Get Accepted & Paying Your Way
Admission requirements can vary widely depending on the type of program and institution offering it. Another consideration is how to pay for this education and training. During your application process, keep the following pointers in the back of your mind to help you get into the best program to meet your needs and goals as a future police officer.
Entrance requirements
Entry into various degree programs in law enforcement will all require some general points, such as completing an application, paying an application fee and presenting proof of high school graduation.
The associate degree program might require:
- A personal statement
- Transcripts from any other college courses taken
The bachelors degree might require additional information:
- Transcripts from associate degree work
- Completion of certain prerequisites
- A resume of related experience
Application process & fees
Paying for Your Program
How much a training or educational program costs depends greatly upon the degree level you want to obtain. For instance, obtaining an associate degree will cost much less than a bachelors degree will. To learn more about financial aid options and how those will affect your financial bottom line, visit our online financial aid handbook:
Step 4
Impress At Your Police Officer Interview
Many hopeful applicants will be offered an interview during the hiring process. This is an opportunity to get to know you on a personal level, and sometimes that can be enough to land you that coveted job. Here are some questions you might encounter during that interview:
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What Associate Degrees Should Aspiring Law Enforcement Officials Consider
Associate degrees are two-year programs available at most community colleges, regional and technical colleges, online universities, and some traditional four-year universities. You have to earn a total of about 60 credit hours, which includes courses in your chosen major as well as general education courses like English, math, and science.
Several popular associate degree programs could give you the education you need to get started in a law enforcement career.
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Types Of Police Officer
When you work as a police officer, you will be in a setting where rank and seniority make a big difference. Like the military, there is a direct hierarchy of authority whereas a private-sector boss can make a request, the head of a police department gives an order, and its your duty to follow these orders.
The exact structure of a police department can vary by region and size, but it generally starts with police officers, the most common rank. These are the professionals who complete ground-level duties of patrol and emergency response, forming the backbone of law enforcement across the country.
Next in rank are detectives, who perform crime scene investigations and work on individual cases.
From there, the structure of a police force, from lowest to highest rank, looks something like this:
- Corporal Essentially an entry-level supervisor, often in charge of a small group of administrators.
- Sergeant First-line supervisors, usually overseeing a group of officers and detectives.
- Lieutenant In charge of a group of supervisors.
- Captain Commanders of entire districts and units.
- Staff Inspector Responsible for overseeing large units and multiple districts.
- Chief Inspector Commanders of a bureau or large group of units.
- Deputy Commissioner In charge of large sections of departments and districts.
In other cities, the police department can be headed by a chief, and there are other rankings and titles that can be found depending on the region.
Advanced Law Enforcement Degrees To Help Further Your Career
After serving a few years as a police or patrol officer, you may qualify for a promotion. Moving up through the ranks usually requires additional education and training. For the highest ranks, such as captain or commander, a masters or doctoral degree could be advantageous. You might also be able to further your career by specializing in a field of law enforcement.
Its not unusual for police officers to study for college degrees while they continue to work. Classes for advanced degrees are often held in the evening and weekend. Online degrees are also available.
Popular degrees include:
Master of Criminal JusticeYou can gain a deeper understanding of crime and the criminal justice system. This degree can prepare you to qualify for a promotion to a higher rank such as a detective, sergeant, and lieutenant.
Master of Law Enforcement LeadershipThis degree emphasizes management and administration skills in the field of law enforcement. You could become qualified for a promotion to a supervisory position in the police department or for similar leadership jobs such as prison warden or director of probation or parole division.
Master of Public Safety AdministrationThis degree is designed with first responders in mind. You can learn more about managing public service organizations, including police departments. It can prepare you for leadership and supervisory positions within a police department or related jobs such as EMT supervisor or chief security officer.
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Bachelors Degrees In Criminal Justice
A bachelors degree is a four-year program that is around 120-semester credits . Students often enter a bachelors in criminal justice straight out of high school. Others complete an associate program first, meaning they have already completed roughly half of the required credits for a bachelors degree.
Students entering from high school must cover all the same lower-level coursework from an associate program . The final two years cover upper-level courses, which could include the following:
- Criminal law: Officers need to understand the U.S. Constitution so they can properly collect evidence, protect suspects rights, and arrest them.
- Applied research: Youve already learned what statistics mean this class is about using collected statistics to make decisions. For instance, you might be asked to determine how to deploy officers and use department funds to best prevent crime.
- Criminal psychology: This class is about getting into criminals heads to learn why they behave the way they do. Its important for crime prevention as well as rehabilitation efforts.
Weve laid out all the details on bachelors degrees in criminal justice on our site. You may want to take a look if youre interested in careers outside patrol. The FBI, for example, requires special agents to hold a bachelors degree. Fish and game wardens also need a four-year degree.
Basic Educational Requirements For Police Officers
In general, the required education for a police officer is a high school diploma or an equivalent GED. Only two states, Minnesota and Wisconsin, require an associates college degree. However, individual police departments may choose to require education beyond the state minimum, and some do. About one percent of police departments mandate a bachelors degree as a prerequisite, while about 15% require at least some level of college education. Those agencies requiring higher education typically are in larger, urban areas, but it can be a good idea to find out the specific requirements in your area so that you can be well prepared.
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How Long Is Police Academy
One of the most important steps, as well as possibly the most challenging, in your path to becoming a police officer is training at a police academy. Each state will have different requirements for the specifics of a police academy, but recruits will typically spend about 800 hours in training before graduation. In general, the academy will take about six months to complete.
Become A Police Officer: Step
In Georgia, the peace officer certification process is regulated by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council . Therefore, some of the processes and paperwork you must complete will be through POST, while others will be completed directly through the GPSTC regional academy where you will receive your training.
Students attending basic training who are not employed by a law enforcement agency are referred to aspre-service candidates. Below are the steps that pre-service candidates must take before being accepted into a police academy to become certified as a Peace Officer in the state of Georgia.
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Benefits Of Earning A Policing Degree
While a policing degree is not required to become a law enforcement official, a policing degree from Laurier helps enhance the career and earning potential of an individual who wants to pursue a career in this field.
Graduates with a bachelors degree in policing will have an advantage when pursuing leadership positions and promotions. In addition to becoming a police officer, some of the top job opportunities for graduates include emergency management specialist, crime analyst and security director.
Additionally, the earning potential is higher for graduates with an online degree in policing. Higher education can translate into higher wages than a high school or college diploma alone. Earning a bachelors degree can earn you over 30 percent higher earnings than high school graduates.
In terms of salaries in Canada, a police officer earns an average of $93,000 per year. The average security director salary in Canada is $99,000. And a detective sergeant can earn in excess of $121,000 annually.
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What Skills Does A Police Officer Need
Learning how to become a police officer requires the development of specific skills. According to the BLS, these include the following:
Communication. Officers should be able to speak with and record data from colleagues and community members, as well as express information effectively both verbally and in writing. Empathy. Officers should understand the diverse perspectives and needs of the communities in their jurisdictions while enforcing the law and assisting the public. Judgment. Officers should use common sense and relevant knowledge to address problems and resolve issues appropriately. Leadership. Officers should be comfortable with guiding, correcting, and directing community members as needed. Fitness. Officers should have enough strength and stamina to perform the challenging physical aspects of their responsibilities.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bachelors In Law Enforcement Programs
A bachelorâs in law enforcement qualifies students for public service and safety careers. Bachelorâs degree-holders can pursue jobs in fields, such as policing and investigation that usually offer salary and pension benefits.
While the cost of higher education varies, the National Center for Education Statistics calculates the cost of earning a degree at a four-year institution at more than $27,000. Many online programs, however, offer benefits, such as flexible enrollment and set or in-state tuition rates.
Law enforcement is a common major among candidates for police academy training, which is required by most police agencies for new officers.
Emergency management directors can earn a median annual wage of more than $76,000. Among law enforcement officers, detectives and criminal investigators earned the highest salary at nearly $87,000, with earnings exceeding $92,000 for federal government workers.
Corrections is one area of specialization under the broader category of law enforcement. Aspiring correctional, probation, or parole officers may study corrections, while a bachelorâs in law enforcement can lead to careers in policing, investigation, and public safety.
Consider A Bachelors Degree
There are many reasons why earning a bachelors degree may be an important step in becoming a police officer. Becoming a police officer does not automatically require one, but some employers may favor candidates who hold a relevant degree.
Police officers who want to pursue more advanced or specialized forms of police work are typically interested in supervisory roles, management positions, criminology sciences, governmental advisory positions, or security jobs in private institutions. Although it is possible for police officers without bachelors degrees to advance to these roles, having a higher education may give these candidates competitive advantages.
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Is Criminology And Law Enforcement The Same
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There is a distinction to be made between the disciplines of criminology and criminal justice. Students should study criminology if they want to pursue research or a career in public policy. If students want to work in the legal system or law enforcement, they should take a criminal justice course.
Those interested in becoming professionals in criminal justice frequently refer to it as paradigmology versus criminal justice. Both terms have many different meanings and frequently serve the same purpose. The psychology and sociology of crime are studied in criminology, whereas criminal justice studies the legal and other legal frameworks. Crime researchers seek to understand why some people commit crimes while others are not. Candidates for a position as a criminologist must have a bachelors degree in a related field, such as criminology. Crime is investigated, suspects are apprehended, criminals are prosecuted in court, and offenders are sentenced as part of the criminal justice system. The study of crime, its causes, and effects on society is known as criminology.
Training Institutions For Police Officers
Now that you know what options there are for becoming a police officer, its important to know where they are offered. There are many schools that exist to help you move into the law enforcement career of your choice. Here are the options:
Vocational/trade schools
These post-high school institutions focus their programs and curriculums on skill-oriented or hands-on training. This training can come in the form of what effectively amounts to an in-house police academy. Vocational and trade schools can provide the fastest way to obtain the training necessary to become a police officer and allow students to receive police academy training without attending the official police academy. Its also fairly affordable compared to earning a college degree. Keep in mind that graduation doesnt guarantee a job in law enforcement and may not result in an academic credential that provides opportunities for professional advancement.
Best for? Those confident in obtaining a job offer after graduation and want to serve as a police officer as quickly as possible.
Community colleges
Best for? Students who would like to earn a college degree along with their law enforcement training.
Military
Best for? Those who love serving their country or community will benefit from the rewarding experience that can come from military service.
Four-year schools
Best for? Aspiring police officers who want an extra way to stand out from the pack of applicants, as well as those looking for federal work.
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Criminal Justice Or Criminology
Another common degree specialty for cops is a degree in criminal justice or criminology. While the two fields are related, criminal justice is defined as the study of the system of US law enforcement, including courts and corrections, while criminology is the broader and more theoretical study of the social phenomenon of crime, including its causes and consequences. That said, an education in criminal justice may be best suited for prospective cops, but criminology can certainly be helpful too. Students in criminal justice and criminology programs will learn about the criminal justice system, criminology, courts, and the US correctional system, and coursework may cover research methods and statistics as well. Coursework may include courses such as Policing, Juvenile Justice, Corrections, Courts and Judicial Process, Research Methods in Criminal Justice, and Prisons: Punishment and Rehabilitation in America. Criminal justice and criminology degrees are available at all degree levels, from certificates to graduate degrees.
Police Now Graduate Schemes
Police Now is an independent charity with a mission to transform communities by recruiting, developing and inspiring diverse leaders in policing.
The organisation works in partnership with police forces to attract, recruit and train outstanding graduates with leadership potential to be inspirational detectives and police officers through their award-winning national graduate programmes.
Equipping participants with core policing skills, Police Nows two-year national graduate programmes help to develop leadership, communication and problem-solving skills that will serve graduates, and the wider community, for a lifetime.
The two graduate programmes are:
- National Graduate Leadership Programme which trains and develops graduates to become leaders in neighbourhood policing. Participants are placed in some of the most challenging communities in England and Wales, getting to know the issues up close and developing innovative ideas and techniques to tackle the challenges residents are facing.
- National Detective Programme which is designed to equip graduates with the core policing skills required in modern investigative work. Throughout the programme, participants play an important part in solving crimes while developing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Both programmes involve the completion of a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice with the University of Huddersfield.
To be eligible for Police Nows national graduate programmes, you must:
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Associate Degree In Criminal Justice
Associate degrees in criminal justice provides a general background in criminal law, police procedures, investigative techniques, sociology, and ethics.
After taking your core classes in criminal justice and general education, you may be able to choose electives in a concentration such as policing, law enforcement, first responder, homeland security, computer forensics, or corrections.
Not all programs will have the same areas of concentrations or electives, so before choosing a school, examine the curriculum carefully. If youre not sure what career path you want, dont worry a general criminal justice degree is designed to give you the basic education needed to begin your career. If you decide to specialize, you can return to school later for a certificate or bachelors degree.
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