Are there any Physical Requirements One Needs to Consider before Majoring in Criminal Justice?

If you have always dreamed of being part of the criminal justice system, the first step is entering a criminal justice degree program. There are several different Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree programs that prospective students can choose from, but all students who are interested in applying to any college to study criminal justice should be familiar with the admissions requirements first. The Department of Criminal Justice or School of Criminal Justice can set their own special admissions requirements to study with the school when students need to possess special skills to succeed, and many times, these requirements are centered around physical health. If you are wondering whether or not your physical condition will be considered when applying to study criminal justice, read on and learn what you need to know.

Can Schools and Colleges Set Physical Admissions Criteria?

You have heard of academic requirements, but it is not common to come across a school with physical admissions requirements. While your physical condition can be considered when you are pursuing a job that requires you to be on your feet and active, you do not have to be physically fit to learn about criminal justice concepts, theories and principles. When you apply to attend a criminal justice program, you will need to proof you have a high school diploma and that you are a resident, but you do not have pass a medical or physical exam to be granted acceptance into an accredited college degree program.

If you later want to pursue a specific type of job within the scope of criminal justice, you may be required to pass a physical exam before you can even make it to an academy. This is something all majors should keep in mind before pursuing specific careers in criminal justice.

Consider What Type of Career You Are Pursuing

Now that you have peace of mind in knowing that you have time to enter a physical fitness program so that you can get in shape, understanding which careers have strict physical requirements can help. If you plan on working in the law enforcement field once you earn your criminal justice degree, you almost always need to pass specific physical tests before you will be hired. Police officers, FBI Agents, Secret Service Agents, Correctional Officers, ATF Agents, and Board Protection agents must almost always pass physical tests. These tests involve doing situps, pushups, running the mile, sprinting, as well as passing a 5-minute step test. These tests are designed to measure an applicants cardiovascular fitness and strength.

Not all positions in Criminal Justice have a physical fitness requirement. If you will be working in the field in situations where you are expected to defend yourself, expect to have to meet physical ability requirements. If you need to get into shape, use your time in school to go to the gym and start a physical fitness program. This gives you plenty of time to get into shape so that you can do what you love to do upon graduation. If you have permanent physical limitations, there are positions that should be considered where your fitness is not in question.