South Dakota Criminal Justice and Law Degrees

Criminal Justice and Law Degrees: South Dakota Career Colleges

Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in South Dakota offering Criminal Justice and Law degrees.

Keeping the country safe: criminal justice and law enforcement prepares you for police work, security and paralegal professions.

If you enjoy history or anthropology, South Dakota will keep you busy for days and days. South Dakota is one of the last bastions of authentic Native American culture. And there are many ghost towns and wagon trail outposts that will transport you to an earlier, bloodier time in America's rich history.

Listing of Criminal Justice and Law Degrees offered in South Dakota:

Career Colleges: South Dakota Criminal Justice and Law Programs

Keeping the country safe: careers in criminal justice and security

Ensuring a certain degree of public safety is an essential job of any government. In the U.S. as with many nations, it's also a huge industry, offering hundreds of thousands of jobs across dozens of areas of public safety and law enforcement. Career opportunities are vast and varied, as are the educational options.

Career education for police departments, corrections, probation or parole

Those who can cope with a relatively high level of stress can enjoy careers in law enforcement and criminal justice with a lot of room for advancement. On average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), police officers earned an annual wage of $55,620 as of May 2011.

Depending on the state and county, police officers must hold at least a high school diploma, although most have completed some college coursework, if not a 4-year degree. The most popular degree for officers, detectives and investigators is in criminal justice. Classes that lead to a criminal justice degree typically include criminal procedure, criminology, forensic science and criminal law.

Corrections officers work in jails and prisons. They are tasked with keeping inmates and visitors safe, while following a myriad of rules and procedures. The mean annual wage for corrections officers was $42,780 as of May 2011, according to the BLS. Probation and parole officers monitor and supervise offenders with such sentences.

Law enforcement at the national level: homeland security and more

Careers on the federal level might include positions with the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency or similar. Positions within these agencies are usually highly competitive and require criminal justice, computer or law degrees. Many also require a security clearance.

Author: Judy Jenner

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