Careers in Homeland Security, Enforcement and Criminal Justice: Getting there from Wheaton College
Sample career paths:
| Department of Corrections | Port Security Director, Homeland Security |
| Customs Officer | ATF Agent |
| New York State Trooper | INS Adjudication Officer |
| DEA Agent | Probation Officer |
All these positions are examples of jobs held by graduates of Wheaton College over the years. How can someone go to a superior liberal arts and sciences College like Wheaton, which doesn't have a Criminal Justice Major, and still find meaningful work in this important and expanding field?
Getting There from Wheaton:
Take relevant courses across our curriculum. The mix matters more than the majors; most students interested in enforcement seem to focus on issues of deviance, delinquency, public policy, often studying psychology, sociology, political science and history.
Consider an Independent Major that would allow you to craft your own major with a criminal justice or enforcement focus. Consider foreign language and study abroad experiences to give global range to your skills and backgrounds. If you spoke Pashto, Arabic, Urdu, Farsee or other strategic languages, you'd have another edge.
80%of those who work in these fields need a graduate degree and specialized additional training, so establishing a broad base at Wheaton makes sense as a springboard to further law, public policy, Master's and Doctoral degrees.
Integrate internships and volunteer work with courses of study (a Wheaton specialty) to secure important relevant experiences, both term-time and in summers. Our students have worked in federal and state security agencies, served as auxiliary police and interned with local forces, researched criminal issues at think tanks and policy study centers, worked with forensic psychologists, cold case specialists and more. Get the key experiences!
Suggested Internet Resources
Employment information in the Department of Homeland Security