What is a good Masters program for a Criminal Justice major?
I’m graduating with a bachelors in Criminal Justice in may and I’m looking at getting a Masters but I don’t know if I should get an MBA or something in Criminal Justice or Psychology, I have a Psychology minor. I would like to get into the Federal Gov such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, or any other division or Homeland Security. I have been told that I should diversify myself and that a CJ Masters is for people who want to teach and it isn’t as good for on the job kind of work. If anyone has some thoughts I would really appreciate it, and no I’m not one of those people on a power trip who got their lunch money stolen in the 4th grade.
law school
please.. i haven’t done anything wrong!!
What would you like to do in the FBI, DEA, or ATF? That can help you decide.
I recommend that individuals major in psych and minor in CJ (even though I majored in CJ, BS & PhD). For me, it would have been more interesting to pursue a graduate education in psych. Unless you plan on teaching undergrad courses, a graduate CJ degree doesn’t do much for you. I attended an agency-sponsored Masters program for an MS in management, and I think if you are looking for something to give you an edge for employment, an MBA may be a good bet, or law. But, getting accepted into a good program in anything other than CJ with a CJ degree may be more difficult.
Foreign language ability, particularly Spanish, is advantageous. GPA, work experience, ability to communicate orally and in writing, and graduate degrees may be what determine who gets hired for federal positions. And, there are always more applicants than positions. Those meeting the minimum requirements may not compare well to the best qualified applicants.
The FBI likes lawyers and accountants, but they hire from various backgrounds (http://www.fbijobs.gov/).