The University of Maryland Criminology and Criminal Justice graduates have been successful in many different fields post-graduation. Using information from the annual University of Maryland graduation survey, we have compiled details about CCJS majors, such as their post-graduation adventures.
Use this information as a place to start exploring your career interests. Review additional resources below and on the Feller Center's website.
Explore Career Paths
Start Planning
Related Titles & Work Areas
Job Titles:
- 911 Operator
- Background Investigator
- Border Patrol Agent
- Detention Officer
- Dispatcher
- Enforcement Officer
- Firefighter/ EMT
- Intelligence Specialist
- Paramedic; Sergeant
- Police Candidate
- Police Officer
- Security Assistant
- TSA Officer
- Uniformed Protection Officer
Organizations:
- Branchville Vol. Fire Co. 11
- City of Gaithersburg
- CSRA
- Gaithersburg Police Department
- Inter-Con
- Next Level Investigations
- OPM
- PG County Police Department
- Pinkerton
- The Universities at Shady Grove
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Department of Justice
- U.S. Secret Service
Job Titles:
- Background Investigator
- Contract Specialist
- Coordinator, Domestic Violence
- Crime Data & Intelligence Analyst
- Diplomatic Security
- English Monitor Analyst
- Global Engagement Center Assistant
- Judiciary Clerk
- Legal Assistant
- Legislative Correspondent
- Management and Program Analyst
- Operations Specialist
- Policy Assistant
- Program Analyst
- Program Assistant
- Public Safety Officer
- Research Assistant
- Secret Service - Uniform Division
- Security Specialist
- Social Science Analyst
- Staff Assistant
Organizations:
- Army Research Laboratory
- District of Columbia Government
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Maryland Courts
- Maryland Government
- Metropolitan Police Department
- Smithsonian Institution
- U.S. Air Force
- U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Department of Justice
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of the Navy
- U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. Marshal Service
Job Titles:
- AML Contractor
- Case Manager
- Case Manager/Legal Advocate
- Intake Coordinator
- Intellectual Property Support Service
- Assistant
- Legal Assistant
- Legal Practice Assistant
- Litigation/Legislative Paralegal
- Paralegal
- Paralegal Specialist Trainee
- Senior Paralegal
Organizations:
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLC
- Bergman & Moore LLC
- Crowell & Moring LLP
- Delany McKinney LLP
- Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
- Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman
- Jaklitsch Law Group
- Konare Law
- Littler Mendelson P.C.
- Mayer Brown
- Pretrial Services Agency, DC
- Robert Half Legal
- Stepto & Johnson LLP
- U.S. Department of Justice
Job Titles:
- Case Manager
- Caseworker
- Coordinator
- Criminal Justice Program
- Coordinator
- Diversity Programs Coordinator
- English Teacher
- Outreach Assistant
- Outreach Coordinator
- Program Coordinator/Manager
- Rehabilitation Counselor
- Sociology Academic Advisor
- Social Services Foster Care,
- Caseworker
- Teaching Assistant
Organizations:
- American Physical Society
- Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution
- Center
- Bethany Christian Services
- CASA de Maryland
- Cornerstone Montgomery
- Department of Social Services
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- Home Base Inc.
- Institute for Creative Community
- Latin American Youth Center
- State of Maryland
- Teaching Assistant Program - France
- U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
- University of Maryland
Job Titles:
- Absence Coordinator
- Assistant Project Manager
- Auditor
- Background Compliance Analyst
- Claims Representative
- Client Specialist
- Contract Specialist
- Core Assurance Associate
- Drone Data Analyst
- Incoming Discovery Associate
- Intelligence Associate
- Logistics Coordinator
- Loss Prevention Associate
- Operations Associate
- Operations Manager
- Outside Sales Representative
- Quality Assurance
- Realtor
- Recruiter
- Research Analyst I
- Research Associate and Publisher
- Sales Associate
- Sales Representative
- Selling Manager
- Senior Case Management Specialist
- Special Investigator
Organizations:
- Aerotek
- Alliance Material Handling
- Ankura
- Bank of America
- C2G Partners
- CACI
- Compass
- Critical Systems LLC
- GIS Benefits
- Great Shoals Winery
- Hugo Boss
- Leonard Resource Group
- Measure
- Optimal Solutions Group
- Point72
- Protection Strategies Incorporated
- PWC
- SAP National Security Services
- START- UMD
- Target
- The Cadmus Group
- The Hartford
- TitanHouse
- Toll Brothers
- Valcourt Safety Systems
Start Exploring Career Titles/Work Areas
Use the sample job and internship titles (mentioned above) to start exploring career paths. The links below provide a short overview of the positions.
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, a career title dictionary
- O*NET Online, the nation's primary source of occupational information
- FOCUS2, explore career paths using self-assessment questionnaires
- Terrapins Connect, talk with professionals working in the field through UMD’s alumni network
- Federal positions by major, research career titles with the federal government related to your major
- Vault Guides, browse 100’s of industry guides to gain inside tips
Resources: Career Planning
Explore career path options with these resources:
Federal opportunities:
For detailed tips, visit Vault’s Guide to Politics, Public Policy, and Activism Jobs.
Explore: Forensic investigators, requires an advance degree
Skills Developed: CCJS Major
Skills lead to jobs. Which skills do you possess?
- Assess your skills, abilities, interests, and values and explore how they relate to career options.
- Skills inventory - get started identifying your unique assets.
Sample list of skills developed in class.
- Descriptive and inferential statistics
- Social science research methods
- Understanding of basic criminology and criminal justice content area
- Competency in applying quantitative skills to criminological concepts
Add to your skills with LinkedIn Learning's skill based videos.
Gain Experience
Internships are a great way to try out an interest, regardless if they are directly related to your major. Employers tend to favor job seekers who have had an internship in the field they are hiring for.
Sample internship sites/title
- Counterterrorism Research Intern, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism
- Data Entry Intern, Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy
- Drug Enforcement Task Force Intern, U.S. Attorney's Office
- Drug Task Force Intern, Georgia Bureau of Investigation
- Homicide Unit Intern, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office
- Intern and Clerk, Chester County Office of the District Attorney
- Intern Investigator, Public Defender Service
- Intern, DC Pretrial Services
- Intern, Greenbelt Police Department
- Intern, International Community Corrections Association
- Intern, Office of the Attorney General
- Law Enforcement Apprentice Program, Montgomery County Police Department
- Legal Advising Intern, Staines Magistrates' Court
- Legislative Intern, Maryland General Assembly
- Manhattan Special Victims Squad Intern, New York City Police Department (Manhattan Special Victims Squad)
- Office Assistant/Firearms Examiner Assistant, Montgomery County Police Department
- Research Intern, Justice Policy Institute (Research)
- Student Analyst, U.S. Department of Justice
- Student Intern, State Attorney's Office of Montgomery County
Sample list of opportunities
- BSOS Engagement Opportunities - browse links on out of the classroom experiences
- The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers internship for credit, study abroad, and independent study
- Careers4Terps - check out job and internship openings for off-campus positions for UMD students
- UMD Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice Blog - list of opportunities
- UMD National Scholarships Office - review a listing of opportunities for UMD
- Federal government internships - links to openings and application tips
- Start your search with these tips
Featured Options:
- Browse positions - featured in Careers4Terps for CCJS majors
- Secretary’s Honors Program (SHP) - a new initiative to recruit exceptional recent graduates for careers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that includes fellowships related to cybersecurity, policy, management, emergency management, and law
- Police Auxiliary - on campus opportunity
- UMD Undergraduate Legal Aid Office
- Maryland Public Defender’s Office
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- DC Courts
- United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia
- Internships with the Senate
Sites UMD students have interned at recently:
- Activist Non-Profits of every stripe, e.g.
- AIPAC
- Brady Commission
- Capital Area Immigrant Rights Coalition
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Department of Justice
- Human Rights Watch
- Kids in Need of Defense
- Consider approaching lobbying Firms
- Maryland General Assembly (usually comes with a stipend)
- Pacific Legal Foundation
- US Congress
Tip: Reach out to small law firms. They are more willing to hire undergraduates as interns, although these internships often go to undergraduates with an existing connection to the firm, so networking is crucial.
- Research option on campus
- UMD Research Centers - potential RA positions
- Review departmental listserv or blog - list openings and advice for undergraduate students
- START - located just off campus, offers unpaid internships year round on a variety of research projects and teams.
Start researching your career path of interest to identify if there are additional educational requirements. Sample job titles that require an advance degree:
- Adjunct Professor
- Assistant United States Attorney
- Attorney
- Consular Officer
- Contract Attorney
- Contract Patent Attorney
- Crime Analyst
- Criminal Intelligence Analyst
- Foreign Affairs Officer
- Investigator
- Professor of Criminology
- Program Analyst
- Research and Writing Specialist
- Senior Consultant (Anti-Money Laundering)
- Special Agent
- Plus many more
Graduate School Resources: Researching programs:
- Questions to consider before applying
- Application timeline: stay on track with your graduate school application
- Tips for completing the application
- Financing ideas for graduate school
- Graduate School listing, LASC
- UMD Pre-Law Advising, contact for guidance on law related graduate school options and course suggestions
YANA KRAMARENK ‘18 (CCJS), Office of Police Complaints, Investigative Intern
Build Connections
After researching career paths, consider talking with people working in your field of interest to gain inside information. The links below provide sample events where you may be able to meet professionals in your field of interest. Use these opportunities to learn more about your field of interest, establish new networking contacts, and informational interviews.
- Career Events for BSOS students
- University Career Center Event Calendar
- Terrapins Connect, is an online platform that allows students’ virtual access to UMD alumni who have volunteered to share industry specific information and as well as conduct resume reviews, among other things.
- Use LinkedIn to Locate Alumni & Recruiters
- Intern for a Day Lite, matches students with professionals working in a field of interest to shadow for the day or offer informational interviews. Offered in the fall and spring.
Consider reviewing state and national associations related to criminal justice to access career path information and even attend association sponsored events to network with professionals in your field of interest. Start exploring areas below:
- American Correctional Association, offers resources, conferences, and professional development opportunities for individuals interested in the correctional field
- American Society of Criminology, objectives are to encourage the exchange, in a multidisciplinary setting, of those engaged in research, teaching, and practice so as to foster criminological scholarship, and to serve as a forum for the dissemination of criminological knowledge
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences, multi-disciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system (includes student and career information)
- NALS – The Association for Legal Professionals, contains information about certifications and volunteer opportunities
- National Sheriffs' Association, for information about sheriffs
