Criminology Degree - Am I wasting my time?

[Xboxgp]

Hi there,
Well I've finished high school and decided on going straight back to the books. I applied to a few universities for a major in Criminology and decided to go with Carleton U. Now I'm not so sure I've done the right choice, as in chosing Criminology. Eventually, I'd like to become an investigator for the RCMP. Would this degree actually help me, will it actually give me anything? The more I look into it, the more it seems as if this degree is geared towards people who want to be social workers and such. Not something I'm interested in at all. My first year of university isn't all that important, I have to take the basic courses like Law and Psychology, so I know it won't be a waste and I can always switch majors next year. But I want to make sure I'm heading down the right path here.

Oh also, not that it's all that important to me, but what kind of salary does an investigator starting off in the RCMP have?

Thanks in advance for any help! :)

[beerbaron105]

it will help

but keep in mind police want people froma diverse background with awide range of experiences...so if your taking it simply to give urself a better edge in the police world, then your taking the wrong program, take what interests you, and u will have more to offer the RCMP

[beerbaron105]

Hi there,

Oh also, not that it's all that important to me, but what kind of salary does an investigator starting off in the RCMP have?

Thanks in advance for any help! :)

i hope you are aware that you have to be a 4th class constable and work your way down to 3rd....2nd...1st class constable before you can even consider speciailizing in a field such as an "investigator"

[UrbanPoet]

you gotta be a grunt cop first... You gotta wear the uniform, carry the gun/badge, and drive a car around for a few years before you can apply internally to such positions as "detective" or "investigator" etc...

Only in Europe do they hire detectives directly out of university.
In canada.. .your gonna start out as a regular police officer. Real life aint like CSI or miami vice.

[phd1969]

I know 2 girls that just graduated from Carleton U with Criminiology as their major, one is doing post graduate stuff this September, and the other one is still working at Best Buy. The girl that is going on to do post graduate schooling was my gf's roommate so I have a pretty good understanding of the program.

You're right that it focuses a lot on social work, a lot of the 4th year books that I took a peek at were related to Sociology stuff.

[dreamybear]

it depends where you get your criminology degree
different schools focus on different things..depending on the interests of their faculty

at Simon Fraser University, they don't have much of a sociological focus...their crim courses range from law, theory, psychological explanations, sociological impacts, biological factors, environmental criminology, etc....the courses are very diverse

since the program has a good practicum option, lots of people who graduate with a crim degree find work in the fields in which they're interested (ppl can work at law firms, victim services, and all kinds of different places)

of course, if you want to work for the RCMP or the local police force, you will have to work your way up...that's just the way it works with those organizations. you may find that the courses in policing and in the criminal justice system will be helpful to those who want to pursue a career in those related fields.

[myke]

Hey xboxgp, you're making the right move with this program, I'm a 4th year crim/law major myself and although I dont want to become a police officer I have many friends who do. The great thing about the Carleton crim program is that you choose the stream you want and i am guessing you are in the law stream. There are a few courses about policing and alot on various legal issues. You wont get the training to become a police officer like a police foundations course but then again alot of police forces now prefer a degree over police foundations (or if you are really ambitious you could do both). A friend of mine just passed the RCMP testing and she is in the hiring process now and when hired will have to be stationed anywhere in Canada where the RCMP wishes for atleast a few years. If your looking for pay then Toronto police are the highest paid in the country but to become a detective it will take at least 7 years I figure. Starting pay in Toronto is around $65,000 befor eovertime and benefits I believe but could be way off base.

[Sylvestre]

If you would like to "enhance" your resume, apply for the canadian reserves. Any kind of military experience is a huge boost in that field, and the pay isn't that bad.

[ieatkittens]

"A course in criminology? What are we training to be? BATMAN?"

[myke]

"A course in criminology? What are we training to be? BATMAN?"

Good quote :) I actually am training to be Batman with my degree :twisted:

[tigger03]

Hey xboxgp, you're making the right move with this program, I'm a 4th year crim/law major myself and although I dont want to become a police officer I have many friends who do. The great thing about the Carleton crim program is that you choose the stream you want and i am guessing you are in the law stream. There are a few courses about policing and alot on various legal issues. You wont get the training to become a police officer like a police foundations course but then again alot of police forces now prefer a degree over police foundations (or if you are really ambitious you could do both). A friend of mine just passed the RCMP testing and she is in the hiring process now and when hired will have to be stationed anywhere in Canada where the RCMP wishes for atleast a few years. If your looking for pay then Toronto police are the highest paid in the country but to become a detective it will take at least 7 years I figure. Starting pay in Toronto is around $65,000 befor eovertime and benefits I believe but could be way off base.

I believe that starting pay in Toronto is around $42,000 ... I couldn't find $65,000 anywhere to start with! And no, you can be a detective as soon as 4 years on the job (in Toronto, anyway!) :D

[myke]

I believe that starting pay in Toronto is around $42,000 ... I couldn't find $65,000 anywhere to start with! And no, you can be a detective as soon as 4 years on the job (in Toronto, anyway!) :D

Pfft, I was only off by $20ish thousand dollars a year...lol. I get my ifnormation from people I work with so I'm just regergitating an unchecked fact. Thanks for the correction though :D

[tigger03]

Pfft, I was only off by $20ish thousand dollars a year...lol. I get my ifnormation from people I work with so I'm just regergitating an unchecked fact. Thanks for the correction though :D

lol ... "ONLY" $20,000-ish/year!?! That would probably make me choose Toronto over Peel!!!! .. haha ... ;)

Here's the OFFICIAL stuff that I got from the Toronto Police website:


Cadet in training $45,042.34
4th Class Constable $50,057.71
3rd Class Constable $57,211.20
2nd Class Constable $64,364.69
1st Class Constable $71.522.91


Here's the stuff from Peel's website:

Constable, 1st Class - $71,441
Constable, 2nd Class - $64,297
Constable, 3rd Class - $57,153
Constable, 4th Class - $50,008
Recruit Constable - $42,864


Here's the stuff from the RCMP's website:

When you successfully complete the Cadet Training Program and have been offered employment, you will be engaged (hired) as a regular member constable at an annual salary of $43,428. Normally, within 36 months of service, your salary will increase incrementally to $70,366 annually.

[coolspot]

Pfft, I was only off by $20ish thousand dollars a year...lol. I get my ifnormation from people I work with so I'm just regergitating an unchecked fact. Thanks for the correction though :D


It's 65K after about 3 years on the job ;)

[UrbanPoet]

71k a yr is alot for 3-4 years of service... job for life too. how many employers offer that?

[bigshotceo]

71k a yr is alot for 3-4 years of service... job for life too. how many employers offer that?

I'll disagree with "job for life"-for many reasons (stress, physical ailments, etc..), quite a few police officers don't end their careers working for a police agency.

[Xboxgp]

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I feel a lot more reassured that I'm heading in the right path. I knew the criminology degree wouldn't guarantee me a spot in the RCMP, but I hope it will give me a bit of an edge.
Myke> Nice to hear from a 4th year crim. student. I'll only be starting my first year. I read up on the Carleton system, and plan on taking the law route. However I think I only start that after the first or second year. After all the mandatory introductory courses are taken.

[beerbaron105]

I'll disagree with "job for life"-for many reasons (stress, physical ailments, etc..), quite a few police officers don't end their careers working for a police agency.

it is a job for life if you love and stick with it
you will never be fired
there is always demand for police officers
there will always be crime
retire in 25 years

[myke]

it is a job for life if you love and stick with it
you will never be fired
there is always demand for police officers
there will always be crime
retire in 25 years

Retire in 25 years with a huge ass pension :D

[myke]

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I feel a lot more reassured that I'm heading in the right path. I knew the criminology degree wouldn't guarantee me a spot in the RCMP, but I hope it will give me a bit of an edge.
Myke> Nice to hear from a 4th year crim. student. I'll only be starting my first year. I read up on the Carleton system, and plan on taking the law route. However I think I only start that after the first or second year. After all the mandatory introductory courses are taken.

Yah, first year its just general mandatory stuff, then 2nd year you get abit more choice and 3rd and fourth there arent too many mandatories.

[coolspot]

Retire in 25 years with a huge ass pension :D

And then you work for the private sector doing security work for a couple years and earn double income!

Banks and other financial institutions hire ex-investigators/police to work in their fraud depts.

[tigger03]

I'm completing a degree in justice studies. I opted not to go into the police force right after high skool coz I know the whole "life experience" thing. Plus, it's always good to fall back on a degree in post-secondary education in case things don't work out.

Secondly, once you advance your way up to detective/intelligence/CIB, etc, having post-secondary education is definitely an asset. Alongwith your police stats from over the years, they look for a degree. It certainly gives you an edge over the others (given that your police stats are good as well).

I have another 8 months of school to go before I apply for uniform. I would certainly encourage post-secondary education. Also (informally) the trend is moving more towards having a degree (not necessarily in the law field .. it can be business, psych, etc) more than a diploma.

[tigger03]

71k a yr is alot for 3-4 years of service... job for life too. how many employers offer that?

I agree. Not necessarily a "job for life" but definitely a career. A lot of police officers don't necessarily stay in uniform ... they move up ranks (and also see an increase in $$$). I don't necessarily want to be in uniform for the whole career ... I want to move on to intelligence or even homicide.

3-4 years pass by very quickly on the job to move onto that 71K threshold. Given that Peel's schedule is like 3 days, 2 days off, 4 afternoons, 2 days off, 7 nights, 7 days off ... something along those lines. Toronto's is very different (I don't remember it off the top of my head). I mean, sometimes you have to work on stat holidays, and even Christmas and stuff ... but it's all part of the job.

Not to mention, the regular salary PLUS paid duty gets your income wayy up there. ;)

[tigger03]

It's 65K after about 3 years on the job ;)

not necessarily ... Peel has somewhat of a rule that if you get over 90% at OPC, you are eligible to get promoted within 6 months instead of 1 year. So that would mean that if you're a 4th class constable earning 50K ... within 6 months on the job, you could be at 57K ... and a year later at 65K.

In essence, it's POSSIBLE to get to 65K after 1.5 years on the job :cheesygri (AFTER police college and stuff).

[circa76]

Here's the way it works in Toronto:

5 week cycles (35 days cycle)
7 days day shift
6 days off
7 days afternoon shift
5 days off
7 days night shift
3 days off

Every year, if you are within the top 20% (or was it 25%) of your peers you are promoted two months early. So at best you can make 1st class constable 8 months earlier than your peers.

[tigger03]

Here's the way it works in Toronto:

5 week cycles (35 days cycle)
7 days day shift
6 days off
7 days afternoon shift
5 days off
7 days night shift
3 days off

Every year, if you are within the top 20% (or was it 25%) of your peers you are promoted two months early. So at best you can make 1st class constable 8 months earlier than your peers.

thx for the info ... i knew it was something to that, but I still prefer Peel's schedule ;)

[UrbanPoet]

Here's the way it works in Toronto:

5 week cycles (35 days cycle)
7 days day shift
6 days off
7 days afternoon shift
5 days off
7 days night shift
3 days off

Every year, if you are within the top 20% (or was it 25%) of your peers you are promoted two months early. So at best you can make 1st class constable 8 months earlier than your peers.

wow.. they get such a HUGE chunk of time off in a row it seems!

[maniacshopper]

Depending on what kind of investigating you'd like to do. Be it in finance or hardcore mob. A diverse degree will show that you have the knowledge. But to show your skill as a cop, you'd need to show experience. Like showing experience in the military, police.
I know some ppl who are in the police force. Some are in it to get to RCMP or higher. Others were in the military who moved on to the RCMP.

The point is there is no direct route to getting in. It takes hard work and dedication, just like the work you'd be doing if you were an RCMP officer.

[keanefan]

shouldn't you go look at the RCMP website or go to their recruiting office and read their application?

[beerbaron105]

wow.. they get such a HUGE chunk of time off in a row it seems!

well if your jsut working the bare minimum then yes, but there is always OT, paid duties,court time, it pushes into your off time, but then again making 1.5x-3x more during those shifts is always welcome!

[keanefan]

the guy said that he wanted to work for the RCMP so go to the RCMP website where all the info is readily available.

go to a RCMP office and ask the adviser how a person becomes an investigator (his dream job).

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/recruiting/index_e.htm

[beerbaron105]

the guy said that he wanted to work for the RCMP so go to the RCMP website where all the info is readily available.

go to a RCMP office and ask the adviser how a person becomes an investigator (his dream job).

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/recruiting/index_e.htm

it doesnt take a question to the rcmp for that to be answered

he has to be a regular constable for the 3-4 years initially from which point he can move onto a specialized field.