Online Private/Criminal Detective Degrees
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Private investigators and criminal detectives work with businesses, individuals, and attorneys by gathering and analyzing information. Investigators help to put the pieces of the puzzle together at a crime scene. They often use high-tech equipment, but many times it is the use of a keen eye or looking in the right place that often solves the case. Detectives often have several years of police work experience and receive a promotion to detective within their jurisdiction. Private investigators are not required to have a police background, but it is helpful, and each state has various requirements when it comes to a private investigator's credentials.
Most people think of how private detectives have been depicted in their favorite movies or TV shows and have used that to form an opinion about what the job entails. Unfortunately, Hollywood has a way of glamorizing detectives, when in fact, most of the job is much less glamorous than the movies have led us to believe. Detectives can work long hours on high-profile cases that need to be solved quickly due to public outcry. Private investigators are often self-employed and hire their services out for things such as surveillance, taking photographs for evidence, and finding background information on the person or people they are investigating. Detectives, on the other hand, often work for police stations and tend to have past experience as a police officer. Most criminal detectives work for local government offices.
Featured Accredited Schools Offering Online Private/Criminal Detective Degrees
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Learn more about University of Phoenix - Criminal Justice
What are some of the specializations within this degree program?
- Homeland Security: This is a popular area that many investigators specialize in because the need for security in the United States has grown so much over the past decade.
- Forensics: This is an area that deals with crime scenes involving murders and other deaths. These investigators are trained to sort through the various materials left at the crime scene and piece together what happened.
What degree levels are available?
- Certificate: 1 year to complete
- Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
- Master's Degree: 2 years to complete
What are the educational and certification requirements?
No formal education required for private investigators, but most have a certificate or associate degree in criminal justice with police science. For detectives within police departments, a formal education is required along with attending the police academy and several years of working as a police officer before being promoted to police detective.Those who plan to enter forensics often need a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a concentration in forensics. This prepares students well in advance of actually working as a forensics investigator. The certificate takes just one year to complete and offers a background in what the graduate will need in their new career. The master's degree is a two-year advanced degree that most investigators do not pursue unless they want to supervise a group of investigators; in that case, they would pursue a master's in criminal justice with a specialization in investigation or police science.
Most states require that private investigators are licensed through the Private Investigator Licensing Board, but every state has different requirements. It is important that students learn about their state's requirements before enrolling in a program. In addition, there are no certifications for police criminal investigators since these are actual police officers and have passed the necessary examination. However, many jurisdictions require the detective to pass an examination before moving into the role of criminal investigator. (BLS)
What kinds of classes will I be expected to take?
- The Nature of Crime Scenes: This fundamental course in studies related to private investigation focus on the craft of preserving, photographing, and evaluating a crime scene. You will also learn about the process of investigating a death and its subsequent evidence here.
- Domestic and Child Custody: This is another extremely important class for those seeking to enter this career field. The characteristics of adultery and poor parenting, working on a retainer, and collaborating with domestic relations lawyers are all key concepts here.
- American Legal Process and Evidence: Shore up your knowledge of the criminal process as it occurs in the United States here. You will also be exposed to the procedure of providing testimony, prima facie, and hearsay.
- Interrogation and Interview Technique: Any private investigator of real merit understands how to communicate with her targets with exceptional flair. Build your skills here, and learn about other key facts like the Miranda rule and how to coax a confession.
- Firearm Use and Safety: Understand how to manage and maintain a firearm for your protection here. Defensive and low-light shooting are among this course's components.
If I pursue this program online, will I be required to complete any on-site training?
It all depends on the type of degree that you would like to pursue. The majority of certificate, diploma, associate's, ad bachelors degree candidates learning online will not likely have to appear in person to complete their programs. Some Master of Business Administration offerings, however, may feature in-person seminars or conferences that are mandatory to attend.What are some other degrees that are related to this program?
Cybercrime and computer forensics specialists work solely with technology and getting information off of computer hard drives found at crime scenes. These professionals are highly technical and often can get information from a computer that others cannot; they can crack code and make sense of the information they do discover, which is often the key the solving a case.Forensic science students learn how to collect evidence from the actual crime scene, perform a variety of tests at the crime scene, prepare reports, and they may appear as an expert witness in criminal court cases. There is a variety of subcategories under the forensic science umbrella that students can choose from including DNA, forensic dentistry, and handwriting analysis.
A degree in law is somewhat related, but those who pursue a career as an attorney will need a lot more education than those who are investigators. The paralegal profession is also a sound career choice and does not require as much education; it can give graduates a chance to see how a law office works before deciding to continue to law school.
