Careers in CLS

The career tracks within criminology, law and society are broad, and finding your place in the field takes research and commitment to your professional development.  Whether you've always wanted to be a police officer, a forensics investigator, special agent, or criminal profiler, there are resources at Mason to assist you in gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to compete for those positions upon graduation.

Be Competitive. Gain Experience. 

Experience in a particular career field can be gained through various channels, including internships, externships, and volunteer work.  Mason's proximity to Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas allow CLS students to pursue a range of opportunities in organizations relevant to the criminal justice field.  Taking advantage of those opportunities while you are pursuing your degree is essential to staying competitive in this rapidly growing field.

Use Your Resources

No matter where you are in the process - whether exploring your options, developing a job/internship search strategy, or negotiating an offer, see the links to the right to assist you as you research and prepare for your chosen career path.

Examine the Possibilities

This pie chart shows the career outcomes for majors in Criminology, Law and Society ages 25-45.  We use these ages to show where majors end up, rather than initial jobs out of college. Note, however, that these percentages are a snapshot of people at different career stages.  Source: IPUMS-USA, University of Minnesota (ACS 2017 1-year Estimates), www.ipums.org.