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Criminal Justice & Legal
Think about a special education that helps you stop crime, make enforce safety, and bring fairness to society. Going after a legal degree can take you to lots of different jobs. Each school has its own focus on law, like investigating crimes, keeping the internet safe, or looking out for the public. Many jobs are needed in law and order, and you’ll likely find the perfect one for you.
Homeland Security and Emergency Management (Emergency Management Directors)
Getting a Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management will deeply involve students in five important areas of the National Preparedness System: stopping problems before they start, keeping things safe, reducing harm, reacting well, and getting things back on track after a crisis. Throughout their studies, they will also learn about ensuring people are safe and that businesses can keep running even during tough times.
Role & Responsibility
- Check for dangers and plan to handle emergencies and disasters to keep people and things safe.
- Talk to safety officials, companies, and the public about how to respond to emergencies.
- Arrange training for staff, volunteers, and other responders on what to do during emergencies.
- Work together to share tools and gear in different communities to help during emergencies.
- Study and make reports about the damage caused by disasters or emergencies.
- Look at the emergency plans of groups like hospitals to ensure they’re good enough.
- Ask the government for money to plan, deal with emergencies, and recover afterward. Tell them how the money is used.
- Go through local plans for emergencies and change them if needed.
- Keep up places that are used during emergencies.
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2022 Median Pay | $79,180 per year / $38.07 per hour |
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Work Experience in Related Occupation | 5 years or more |
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Number of Jobs, 2022 | 11,800 |
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Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 3% (As fast as average) |
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Employment Change 2022-32 | 400 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become
People who become emergency management directors usually need to have a bachelor’s degree and several years of experience working in emergency situations, planning for disasters, or in jobs related to public management.
Psychology
Someone with a bachelor’s degree in psychology can focus more on criminology or criminal justice to become a criminal psychologist. After getting the degree, these graduates usually find jobs in different parts of the criminal justice system, like police, courts, and prisons, or they might work in private practices, government groups, or mental health clinics. These students study emotions, thoughts, actions, and crimes to learn more about why offenders act the way they do and what drives them.
Role & Responsibility
- Do research on how people behave and how their brains work.
- Watch, talk to, and ask questions to people.
- Find out about emotional, mental, and behavioral problems and give diagnoses.
- Study and figure out patterns in how people act and feel.
- Test to find patterns to help understand and guess how people will act.
- Talk to clients about how to fix their problems.
- Write papers and reports to tell others what they found and teach them.
- Lead interns, counselors, and other professionals.
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2022 Median Pay | $85,330 per year / $41.02 per hour |
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Work Experience in Related Occupation | None |
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Number of Jobs, 2022 | 196,000 |
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Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 6% (Faster than average) |
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Employment Change 2022-32 | 12,000 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become
While psychologists usually need a doctorate in psychology, having a master’s degree might be enough for jobs in schools and industrial organizations. Psychologists who work directly with patients and offer therapy must have a license.
Forensic Science Technicians
A forensic science program teaches students how to carefully study evidence and come up with answers in criminal cases. It might take from two to four years to finish this degree, depending on what the student wants to specialize in, like looking at bones, digital evidence, or toxic substances. People who graduate with a forensic science degree can use what they’ve learned to work in the legal system and help find evidence that will make things fairer.
Role & Responsibility
- Look at crime scenes to decide what evidence needs to be gathered and how.
- Take pictures of the crime scene and the evidence.
- Draw pictures of the crime scene.
- Write down what’s seen and found, like where evidence is and its position.
- Gather evidence like weapons, fingerprints, and bodily fluids.
- Keep track of and protect evidence until it’s sent to labs.
- Recreate how the crime happened based on the evidence.
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2022 Median Pay | $63,740 per year / $30.64 per hour |
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Work Experience in Related Occupation | None |
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Number of Jobs, 2022 | 18,500 |
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Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 13% (Much faster than average) |
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Employment Change 2022-32 | 2300 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become
Forensic science technicians usually need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a natural science like chemistry or biology, specifically forensic science. Both those who examine crime scenes and those who work in labs usually need to get training on the job as well.
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
In as little as two to four years, someone who wants to be a court reporter can finish an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in court reporting. During this program, they’ll study legal words and also how to use voice-transcript software. Court reporters must precisely record what happens during trials or meetings in a courtroom or law office. They can also find jobs making captions for TV broadcasts of court cases.
Role & Responsibility
- Go to depositions, hearings, and other events that need exact written records.
- Use special tools like stenography machines and digital recorders to write down what people say.
- Note who’s speaking, their gestures, and what they do.
- Read back parts of events or legal meetings when asked.
- Ask people to repeat things if they can’t be heard well.
- Check over their notes, including how to spell names and tricky words.
- Give copies of written records and recordings to the people involved.
- Write down what’s said in TV shows or movies to help viewers.
- Write down what’s said in real time during talks or meetings for people who can’t hear well.
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2022 Median Pay | $63,560 per year / $30.56 per hour |
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Work Experience in Related Occupation | None |
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Number of Jobs, 2022 | 21,300 |
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Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 3% (As fast as average) |
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Employment Change 2022-32 | 600 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become
Many community colleges and technical institutes have special programs where you can get a certificate after high school for being a court reporter or a simultaneous captioner. These folks usually learn while working, and the training time changes depending on the type of reporting or captioning they do. In many places, you need a license from the state or a certification from a group of professionals to work as a court reporter or captioner.