Do you need a degree in criminal justice to become a police officer?

Question

I have a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies not in criminal justice. Will this hurt my chances of getting hired onto a police department? Should I go back to school and get a degree in criminal justice before I apply?

Answer 1

No, that won't make a difference. They will take people off the street if they pass the tests and interviews that they have set out. Your good with your schooling, go be a cop.

Answer 2

No. Many cops do not have a college education prior to the academy. Nor is it a necessity.

Good luck on your career!

Answer 3

No.

Answer 4

A degree along is great. You can get a master later in that field. Go forward.

Answer 5

It will all depend on your department. Some departments require a minimum of a bachelors degree in some kind of field. It usually doesn't have to be criminal justice either. They like seeing any kind of bachelors degree on your resume, especially business or psychology. A college degree will certainly never hurt you in anyway. A lot of departments will hire people fresh off of their 21st birthday, with no college experience at all. A lot of police departments look more for honesty and willingness to perform the job functions. A good idea for you to do would be to send an email to the departments that you're interested in working for, and asking how the hiring process, informing them that you're interested in a career as a police officer, and you're searching for ways to prepare yourself for the field.

Good luck!

Answer 6

No, criminal justice is not required. I wouldn't say criminal justice is worthless, but is a lot of theory and you won't be using what you learned in class daily and most police departments understand that. Generally, if a PD requires a degree, it can be in anything.