The field of law enforcement, policing and investigation
are among the most important public services in the country, and aim at
protecting and serving the public in various situations. The fields of law
enforcement and policing focus on maintaining the order on city streets and
apprehending criminals, whereas the field of investigation concentrates on
various techniques such as gathering information, surveillance, and collecting
and analyzing physical evidence in order to link a perpetrator to a crime.
Pursuing a career in law enforcement can take you in any
number of directions, from homeland security to the police force to the
correctional system to the legal and courts system.
Law enforcement officials
in the United States can be employed by local, state or federal governments,
but they are all entrusted with the mission of protecting public safety,
preventing crimes and apprehending criminals. Federal government opportunities
in law enforcement include the U.S. Coast Guard, the FBI, the CIA, the DEA, positions
with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, federal judges, federal prison
guards and more.
State and local positions include bailiff, county or city jail
guard, police officer, detective, criminal lawyer, judge and others. Law
enforcement officials have the authority to make arrests, investigate crimes,
hear cases, conduct investigations, and/or give punishment. Law enforcement
officials are specifically trained in their field, but all have an
understanding and commitment to the overall criminal justice system in the
United States.
Online master degree programs in law enforcement prepare
students for careers in the criminal justice system. Although students can get
an online bachelor degree in law enforcement, an online master in law
enforcement will give them a higher degree of expertise and provide access to
higher-level jobs. Some programs in law enforcement have a thesis requirement,
but a non-thesis program will not prevent students from obtaining jobs in the
field. Students with an online master degree in law enforcement can go on to
work as police officers for local governments or as federal officers for
agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, or they can work for
themselves as private detectives. Those interested in more intensive research
can go on to get an online PhD in law enforcement.
What
types of online masters degrees in law enforcement can students pursue?
Students can pursue one of several
different online masters degrees in law enforcement at accredited online schools.
And, because law enforcement is a
broad field, in order to become an expert in a specific field, students often
pursue specialties or concentrations.
Common areas of focus offered online
include:
- Homeland Security: Law enforcement masters degree online students will learn how to develop and maintain the security network that protects the United States against threats. They will study the growth of global terrorism, emergency planning and the importance of interagency cooperation when dealing with large external threats.
- Criminology: Students will examine the nature of crime in the United States. They will study both why individual criminals act as they do and why crime rates differ between different communities.
- Corrections: Online law enforcement masters degree students will examine the prison system in the United States. They will take a close look at how criminals are punished, how rehabilitation programs work, and the social and political factors that shape the corrections system.
- Juvenile Justice: Students will scrutinize how the criminal justice system responds to young offenders. They will consider the juvenile justices system’s focus on rehabilitation over punishment and look at the social and economic factors affecting criminal behavior in young people.
- Criminal Law: Online masters degree law enforcement students will learn about and analyze the system of laws that are used to correct criminal behavior in the United States. They will read cases, examine statutes and discuss how laws are influenced by society.
What
can students expect to learn in an online law enforcement master degree program?
Online master degree law enforcement
students will gain knowledge about the criminal justice system, public policies
affecting crime and the motives behind criminal actions. The best online master
degrees in law enforcement will teach students how to organize information
related to crime and to use it to prevent crimes from occurring.
Some classes which are popular among
students enrolled in top online masters programs in law enforcement include:
1.
Intelligence
Operations: This course teaches students how to
use intelligence gathered in the field to analyze and stop crime. Students will
learn about the ethical, legal and operational issues involved in using such
intelligence.
2.
Criminal
Theory: This course familiarizes students
with the theories behind why crime occurs. Students will study factors like
poverty and cultural norms to better understand the criminal landscape.
3.
Terrorism:
In this class, students will examine
the phenomenon of terrorism throughout the world. They will study the motives
behind terrorist attacks and the impact of terrorism in the United States and
abroad.
