Key takeaways
- Criminal justice and cybersecurity bachelor degree are different fields, although widely related to one another, due to many factors changing the economic landscape.
- Each of the degrees addresses unique aspects of crime and security, yet they increasingly overlap due to rising cybercrime.
- There is a growing global demand for cybersecurity professionals across various industries, including law enforcement, healthcare, and finance.
- A Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice focuses on understanding and improving the justice system, covering areas like law enforcement, corrections, and criminology.
- Graduates with a criminal justice degree have diverse career opportunities, which may also be available to criminology and cybersecurity graduates.
- A cybersecurity bachelor degree is designed to protect networks and data, incorporating elements of computer science, programming, and data management.
- Core courses in cybersecurity programs include Introduction to Cybersecurity, Cyber Law and Ethics, and Computer Networks, with options for specialization.
- As a result of a cybersecurity degree, most common job titles for cybersecurity graduates include Information Security Analyst, Cybersecurity Specialist, and Cybersecurity Engineer.
- It is vital to consider important factors when selecting a college for either degree. These factors include accreditation, cost, campus life, and acceptance rates.
A cybersecurity bachelor degree is an excellent choice you can make considering the future prospects of the technology industry and beyond. There is a promising surge in demand for cybersecurity professionals all around the world, across various industries including law enforcement, healthcare, financial services, and more.
Therefore, given the current and future demand for cybersecurity experts, if you have decided to pursue a cybersecurity bachelor degree, then you are off to a great start. However, many students still get torn between choosing a degree in cybersecurity or a criminal justice bachelor’s degree.
Firstly, the two are very different fields, dealing with entirely different aspects of organizations and businesses. However, with the recent increase in cyber crimes even on government and law enforcement levels, the career prospects for both degrees are overlapping.
Secondly, both the degrees tend to cater to one common enemy, which is crime. However, the study methodology, coursework, and areas of specialization can vary significantly. On the other hand, changing market demands also show that criminal justice professionals do need some cybersecurity skills and knowledge to perform on the job, and vice versa.
Consequently, it is very easy for a young student like yourself to get confused between these two equally good choices of college majors. To help you in this difficult part of your college planning, here is a comparison guide that uncovers the differences and similarities between a cybersecurity bachelor degree and a criminal justice degree.
By the end of the article, we hope that you will come to a conclusion. Our expert degree advice can help you sort out your next 4 years at college in a breeze. So, let’s dig in!
What is a criminal justice bachelor degree?
For starters, a criminal justice bachelor degree is an undergraduate academic program that primarily teaches its students everything related to criminal justice. You will find all the teachings related to the criminal justice systems and organizations, along with a focus on its various branches such as law enforcement, cybercrime, and drug control.
Furthermore, the purpose of an undergraduate criminal justice degree is to study, analyze, and improve the justice system and its related fields. It develops a thorough understanding of the justice system, through theoretical and practical means. By the end of the degree, students typically develop core skills such as analytical skills, crime prevention, and justice administration.
Typically, a criminal justice bachelor’s degree is a 4-year program that must include the compilation of 120 credits. However, this requirement may vary from college to college. Some colleges also offer criminal justice and criminology programs as a combination.
Criminal justice degree coursework
Coursework is an important consideration to make when choosing which college or which college major is the right fit for you. More importantly, program coursework can vary significantly from one college to another, so it’s important to have a good look at the offerings.
So, here are the core courses most commonly offered in criminal justice degree programs:
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Lastly, here are the areas of specialization your chosen college might offer you during your criminal justice degree:
- Law enforcement: for job roles like police administration, parole officers, and detectives.
- Corrections: for job roles in corrections, juvenile centers, and rehab centers.
- Criminology: a theoretical study of crime for job roles like a case manager, parole officer, social researcher, and policy analyst.
- Forensic science: advanced field with job roles in forensic labs, investigative and detective projects.
- Victimology: for jobs in victim advocacy, social work, non-profits, and government agencies.
Criminal justice degree career paths
Different college degrees and higher education will open gates to different professional opportunities and career paths. Criminal justice degree career paths are diverse, interesting, and will always keep you on your toes. Moreover, there is a constant demand for criminal justice graduates in the market, as crime is almost impossible to completely eradicate from society.
Additionally, newer forms and types of crimes are emerging, such as cybercrime. Therefore, there is an even greater demand for young criminal justice professionals with a fresh perspective.
So, here is a quick list of criminal justice degree jobs you are most commonly to find after graduating:
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As you can see, many of the criminal justice degree jobs require a cyber security knowledge base. So, if you find criminal justice careers interesting, you can become eligible for them even with a cybersecurity bachelor degree. However, there are also other great alternatives you can explore.
For example, an undergraduate criminology degree is an amazing option for those looking for a career in criminal justice, law enforcement, and crime control. Typically, a criminology degree prepares you for most of the criminal justice degree jobs. So, here are some things you should know about a criminology degree:
- It focuses on studying crime, criminal behavior, and aims to improve the prevention of various crimes
- The curriculum prepares students for criminal justice-related jobs in law enforcement organizations, with a focus on policymaking and casework
- Statistical analytical capabilities are strongly developed in criminology students, allowing them to assist in criminal justice jobs and professions
- Cybersecurity or cybercrime is one of the many various specialization areas within criminology
- Typically, criminology prepares individuals for jobs that focus on rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society
Colleges for criminal justice
To choose the right college for a degree in criminal justice, you must look for the following factors:
- College accreditations
- Cost of attendance
- Campus life
- Campus location
- Online or hybrid flexibility
- Acceptance rate
- Academic facilities
- Quality of faculty
There are hundreds of colleges offering unique benefits. So, to help you narrow down your search for the ideal college, here is a list of colleges with good acceptance rates:
- University of Wyoming – 94%
- Florida International University (FIU) – 64%
- University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) – 100%
- Southern Illinois University – 92%
- Western Carolina University – 85%
- University of Northern Colorado – 91%
- Eastern Kentucky University – 98%
Search for colleges by state now!
What is a cybersecurity bachelor degree?
Cybersecurity can be simply defined as the protection of networks, computer devices, and programs. This field of work is heavily needed in the technology industry but has an increasing demand in other industries due to reliance on computer networks. Moreover, reports by PwC show an increase in cyberattacks, making it almost crucial for business organizations to focus on their cybersecurity and data protection.
Furthermore, the core concepts and foundations that are taught in a cybersecurity bachelor degree are integrity of data, accessibility, testing, and organizing of data. Additionally, cybersecurity colleges are focused on providing a theoretical and practical understanding of the behind-the-scenes of network protection.
Moreover, a bachelor’s in cybersecurity also incorporates many aspects of computer science and computer engineering. From coding to programming languages to cryptography, you will find most of these fundamentals included in a cybersecurity program.
Cybersecurity bachelor degree coursework
As you now know what a cybersecurity entails and what it’s about, the coursework in cybersecurity bachelor degrees is also in line with these aspects. You will find many introductory courses regarding computer engineering and network security. After the first initial semesters, a typical college degree in cybersecurity requires you to select an area of focus.
In addition to this, core courses are the most important part of a cybersecurity bachelor degree. Most importantly, these courses offer holistic knowledge and expertise that you can apply at various types of cybersecurity degree jobs.
Although program coursework can vary from college to college, here are the most common courses you will find:
- Introduction to Cybersecurity
- Cyber Law and Ethics
- Programming Fundamentals
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Computer Networks
- Network design, setup, and management
- Principles of operating systems
Once you have completed core courses and electives, you can select your area of focus from the following list of specializations:
- Network Security
- Information Security Management
- Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
- Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations
Cybersecurity degree career paths
Just like any career or field of work, it is necessary to have some important skills that can not only get you a job but also ensure good performance. So, for cybersecurity degree jobs, you need to have some soft or preferred skills, which include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and emergency response.
Meanwhile, some technical skills are also essential for a successful cybersecurity career. Some of the most important technical skills in a cybersecurity job are risk assessment, programming, coding, cloud management, and data analysis.
So, here is a quick list of cybersecurity job titles you are most commonly to find after graduating:
- Incident and intrusion analyst
- IT auditor
- Cybersecurity specialist
- Cyber Security consultant
- Information security analyst
- Cybersecurity engineer
- Cybersecurity manager
- Cybersecurity architect
Keep in mind that cybersecurity degree jobs can vary significantly on the basis of your area of specialization. However, industries that are the biggest employers of cybersecurity graduates include:
- Information Technology (IT)
- Finance and banking
- Government and defense
- Healthcare
- Retail and E-commerce
- Telecommunications
- Energy and utilities
- Education
- Consulting services
- Manufacturing
Other than cybersecurity, you can also find similar job titles and career paths with alternative degrees. Read this guide to explore other degrees for cybersecurity careers.
Colleges for cybersecurity degree
Fortunately, there are numerous colleges offering a variety of cybersecurity and related programs. So, some of the best colleges for cybersecurity are:
In addition to this, you should also explore online cybersecurity programs to enjoy affordable fees and more flexibility. WGU cybersecurity is the best choice, but there are other options available too. Here is a list of the best online colleges for cybersecurity degree:
- Southern New Hampshire University
- Western Governors University
- Purdue Global
- University of Maryland Global Campus
What are the similarities between criminal justice and cybersecurity degrees?
In essence, both the degrees deal with a common problem, which is crime. While criminal justice is more leaning towards justice systems and crime of all sorts, cybersecurity is more specific in its approach. However, there are still crucial similarities between the two, such as:
- Both fields aim to prevent and address crime
- Both emphasize analytical and critical thinking skills
- Both involve research methods and data analysis
- Both require an understanding of laws, regulations, and ethical standards in their respective fields
- There are overlapping career paths that you can explore
- Both degrees are interdisciplinary and involve knowledge and skills that may be applicable in other disciplines like criminology, psychology, and computer engineering
- There is a growing demand for skilled professionals in both fields
Choose your college major with expert advice and academic resources
In summary, reliable and expert guidance is necessary for ensuring that you choose the right college major that aligns with your career goals and preferences. Therefore, seek college advice from All Bachelor Degrees and make a solid decision for your next 4 years of college journey.