Degrees offered by Columbia Southern University Online

• Doctor of Business Administration
• Master of Business Administration (10 concentrations available)
• MS Criminal Justice Administration
• MS Occupational Safety and Health

Columbia Southern University Tuition and Financial Aid

Columbia Southern University Online tuition for the Online DBA program is an incredible value for a doctoral program: $295 per credit hour.  Students in this program may also eligible for a Columbia Southern Book Grant.

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