By Kate Quick
“Bright Outlook Careers” refer to occupations or professions that are projected to have a significant growth rate, high demand for workers, or promising job opportunities in the future. These careers typically offer favorable prospects for employment, advancement, or earning potential due to factors such as technological advancements, demographic trends, or changes in the economy.
Welcome to the blog post series by the Education, Human Services, and Government Career Community that helps students and alumni explore careers within their area of study.
Criminology at DePaul University enables students to explore theories, frameworks, and methods for understanding crime and punishment. Students learn how law enforcement, courts, corrections, and community organizations address crime in society and learn about the processes of the criminal legal system with an emphasis on social policy. Through studying criminology, students can develop a moral, philosophical, historical, and scientific foundation of the criminal legal system and structural challenges, behavior patterns, and criminal trends. Criminology prepares students with the analytical, research, and organizational skills to improve the criminal legal system for both victims and offenders.
Criminology students can find themselves working in many different industries post-graduation. The most common industries include Law Enforcement, Law & Legal Services, Correctional Services, Social Services & Community Justice, and Government & Public Administration.
The transferable skills and knowledge can be leveraged into any field or industry. Here is how you can use your Criminology degree to become any of the following Bright Outlook Careers:
Research Skills: Criminology involves extensive research, analysis, and critical thinking. These skills are relevant to roles that require collecting, analyzing, implementing research, and presenting policy recommendations.
Communication Skills: Criminology emphasizes strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Criminology professionals must communicate effectively with colleagues, suspects, victims, witnesses, and the general public. Strong communication skills include active listening, clear speaking, and writing skills.
Integrity and Ethics: Criminology professionals often work with sensitive information, which requires them to develop ethics and integrity to perform their jobs successfully. This includes keeping confidential information private, acting responsibly with sensitive data, such as criminal record information, or remaining objective in emotional situations involving crime or human psychology.
Interpersonal Skills: Criminology students should develop strong interpersonal skills, such as inclusivity, empathy, and authenticity. These are crucial for working effectively with diverse groups of people and listening and responding appropriately to the ideas of others in various positions, including criminals, law enforcement officers, or victims of crimes.
Critical Thinking & Analytical Skills: Criminology students often learn to analyze complex issues, evaluate multiple points of evidence, and make informed decisions. By analyzing data, they can problem-solve and offer solutions to complex social problems, such as increasing crime rates or incomplete criminal data.
Collaboration: Criminology professionals often share data or information with various groups and agencies to complete complex or multidimensional projects. Successfully combining the skills and findings from multiple fields may require strong collaboration skills.
Legal Knowledge: Criminology professionals may be responsible for understanding various tenants of the legal system, including public policies. Since this research may influence public policy decision-making, criminology students should develop the skills to understand the legal aspects of crime, such as developing knowledge of complex and evolving policies and laws.
Law Enforcement Services
Law Enforcement Services refer to the various public services and functions that ensure the community’s safety, security, and order by enforcing laws and regulations. These services involve agencies and individuals who work to prevent and respond to crimes, investigate criminal activities, and uphold public safety.
Forensic Science Technicians collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to criminal investigations. They may perform tests on weapons or substances, such as fiber, hair, and tissue, to determine their significance to the investigation. They often testify as expert witnesses on evidence or crime laboratory techniques and can serve as specialists in areas of expertise, such as ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, or biochemistry.
Intelligence Analysts gather, analyze, or evaluate information from various sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks, or geographic information systems. They use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism. They often collaborate with law enforcement or security agencies to share information and prepare investigation or incident reports.
Police Patrol Officers maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. They perform a combination of the following duties: patrol specific areas, direct traffic, issue traffic summonses, investigate accidents, apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve in the legal processes of courts. Police officers can work for various institutions including municipal or local areas, the state, sheriffs’ offices, border patrol, educational institutions, federal agencies, and many others.
Detectives & Criminal Investigators
Detectives and Criminal Investigators conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes. They perform a combination of the following duties: checking people’s physical condition, interviewing people to gather information about criminal activities, examining crime scenes to obtain evidence, preparing investigative or incident reports, and preventing unauthorized individuals from entering restricted areas.
Private Detectives & Investigators
Private Detectives and Investigators gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishments. Some common tasks include preparing investigative or incident reports, investigating personal characteristics or activities, examining records or other types of data to investigate criminal activities, and using databases to locate investigation details or other information.
DePaul University students interested in working in law enforcement settings should consider a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with the Criminal Justice Administration Concentration.
This course of study prepares students for criminal justice professions by developing the leadership and administrative skills needed for the daily challenges facing law enforcement agencies, the courts, and corrections institutions. Through a social justice perspective, students develop more just and humane responses as agents of the criminal legal system.
See more on the Criminal Justice Administration Concentration homepage.
Law & Legal Services
Law and Legal Services encompass a broad range of services and practices aimed at providing legal advice, representation, and guidance to individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Legal Secretaries & Administrative Assistants
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. They also prepare, proofread, and process legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoena, and may assist with legal research and court preparation.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants help lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedents. They also conduct research to support legal proceedings, formulate a defense, or initiate legal action. Some other common tasks include preparing affidavits, reviewing legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, and contracts, searching pertinent sources, such as public records and the Internet, to determine causes of action and prepare cases, and organizing and maintaining documents in paper or electronic filing systems.
Court Reporters record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks. They may also proofread transcripts for correct spelling of words and provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
Court, Municipal, & License Clerks
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks perform clerical duties for courts of law, municipalities, or governmental licensing agencies and bureaus. They may prepare dockets of cases to be called, secure information for judges and the court, draft agendas or bylaws for the town or city council, answer official correspondence, keep fiscal records and accounts, issue licenses or permits, record data, administer tests, or collect fees.
Lawyers represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. They often specialize in a single area or practice broadly in many areas of law. Most states require prospective lawyers to attend law school, obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D) degree, and take a bar examination in order to receive law licensure.
Arbitrators, Mediators, & Conciliators
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators facilitate negotiation and resolve conflicts outside of the court system by mutual consent of parties involved. They may prepare written opinions or decisions regarding cases, apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, or precedents to reach conclusions, conduct hearings to obtain information or evidence relative to disposition of claims, and determine extent of liability according to evidence, laws, or administrative or judicial. Most states require prospective arbitrators, mediators, or conciliators to attend law school and obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D) degree.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, & Hearing Officers
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers conduct hearings to recommend or make decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters. They determine liability, sanctions, or penalties, or recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or settlements. They may monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties. Most states require prospective judges, adjudicators, or hearing officers to attend law school and obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D) degree.
DePaul University students interested in working in law or legal roles adding a Major or Minor from the Political Science department at DePaul to supplement their Criminology degree. Pre-law students often choose the Public Law/Political Law Minor option. This provides the non-Political Science majors with an introduction to the study of law and its foundation in political thought.
Correctional Services
Correctional Services refer to the systems, institutions, and programs that manage individuals who have been accused or convicted of crimes. These services are primarily focused on the administration of prisons, jails, and detention facilities, as well as the rehabilitation of offenders.
Correctional Officers & Jailers
Correctional Officers and Jailers guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. They may also guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other points. This can include deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.
Probation Officers & Correctional Treatment Specialists
Probation officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists provide social services to assist in rehabilitating law offenders in custody or on probation or parole. They also make recommendations for actions involving formulating rehabilitation plans and treating offenders, including conditional release and education and employment stipulations.
DePaul University students interested in working in law enforcement settings should consider a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with the Criminal Justice Administration Concentration.
See more on the Criminal Justice Administration Concentration homepage.
Social Services & Community Justice
Social Services refer to a range of public services provided by government, nonprofit, or private organizations aimed at improving the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Community justice refers to the efforts and strategies to address crime and conflict at the community level, emphasizing restorative practices, prevention, and rehabilitation over punitive measures. The focus is on building safer, more cohesive communities through collaboration between citizens, law enforcement, and other stakeholders. Common work settings include nonprofit organizations, government agencies, youth programs, community centers, schools, and local government offices.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, emphasizing the individual’s role in various societal groups and systems. Common responsibilities include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education. Most states require prospective social workers to attend graduate school and receive a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree before licensure.
Mental Health, Substance Abuse, & Behavioral Disorder Counselors
Each of these professionals counsel individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on prevention. Counselors assist with a broad range of mental health issues, such as addiction and substance abuse, family, parenting, and marital problems, stress management, self-esteem, or life transitions. Most states require prospective counselors to attend graduate school and to obtain a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license.
Social & Community Service Managers
Social and Community Service Managers plan, direct, and coordinate the activities of social service programs or community outreach organizations. They also oversee the budget and policies regarding participant involvement, program requirements, and benefits. Their work often involves directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers.
Victim Advocates provide support, resources, and assistance to individuals who have been affected by crime or violence. Their primary role is to ensure that victims of crime, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, or robbery, have access to the services they need and feel supported throughout the legal and recovery processes.
Community Health Workers promote health within a community by assisting individuals in adopting healthy behaviors and advocating for equitable health by helping individuals effectively communicate with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Other common responsibilities include implementing programs that improve individual and community health, delivering health-related preventive services and screenings, and collecting data to help identify community health needs.
Rehabilitation Counselors counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of individuals coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from incarceration, health issues, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Common responsibilities include coordinating activities for residents of care and treatment facilities, assessing client needs, and designing and implementing rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement. Most states require prospective counselors to attend graduate school and to obtain a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license.
Child and Family Social Workers provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families. They also often serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face systemic problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty. Most states require prospective social workers to attend graduate school and to receive a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree before licensure eligibility.
Social & Human Service Assistants
Social and Human Service Assistants assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in various fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including family support. Other common tasks include assisting clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and services and helping social workers develop, organize, and conduct programs to prevent and resolve problems related to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care.
DePaul University students interested in working in social service or community justice settings should consider a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with the Community Justice Concentration.
The Community Justice course of study emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts between criminal legal agencies and community partners to enhance informal social control to stabilize communities and reduce crime. Specific strategies include community organizing, different aspects of crime prevention, private-public partnerships, and justice initiatives.
See more on the Community Justice Concentration homepage.
Another option for DePaul University students who are interested in working in social service or community justice settings is to consider a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with the Race, Class, Gender and Justice Concentration.
The Race, Class, Gender, and Justice course examines social, political, and economic inequities in society. This concentration sensitizes students to the struggles of marginalized groups exposed to the criminal legal system. The courses within this concentration further students’ conceptual understanding of the values, ethics, and power relationships involved in the process of justice.
See more on the Race, Class, Gender, and Justice Concentration homepage.
Government & Public Administration
Government and Public Administration involve managing, overseeing, and implementing policies, laws, and services that serve the public and maintain order within society. This field covers the operations of various levels of government (local, state, and federal) and focuses on ensuring the effective delivery of services, upholding laws, and managing public resources for the general population’s benefit.
Compliance Officers examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits. They also often perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.
Legislators are elected officials who are responsible for creating, amending, and passing laws. They play a crucial role in the legislative process, representing the interests of their constituents (the people who live in their electoral district or region) and making decisions on a wide range of societal issues.
Government Programs Eligibility Interviewers
Government Program Eligibility Interviewers determine eligibility of persons applying to receive assistance from government programs and agency resources, such as welfare, unemployment benefits, social security, and public housing.
Equal Opportunity Representatives & Officers
Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Sociologists study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form and various social, religious, political, and business organizations. They may study the behavior and interaction of groups, trace their origin and growth, and analyze the influence of group activities on individual members.
Policy Analysts evaluate and provide recommendations on public policies, programs, or issues. Their work involves gathering and analyzing data, conducting research, and using their expertise to help policymakers (such as legislators, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations) make informed decisions. The goal of a policy analyst is to ensure that policies are effective, efficient, and aligned with societal needs.
DePaul University students interested in working in government and public administrative roles should consider pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with any of the three offered concentrations.
See more on the Concentration Requirements homepage.
In closing, exploring Bright Outlook Careers is crucial for students and alumni to navigate the evolving landscape of employment opportunities. With a foundational understanding of fields like Criminology, students can develop their skills and knowledge to thrive in diverse industries, shaping the future of society and their own professional trajectories.
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