Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Legal Studies and Paralegal. Each major below links to what it includes, the skills you build, career paths, suggested minors and how many colleges report awarding it.
| Major | Typical degrees | Career paths | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice | Associate, bachelor's and master's degrees | Police Officer, Detective, Correctional Officer | 1,860 |
| Fire Science | Certificate, associate and bachelor's degrees | Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Emergency Medical Technician | 354 |
| Emergency Management and Homeland Security | Certificate, associate, bachelor's and master's degrees | Emergency Management Director, 911 Dispatcher, Transportation Security Officer | 259 |
| Legal Studies and Paralegal | Certificate, associate and bachelor's degrees | Paralegal, Legal Secretary, Court Clerk | 662 |
Colleges: active, degree-granting U.S. schools that reported awarding at least one degree or certificate in the field, IPEDS completions, awards conferred July 2023 to June 2024 (C2024_A).
Criminal Justice
Studies crime, law enforcement, courts and corrections. Criminal justice majors learn criminology, criminal law, policing, corrections, juvenile justice and ethics.
Skills: Report writing, Knowledge of the law, Conflict resolution, and Observation. Pairs well with: Psychology, Spanish, Sociology.
Fire Science
Studies fire behavior, prevention, firefighting and emergency response. Fire science programs cover fire behavior, fire prevention and codes, building construction, hazardous materials and fire service leadership.
Skills: Emergency response, Code enforcement, Hazardous materials awareness, and Teamwork. Pairs well with: Emergency Management, Occupational Safety.
Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Prepares you to plan for, respond to and recover from disasters and emergencies. Emergency management and homeland security programs cover disaster planning, incident command, risk assessment, continuity planning and public safety communication.
Skills: Emergency planning, Risk assessment, Coordination, and Communication. Pairs well with: Public Health, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Occupational Safety.
Legal Studies and Paralegal
Studies law and the legal system and prepares you to support attorneys. Legal studies and paralegal programs cover legal research and writing, civil litigation, contracts, ethics and legal technology.
Skills: Legal research, Writing, Document management, and Attention to detail. Pairs well with: Business, Political Science, Spanish.
Practical training for criminal justice, law and public safety careers
These Career Education Institute courses connect to the careers above. Each is a short, self-paced online course about one job.
A self-paced online course on what emergency management directors do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: emergency planning, incident Command System, and risk assessment
Why it fits: Connected to your Fire Science major
A self-paced online course on what security supervisors do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: security operations, scheduling, and incident response
Why it fits: Connected to your Criminal Justice major
A self-paced online course on what police officers do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: criminal law and procedure, report writing, and defensive tactics and use-of-force policy
Why it fits: Connected to your Criminal Justice major
A self-paced online course on what paralegals do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: legal research, legal writing and drafting, and discovery management
Why it fits: Connected to your Legal Studies and Paralegal major
A self-paced online course on what firefighters do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: fire suppression, emergency medical care, and SCBA use
Why it fits: Connected to your Fire Science major
A self-paced online course on what legal secretaries do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: legal document formatting, court e-filing, and docketing
Why it fits: Connected to your Legal Studies and Paralegal major
Why consider career training alongside college?
Your college major gives you an academic foundation. Short career training can add practical knowledge of a specific job: what the work involves day to day, its vocabulary, common tasks, tools and safety rules. You do not have to wait until graduation: many students take a short course to test a career before choosing a major, to prepare for an internship or a part-time job, or to show employers they understand the work.
Criminal Justice, Law and Public Safety majors: frequently asked questions
What are the best criminal justice, law and public safety majors?
The best major depends on the career you want. Common choices include Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Legal Studies and Paralegal. Compare the careers, coursework and skills for each.
How many criminal justice, law and public safety majors are there?
This guide covers 4 majors in criminal justice, law and public safety: Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Legal Studies and Paralegal. Colleges may use different names for similar programs.
What careers can you get with a criminal justice, law and public safety major?
Careers connected to these majors include police officer, detective, firefighter, fire inspector, emergency management director, 911 dispatcher, paralegal, and legal secretary. Some require a degree and a license, while others start with a certificate or on-the-job training.
Which criminal justice, law and public safety majors are offered at the most colleges?
Criminal Justice (1,860 colleges), Legal Studies and Paralegal (662 colleges), Fire Science (354 colleges), and Emergency Management and Homeland Security (259 colleges), based on IPEDS completions data.
Which criminal justice, law and public safety programs can you start with a certificate or associate degree?
Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Legal Studies and Paralegal are commonly offered as certificates or associate degrees, as well as at higher levels at some schools.
What skills do criminal justice, law and public safety majors build?
Common skills include report writing, knowledge of the law, emergency response, code enforcement, emergency planning, risk assessment, legal research, and writing.
Can I study criminal justice, law and public safety online?
Many colleges that offer these majors also report offering fully online programs. Use the college search with a major selected and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with each school which programs are online.
Can I start training for a criminal justice, law and public safety career before I finish college?
Yes. Short online career training can help you learn what a specific job involves and build practical knowledge while you study. It does not replace a degree or a required license.