Criminal justice degrees handle a variety of specializations like public safety and law enforcement, correction, criminology, social work, law, etc. But after finishing a criminal justice major, it is tough to get your dream job right away. This is because such degrees work on practical skills and qualities that need to be refined with experience. So, to accomplish any long-term professional ambitions, you should begin by taking a small step, i.e., by getting entry-level jobs. To minimize your efforts, here are some of the popular entry-level jobs that can be considered for shaping your career.
Patrol officer – To be a detective or a federal agent, you will first have to work your way through positions. Commonly, one can start working as a patrol officer, who is required to maintain law and order in a specific geographical area. They have an assortment of duties like monitoring reported areas for unlawful activities, making arrests, administering traffic laws, and efficiently communicating with police personnel belonging to other departments.
Forensics expert – An integral part of investigation agencies, forensics have increasingly become a popular option amongst students, mostly because its unique approach towards solving crimes. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice offers specialized coursework for aspiring criminologists, DNA analysts, ballistics experts, crime scene specialists, etc. For a subject like criminology, you will also need to grasp imperative concepts and techniques related to chemistry and biology.
Police dispatcher – Did you major in law enforcement? Then you can start by working as a police dispatcher, who is responsible for taking emergency calls and sending uniforms for assistance. As a dispatcher, you will need to have sharp listening and quick decision-making skills, so that even the most horrible situation can be dealt with tact. While working as a dispatcher, you will also get an opportunity to learn about additional police duties and functions.
Social worker – If you wish to work as a social worker, you can look for positions in several government departments. Such a job mainly deals with counseling the convicts and facilitating assistance in the form of employment, legal services, child custody rights, etc. As criminal justice graduate, you can do well in this field, as you possess a profound understanding of personal motivations of perpetrators. And this can help you prevent them from committing any crimes in future.
They say it is never too late to pursue your dreams. This is especially true when it comes to career and education. Unfortunately, not all can afford to quit their jobs and go back to school. This can make it difficult to pursue higher studies or certain courses that can enhance skills. Fortunately, there are several free online learning platforms that allow anyone and everyone to be able to have access to good quality learning resources.
Here are some of the best websites for free online education that you can sign up for.
Coursera
Coursera is one of the most popular platforms for taking free online courses. It features classes, both free as well as paid, on a variety of different topics. This platform is currently being used by over 35 million learners that have access to 150 university partners, 2,700 courses, 250 specializations, and four degrees. These courses are curated in partnership with leading universities and organizations from around the world, such as Stanford and Harvard.
edX
edX is a platform that was founded by Harvard and MIT that brings together top-ranked universities. This platform was founded to help eliminate the primary barriers that prevent people from pursuing education, i.e., cost, location, and access. Along with free courses, edX also offers certain specialized courses for a specific fee. The platform can be accessed by interested educators and technologists through Open edX if they wish to assist in developing new educational tools.
Udemy
Udemy is another online learning platform that is quite similar to Coursera in terms of the format of the courses. The unique aspect of this platform is that it allows users to build their own custom courses by compiling individual lessons so that these can be taught online. There are over 100,000 courses in 50 languages on this platform that are taught by 42,000 instructors from around the world.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed is a platform made by TED to help share ideas and knowledge from teachers to students. This award-winning platform has a global network of more than 250,000 teachers that teach several free courses on a variety of categories and themes. The lessons are taught using animated videos and interactive content so as to make them more interesting for the students.
If you are planning to pursue an accounting degree, you should consider doing it online. There are more than 580 institutions in the country that offer master’s degrees in accounting, and many of them offer their courses online. Therefore, you can pursue this course without shifting to a different state, and you can also continue with your current job. Here are the top picks of online master’s degrees in accounting that you can consider if you are interested in this field.
Auburn University
The online master’s degree in accounting at Auburn University is open for you if you hold a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business, and if you meet all the prerequisites for the business and accounting department. Students who enroll in this program receive study materials, instructions, and assignments that are similar to the on-campus course. The schedule is extremely flexible and can accommodate working professionals as well. Full-time students of this course can complete it within one year. They get to select electives like real estate finance and information risk analysis, among others. This course also prepares students for the Uniform CPA Exam. This whole program is available online, including the exam. However, students have to complete a three-day on-campus residency during their final semester.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers an online Master of Accounting (MAC) degree through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. This school accepts students from all undergraduate backgrounds. However, students who have business or accounting backgrounds may get course waivers. Students who enroll in this course can choose a concentration in Tax or Audit. If you take up the full-time course, you can finish it in less than 15 months. You can start this course either in June or December. This way, even if you miss the application deadline for one semester, you do not have to wait for an entire year to enroll in the course. The MAC degree is entirely online, except for a one-week leadership immersion on campus, which is mandatory and takes place at the beginning of the course.
University of Connecticut
An online master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut is one of the best online courses in the country. This university offers a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program. Full-time students can complete it in two semesters. Working professionals who enroll in this degree take two courses per semester. The University of Connecticut also offers you electives like Forensic Accounting, Disclosure for Not-for-Profit Entities, and Fraud Examination among others.