How would a security company employer look upon a criminal justice degree earned online?

Question

i want to get an online criminal justice degree online from either troy state university, or pheonix, but i'm wondering if my employer would, say, think i took the easy way of getting my degree, or frown uponme having earned my degree online. of course i would be applying to either a police department or a private security company. 10 points to the most explained answer;<)

thanks todd. i'll vote u best answer, and yes i'm refering to troy in alabama. i'm near birmingham

Answer 1

If you are wanting to become a police officer, I would recommend you get a 'traditional' degree instead of an online degree.

Also, if you are referring to Troy University, formerly known as Troy State University in Alabama, then that is a great school for Criminal Justice.

The acceptance of online degrees varies depending on many factors: the company, the industry, the level and type of degree, the degree-granting institution, and, of course, the individual reviewer. Let's look at some of the factors that can affect how well received the distance degree will be:

Degree-granting entity. Employers may worry about the legitimacy of a degree from a school they aren't familiar with. They are right to be cautious, as many "degree mills" exist - they have names that sound like legitimate universities, but grant degrees based on "life experience" for little more than a fee. Your best bet is a degree from the distance learning arm of a well-recognized traditional university, or at least of a well-established and accredited distance learning school.

Level of Degree. The online bachelors degree seems to have the most skeptics. In a 2001 survey of human resources professionals by Vault.com, 26% of respondents found an online degree as credible as a traditional one. 61% considered the online degree acceptable but less credible, while 13% found the online-earned degree unacceptable. Online graduate degrees were found to be as credible as traditional ones by 37% of the respondents.

Field of Study. Legitimate online degrees seem to be better accepted for majors that tend to be knowledge-based, such as information technology areas, accounting, etc.

Industry. Some industries are more accepting of online degrees than others. Predictably, the best numbers from the Vault study were logged in Internet/New Media (70% projected acceptance), Technology (46%), High Tech (44%), and Marketing/Media(29%). Areas like Medicine and Law were described as the least likely to accept online credentials.

Individual Hiring Manager. As with every hiring situation, a lot comes down to the personal preferences of the hiring manager (and those of key influencers). Some individuals emphasize work experience far more than academics, while others weight academic history and accomplishments more heavily. Naturally, individuals just beginning their career will see more emphasis on academics.

Other Qualities of the Degree Holder. The rest of the candidate's resume may well influence the credibility of the degree - if she has been employed in a related field with excellent accomplishments, and chose an online degree to allow full-time work, the degree may be viewed as a mark of a self-motivated learner. The same degree without the work experience or without an apparent reason to choose distance learning may be less credible.

Online Degree vs. Traditional - Summary. Online degrees from quality institutions are reasonably well accepted in some areas, though less so in others. They are most likely to be accepted in technology or other knowledge-based fields. Relevant work experience may augment the credibility of the online degree.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

To be honest with you, if you earned your degree from a for profit degree mill-it is not looked highly upon. ITT Tech, UOP, Strayer, AIU etc. I paid ITT Tech a visit after seeing their commercials and they wanted 80K for 2 years of education! Their teaching is very shoddy and mediocre at best. I am glad I didnt waste time there. I since have spoken to many teachers and students that have wasted their money at ITT Tech and still have no job.

Employers want to know that you are challenged and may of these schools do not offer a challenge at all. They are really after your money more than anything.

As a matter of fact, you will be lucky to get a call back after earning your degree from an online school. These degrees are viewed as useless and some are not accredited.

I worked in a facility that hired alot of people and degrees from an online school sent your resume to the trash.

If you really want to earn a degree, it is best that you go to a bonafide, brick and mortar, accredited school and see if you can take a class or two online there. May schools offer distance education in addition to on campus education. Your degree will not be questioned and the employer will have some confidence in your education.

Answer 4

Overall, if you question yourself, it's possibly better to recieve your degree from a more prestegious college. Employers would take more seriously a CJ Degree from a major university before a CJ Degree from a tiny or online college. It's mainly about the interaction and the hands on expierance you recieve from an actual college. That's the degree I'm going for too. Congrats

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I doubt if it would be taken seriously. Go to a well-respected University and get a legitimate Crimial Justice Degree.

Answer 7

Criminal Record Search Database - http://tinyurl.com/Fdz6hzNv8E

Answer 8

hey im getting my criminal justice degree through peen foster, its cheap its easy its credited. it will take you about a month to get your first semester done.