Arkansas Nursing Schools

Criminal Justice Schools in Arkansas can help aspiring law enforcement professionals build a strong foundation for a variety of careers. Graduates of these programs can go on to find jobs in corrections, crime scene investigation units, crime prevention units and private investigations.

If you want to learn more about criminal justice schools in Arkansas, including information on coursework, admission requirements and potential career options, the following guide might be of help to you.Crim

Individuals who want to enroll in a criminal justice school first need to determine the program level they should opt for. This would be dependent on their previous educational credentials and future career goals. Students can opt for an associate’s degree in criminal justice, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a master’s degree in criminal justice or a doctoral degree in criminal justice.

The admission requirements for criminal justice programs in Arkansas would depend largely on the program you enroll in and the institute you opt for. In most cases, undergraduate programs would require students to have at least a high school diploma. Many schools require applicants to submit their ACT or SAT scores and meet a minimum 2.0 GPA requirement. The admission requirement at the graduate level would be relatively stricter. Most programs at the master’s level would require students to have a bachelor’s degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, multiple letters of recommendations and an updated resume. Some universities might also have a work experience requirement in the field of criminal justice.

The course structure for criminal justice programs is majorly dependent on the degree level. As the degree gets more advanced, the courses get more complex and detailed. The common themes explored in the coursework for criminal justice programs include subject areas such as criminal justice research methods, criminal justice statistics, introduction to criminal law, international crime, terrorism etc.

Advanced level degrees would also involve a thesis project, along with an internship or work experience requirement.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals who held jobs in the protective services field are expected to enjoy a growth of 8% in the years from 2020 to 2030, which is nearly as fast as the average growth for all occupations. The median annual wage for this occupational category was $43,710 in May 2020, which is higher than the annual median wage for all occupations, $41,950.

Private Detectives and Investigators in Arkansas made an annual mean income of $77,980 in May 2020, while Detectives and Criminal Investigators made $67,410. Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers made an annual mean income of $42,530 in 2020, while Correctional Officers and Jailers made $35,620 in Arkansas. Other potential criminal justice career options include criminal profiler, crime scene investigator, forensic scientist, drug enforcement administration agent and homicide detective.

Students with doctoral degrees in criminal justice can also go for research and teaching occupations in the criminal justice field.

Aspiring nurse practitioners must follow a series of steps in order to join the field of medicine. The process to become a nurse practitioner starts with earning a 4-year long Bachelor of Science (BSN) in nursing degree. Following this, students will have to obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) by completing the NCLEX-RN exam. Once a licensed RN, you can enter the work force to gain some experience before eventually enrolling in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Students are advised to go for a doctorate program, as most employers prefer advanced education for NPs. After completing this degree, students should earn a certification from a specialty nursing board, followed by getting their Nurse Practitioner state licensure.

(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a “year-round, full-time” hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.