For those who are interested in a criminal justice major or other programs in criminal justice, the postsecondary educational experience will vary depending on a wide variety of factors. One factor is the type of degree a student decides to pursue. If a student decides to pursue an associate’s degree in criminal justice, his or her course work will usually last about two years. During these two years, people earning criminal justice majors will be required to take other courses besides criminal justice courses, including communications classes such as speech and composition, ethics, math and science, government and history, and social sciences such as psychology and/or sociology.
If a student decides to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, his or her course work will usually last about four years. During these four years, a student will be required to take other courses besides criminal justice courses, including communications classes such as speech and composition, ethics, math and science, government and history, and social sciences such as psychology and/or sociology.

If a student decides to pursue a master’s degree in criminal justice, his or her course work will usually last an additional two years, if he or she attends school full-time. A master’s degree in Criminal Justice will not require a lot of courses outside of the criminal justice department. A student might be required to take a statistics class in order to effectively understand crime data, or a research and writing class before he or she is expected to prepare a thesis. If a student decides to pursue a PhD in criminal justice, his or her course work will usually last an additional four years or so, if he or she attends school full-time. A doctoral degree in criminal justice will probably not require any courses outside of the criminal justice department.
Another factor that affects postsecondary educational experiences in criminal justice is the particular school’s criminal justice program. Schools offer many activities related to the criminal justice major, such as internships and externships, job-shadowing opportunities, and student clubs and organizations. The availability of these options at a particular school should be investigated as a student determines where to apply.
Schools offer many other activities for students, as well, such as extracurricular sports participation, social groups, volunteer organizations, and arts-related events. Depending on the opportunities a potential student is looking for, he or she should examine the availability of these activities at schools to which he or she plans to apply.
Success tips for undergraduate or graduate study are the same. Students should be familiar with the course load and their professors’ expectations. They should develop and use time-management skills in order to complete required tasks. They should seek help at any point that they feel overwhelmed or when they do not understand course material or expectations. They should develop a strong support system of fellow students, college personnel, and family to whom they can turn for advice or general support. They should understand their rights and responsibilities as members of an academic community and act in accordance with these expectations.