Upcoming Start Date: September 7, 2017
Don't wait -- applications due August 23rd. As an officer you may be able to transfer 10 of the total 20 credits for this degree!
Click here to apply
When you earn a BA in Policing a whole new set of career opportunities are more available to you. You combine the real world skills and experience that you have acquired in the service with the broader understanding of justice, investigative technique, critical thinking skills, and problem solving that will help you better serve citizens and advance your own career.
What kinds of careers might someone with a BA in Policing pursue?
You are dedicated to the police service, citizens, and the country. You are driven to do your best and be your best as you serve. Obtaining a degree opens up the door to a wide range of careers that allows you to serve others.
A degree helps you advance in a wide variety of career paths.
● Probation/parole officer - Meet with offenders to evaluate how well they are achieving their goals and complying with the probationary terms. Be part of the solution as you help those who have been convicted of crimes turn their lives around.
● Corporate security - Put your commitment to protecting others to work while coordinating and providing security services in a corporate setting.
● Corrections officer - Help keep correctional facilities, inmates, your fellow officers, corrections staff, and the community safe by serving in the correctional service.
● Policy analyst/advisor - Analyze policing trends, stats, and studies. Advise on policy recommendations for a stronger and more effective police service.
● Special constable - Become an appointed special constable and take on special police service responsibilities like becoming an explosive disposal technician, campus security, court security, executive protection for diplomats, etc.
● Private investigator - Be your own boss or work for a private employer. Work one-on-one with clients to investigate and solve crimes, discover impropriety, and help others.
● Customs and border security officer - Keep the borders and Canadian citizens safe by monitoring incoming packages, products, and people.
● Fraud investigator - Investigate suspected fraudulent activity for insurance companies, government, etc. Build cases and help prosecute offenders.
● Conservation officer - Protect wildlife and the environment from those who would steal this country's natural beauty and resources.
● Loss prevention specialist - Prevent retail theft, develop procedures, and execute loss prevention strategies.
Why get a BA in Policing?
A degree is more than a piece of paper. It represents the fact that you have combined your street skills with a solid education to become a more dynamic and effective cop. Research performed at Michigan State University showed that those in the service with a degree demonstrate better problem solving skills that allow them to de-escalate tense situations rather than resorting to force. They show improved investigational skills that help them solve crimes. And they develop a wide range of skills that simply make them better at their job.
While we should never undervalue the experience of serving, obtaining a degree allows you to systematically learn what might otherwise take a lifetime to acquire. Once you have these additional skills and apply them effectively in the service, you may be seen as better prepared to take on a promotion or specialty policing role.
Getting your degree even later in your career opens up great options for taking on a new high paid role after retiring from the service. If you will be retiring in the next 10 years, it's not too late to benefit from a BA in Policing.
Convenience and flexibility make it easy to get your degree while in the service
Taking stimulating and interactive courses at home in your spare time means that you always have time to work toward your BA in Policing . And you'll get your degree sooner than you might think. It's the convenient and flexible way to propel your career and change your future. When you're ready to take that next step for your career, family, citizens, and the future, contact us, Wilfrid Laurier University, to learn more and start your journey.