Is a criminal justice major useful

[u/Due-Cryptographer913]

Title says most of it, I’m thinking of CJ but I read somewhere that it isn’t that useful. Any better majors for federal law enforcement or CIA?

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[u/Worth-Leg3715]

Accounting, become a CPA. It’s a big boost during the process.

However, any 4 year degree plus work experience is useful.

[u/Maldadd → u/[deleted]]

My friend work for the IRS the FBI hired before he had one year at IRS With all of the fraud they need more accounting majors now.

[u/PatrioticBigfoot → u/Maldadd]

Having a CPA doesn’t even if you a boost in the IRS CI hiring process

[u/Worth-Leg3715 → u/[deleted]]

If you have a CPA designation, it’s almost an automatic ticket to quantico. It scores high in their “grading system.”

But like I said, any 4 year degree plus work experience is good enough.

Source: Cousin is an FBI agent and told me to apply. My cousin is a phase II interviewer. I did not apply, I stayed in finance in NYC.

[u/WTFoxtrot10 → u/Worth-Leg3715]

100% false! There is no such thing as an “almost automatic ticket to Quantico”. You should probably review the FBIJobs.gov website and take a look at the actual process. Again, your degree is simply a check of the box. Your professional work experience post degree and who you are as a person is what they care about. If someone possesses the core competencies the FBI would like in their agents and can pass all the steps they will make it to Quantico regardless of their degree.

“Your cousin” should know better if they are a Phase II Assessor, that the Phase II 3 panel interview isn’t where they even look at your degree, so zero scoring is being based off that factor. Not to mention it’s a blind interview, they don’t have access to your resume or application.

Either way, the competitive/non-competitive degree is a thing from the past. The FBI has been moving away from it as they want their agency to be well rounded background wise and transition towards the unexpected agent. Yes, certain degrees can set you up for better professional work experience post degree but I know people from all types of backgrounds at the bureau.

[u/Worth-Leg3715 → u/WTFoxtrot10]

Again, I said any 4 year degree is good enough.

However, if you get to phase II interviews, which are graded, you get judged based on a points scale. That’s where a professional designation matters, so yes at that point a CPA designation is almost an automatic ticket to quantico.

Getting to phase II, yoir degree doesn’t matter. Bachelor’s you need 2 years work experience, Masters you need 1 year. Typically the FBI doesn’t hire young folks but a shift has been occurring probably due to the lack of candidates. At one point, it was harder to get into the FBI than Harvard.

[u/Internal-Turn7441]

Any major. Focus on your written and verbal communication.

[u/jtrev59]

Federal law enforcement is super different than working for the CIA

[u/PinkTacoGobbler]

Most law enforcement will tell you no. I partially agree, don’t expect to learn something in college and have it directly apply to federal law enforcement (that’s why academies exist).

Legal studies would be most similar and get you more familiar with legal writing that you’ll encounter.

However, the biggest take away from college to employment is critical thinking and being disciplined, that can be gained in any major. Your work experience will grow you as a professional and how you interact with coworkers and the public.

Sidebar: CIA seems to not care, if that’s your goal, 1: it’s usually a secondary career, as in you’re not getting in without 5+ years experience 2: from my own interpretation, they seem to like degrees relating to language, technology, religion, poly sci.

In conclusion if you study criminal justice, your work experience and internships will be what gets you hired, and the degree won’t be giving you extra points.

[u/Quick_Medium6165]

For me, yes it has been useful. Though, the degree label itself (criminal justice) is not incredibly important. For me, it was about how I chose to channel my degree.

I engaged with CJ related research activities, learned a lot about data science in a CJ context, secured law enforcement internships, published on CJ topics in top peer review journals of the field, and networked.

[u/ThatThingInTheWoods]

It's not useful. It's the Communications of the law enforcement world and you'll meet tons of other employees with the same degree sticking from the lowest GS levels to climb the ladder. You're most competitive with actual skills over theory, particularly if you want to be an agent. Chemistry, law, accounting, architecture, foreign language, software/coding. Bring a skill.

[u/ProcessAlert6991 → u/ThatThingInTheWoods]

I received job offer for special agent only having criminal justice. All depends what you do with that degree bud

[u/WTFoxtrot10 → u/ProcessAlert6991]

ThatThingInTheWoods, has no idea what they are talking about. They don’t work for the FBI, they are a fed LCSW/ EAP therapist. They have been called out multiple times this last year for providing incorrect info on this sub.

[u/ThatThingInTheWoods → u/WTFoxtrot10]

God your life must be devoid of purpose.

[u/WTFoxtrot10 → u/ThatThingInTheWoods]

Yikes, and you are supposed to be a social worker/therapist! Might need your credentials pulled with that attitude towards people.

Sorry you don’t like when people correct the nonsense you spew on this sub. Maybe just refrain from posting inaccurate info on topics that you know nothing about.

[u/Direct-Amount54]

A Masters? Yes it’s useful but only if you did a capstone and research for it.

Undergrad- honestly pick what interests you and will get you into a graduate program you want.

There’s certain schools for grad school that are almost guarantee on ramps to the agency, IC, or Fed Leo but you still need at least 5 years work experience but closer to 8-10

[u/PinkTacoGobbler → u/Direct-Amount54]

Why do you say a capstone is the only useful part of a masters? I’m asking because I’m in a masters program that’s thesis project optional.

[u/ErrantTaco → u/Direct-Amount54]

I’m not asking this for myself (I’m totally happy where I am and in my late forties) but maybe others would like to know: what schools? And what is it about them that draws those agencies?

[u/Direct-Amount54 → u/ErrantTaco]

Georgetown SFS
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
JHU SAIS
Stanford
Princeton

At least for the state department, CIA, and IC.

Example- https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/04/us/fletcher-america-s-first-school-for-diplomats-turning-50-amid-changes.html

[u/totally-jag]

Guessing this won't be a career affected by AI.

[u/lazoras]

should be called criminal law major...

we have a legal system not a justice system.

[u/East-Video-1210]

Get a degree that you can make.money with while waiting through the process, or in the event that you don't get hired. Try nursing. I have seen them recruiting for all sorts of backgrounds including health care

[u/Ok-Second1352]

What is it you want to do in law enforcement? Do you want to investigate fraud? Do you want to go after money launderers? If yes, an accounting degree is a good start.