Standards for prospective police officers are set by the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET). The guidelines seek to ensure that all officers hired by Oklahoma state agencies are professional, ethical and qualified to perform their duties. Those minimum state guidelines require that candidates for police officer or police officer positions:
- Are U.S. citizens or resident aliens
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent degree
- Meet education and training requirements, according to position and background
- Have no felony convictions or domestic violence incidents
- Have been evaluated by a state-licensed psychologist
- Have their fingerprints cleared by the FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
Individual jurisdictions set additional requirements. Tulsa, for example, requires that law enforcement officers have a bachelor’s degree. There are several incentive programs for police officers who wish to pursue college credits.
If you are planning to pursue a career in law enforcement or to advance your current law enforcement career, Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminal Justice program is designed to improve your foundational knowledge and analytical skills as they pertain to criminal justice. The online courses are taught by Southeastern’s faculty, who bring years of professional experience to your educational pursuits.
Do Cities Require a Bachelor’s Degree?
Estimates show that roughly one-third of law enforcement officers in the United States have a four-year college degree, while roughly half have a two-year degree. Just over 5% of law enforcement officers have a graduate degree.
Beyond the minimum requirements set by CLEET, individual municipalities can set higher standards, which can include a requirement for a bachelor’s degree. As noted above, Tulsa requires that police officers hold a bachelor’s degree. Other Oklahoma cities that require or prefer some college credit include:
- Broken Arrow
- Sand Springs
- Midwest City
- Stillwater
What Are the Benefits of Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice?
There are many benefits to having a college degree if you serve in law enforcement. A college degree may be needed for certain promotions. Many cities offer increased pay for officers with college credit or a college degree. Having a college degree in criminal justice is a proven way to improve your on-the-job skills and effectiveness.
Even when an executive position, such as captain or major, does not require a college degree, the advanced level of education can raise your chances of being promoted. Today’s modern police force manages millions of dollars while handling complex logistical problems. Even if a GED was sufficient decades ago, the types of skills that are only taught in college are becoming more needed than ever among law enforcement officers.
Police officers who have earned a college degree may be:
- Better trained in independent problem-solving
- Less likely to experience on-the-job injuries
- More adept at using technology
- Less likely to engage in unethical behavior
- More likely to exhibit cultural awareness
- Less likely to show authoritarian or dogmatic behavior
- Better at communication
Oklahoma police departments offer educational tuition assistance for working police officers who want to earn a college degree. Oklahoma cities such as Bixby, Edmond and Oklahoma City also offer increased pay incentives for officers that hold college degrees.
What Will I Learn in My Criminal Justice Degree Program?
Southeastern’s BA in Criminal Justice online program provides a broad base of law enforcement-related skills that are needed in police departments across Oklahoma and the United States. All online classes are taught by Southeastern faculty.
Police officers require a wide range of skill sets in order to execute their day-to-day roles as community liaisons, peacekeepers and criminal investigators. A few of their duties include:
- Interviewing suspected criminals
- Recording statements
- Logging crime reports
- Filing paperwork
- Gathering evidence
- Providing evidence in court
- Fostering goodwill in the communities they serve
- Performing foot patrols
- Making arrests
- Searching suspects
Southeastern’s criminal justice degree prepares law enforcement officers to perform their duties professionally and expertly. The online program’s core classes include:
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Policing in the U.S.
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Introduction to U.S. Corrections
- Criminology
- Law & the Legal System
Students also choose from elective course options to customize their degrees according to their interests and professional aspirations. Criminal justice electives include:
- Victimology
- Administration of Criminal Justice
- Drugs in Society
- Criminal Investigations and Forensics
Beyond criminal justice-related classes, students must select a minor that will range from 18 to 24 credit hours and take 44 credit hours of general education courses.
Take the First Step Toward a Rewarding Criminal Justice Career With an Online Degree From Southeastern
While not every city requires a college degree to join its police force, an undergraduate degree can lead to better promotion opportunities, greater preparedness and a higher starting salary. Southeastern’s online curriculum teaches the practical application of theoretical approaches.
The program’s esteemed faculty prepares tomorrow’s law enforcement leaders with insights into complex criminal justice issues. These include victimology and criminology from a legal, psychological and sociological perspective.
Learn more about Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program.