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Protective Service: Schools and Careers

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About Protective Service

Occupations in Protective Service vary greatly and are mainly focused on safety and security - from protecting the public against various types of dangers to fire fighting to emergency response to enforcing safety rules and regulations to crime investigations to private detective work, and much more. Individuals will find a variety of Protective Service jobs in both public and private sectors. Examples of the many types of professions include, but are not limited to:

Protective Service picture    Protective Service image

  • Fire Fighters: only two types, 1) forest Fire Fighters focused on forests and rangelands, and 2) city Fire Fighters focused on all other types of fires
  • Probation Officers
  • Detectives and Criminal Investigators
  • Transit and Railroad Police
  • Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance Officers
  • Police and Sheriffs Patrol Officers
  • Correctional Officers and Jailers
  • Prison Guards
  • Supervisors of Officers, Sheriffs, Guards, etc. (ranks vary and include, but are not limited to sergeant, deputy, lieutenant, captain, and chief)

While each profession has its own specific set of characteristics, skills, abilities, and requirements, some of the more commonly shared include, but are not limited to:

  • working 40 hours/week that can include overtime, weekends, and evenings
  • working both indoors and out (with exposure to heat and cold conditions)
  • interacting and communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates throughout a shift
  • for the most part, working as part of a team but with the ability to work alone
  • often wearing protective and safety attire/gear (although many detectives are "plainclothes investigators")
  • making decisions, resolve issues, and negotiate (as appropriate)
  • communicating with individuals from within and outside their organization
  • working with the public, and at times, in conflict situations
  • being highly responsible and trustworthy
  • possessing knowledge of law, government, and jurisprudence
  • possessing knowledge of protecting people, property, and data

Protective Service Career Education

For the most part, individuals entering a career in Protective Service must:

  • Possess a high school diploma or GED. Note that some occupations (e.g., Probation Officer or Supervisor-level roles) require applicants to possess at least a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, social work, public administration, or a related field. Many universities and technical colleges offer formal degree programs in criminal justice. Studies in these programs include criminology, criminal procedure, justice, and communication and management skills.
  • Complete specialized training programs (as applicable to the occupation).
  • Pass a medical exam and drug-screening test.

Special training programs, again depending on the type of occupation, are available and can take anywhere from a few months up to five years to complete. Some fire departments, police departments, and academies offer apprenticeship and special training programs.

While on-the-job training is available for a variety of occupations (e.g., Probation Officer, Police and Detective Supervisors), they also generally require a minimum of three or four years' work-related experience as a prerequisite and can take anywhere from a few to several months to complete. Note that requirements for specific occupations vary by state.

Recognized certification programs and examinations are available. They enhance one's knowledge in a specific occupation or discipline and afford better career opportunities. Requirements vary by state.

Schools for Protective Service are listed in the column to the left.

The Subcategories tab lists career specialties for Protective Service, each of which has a full page profile on the site.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.

The Videos tab lets you watch videos describing many of the career specialties for Protective Service.

Employment For:
All Jobs > Protective Service

Schools for Protective Service (including online schools)

These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).

Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.

SchoolLocationsDegreesQuick Info
AIU OnlineOnlineAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Allied CollegeMOAssociateGet Info
Allied Medical & Technical InstitutePADiplomaGet Info
American InterContinental UniversityFL, GAAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Andover CollegeMEAssociateGet Info
Argosy UniversityAZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MN, TN, TX, UT, VABachelor, MasterGet Info
Ashford UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
Ashworth UniversityOnlineAssociate, DiplomaGet Info
Baker College CampusMIAssociate, CertificateGet Info
Baker College OnlineOnlineAssociateGet Info
Bauder CollegeGAAssociateGet Info
Berks Technical InstitutePAAssociateGet Info
Blue Cliff CollegeLAAssociateGet Info
Bohecker CollegeOHAssociateGet Info
Boston UniversityOnlineMasterGet Info
Bowling Green State UniversityOnlineMasterGet Info
Briarcliffe CollegeNYAssociateGet Info
Brown CollegeMNAssociate, BachelorGet Info
CFC WP non geoOnlineAssociateGet Info
Capella UniversityOnlineBachelor, Doctorate, MasterGet Info
Career Technical CollegeLAAssociateGet Info
Central Florida CollegeFLAssociateGet Info
Central Pennsylvania CollegeOnline, PAAssociate, Bachelor, CertificateGet Info
Colorado Technical UniversityMOAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Colorado Technical University OnlineOnlineAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Eastern Kentucky UniversityOnlineBachelor, Certificate, MasterGet Info
Ellis UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
Everest CollegeAZ, CA, CO, Online, OR, TX, UT, VA, WAAssociateGet Info
Everest College of Business Technology and Health CareONDiplomaGet Info
Everest InstituteFL, GA, MI, NY, PA, TX, VAAssociate, Coursework, DiplomaGet Info
Everest UniversityFLAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Everest University OnlineOnlineAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Florida Tech University OnlineOnlineBachelorGet Info
Florida Technical CollegeFLAssociateGet Info
Fremont CollegeCAAssociateGet Info
George Washington UniversityOnlineMasterGet Info
Gibbs SchoolsNYAssociateGet Info
Goodwin CollegeCTAssociateGet Info
Grand Canyon UniversityOnlineBachelor, MasterGet Info
Grantham UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
Heald CollegeCA, ORAssociateGet Info
Herzing CollegeLA, WIAssociate, Bachelor, DiplomaGet Info
Herzing College OnlineOnlineAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Hesser CollegeNHAssociate, BachelorGet Info
High-Tech InstituteMO, NV, TXDiplomaGet Info
ICS CanadaOnlineDiplomaGet Info
IIA CollegeAZ, NM, OnlineAssociate, DiplomaGet Info
ITT Technical InstituteAL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, LA, MI, MO, NC, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, TN, UT, VA, WA, WIAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Indiana Business CollegeIN, OnlineAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Kaplan Career InstitutePAAssociateGet Info
Kaplan CollegeCA, CO, MD, NV, WAAssociateGet Info
Kaplan UniversityIA, NE, OnlineAssociate, Bachelor, Certificate, MasterGet Info
Keiser UniversityFLAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Keiser University eCampus OnlineOnlineAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Las Vegas CollegeNVAssociateGet Info
Lincoln College of TechnologyGA, OnlineAssociate, Bachelor, CourseworkGet Info
McCann School of Business & TechnologyPAAssociateGet Info
Miami-Jacobs Career CollegeOHAssociateGet Info
Miller-Motte Technical CollegeSC, TN, VAAssociateGet Info
Mountain State UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
National Institute of Technology OhioOHAssociateGet Info
North Florida InstituteFLAssociateGet Info
Northwestern Business CollegeILAssociateGet Info
Northwestern Business College OnlineOnlineAssociateGet Info
Norwich UniversityOnlineMasterGet Info
Ohio Institute of Photography and TechnologyOHAssociateGet Info
Penn Foster Career SchoolOnlineDiplomaGet Info
Penn Foster CollegeOnlineAssociateGet Info
Pioneer Pacific CollegeORAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Portland State UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
Post UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
Rasmussen CollegeFL, IL, MN, ND, Online, WIAssociate, Bachelor, CertificateGet Info
Regis UniversityOnlineBachelorGet Info
Remington CollegeAL, AR, CO, FL, HI, LA, OH, TN, TXAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Sanford-Brown CollegeVAAssociate, BachelorGet Info
South UniversityOnlineBachelor, MasterGet Info
Southwest Florida CollegeFLAssociate, BachelorGet Info
Southwestern CollegeKY, OHCourseworkGet Info
St. Joseph's UniversityOnlineMasterGet Info
Stratford Career InstituteOnlineDiplomaGet Info
Strayer UniversityAL, DC, DE, FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, NJ, PA, SC, TN, VABachelor, Certificate, DiplomaGet Info
Strayer University OnlineOnlineBachelor, Certificate, DiplomaGet Info
TESST College of TechnologyMDAssociateGet Info
Technical Career InstituteFLDiplomaGet Info
University of CincinnatiOnlineMasterGet Info
University of PhoenixAL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, NM, NV, OK, Online, OR, PA, TN, UT, VA, WA, WIAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Utica CollegeOnlineBachelor, MasterGet Info
Virginia Career InstituteVADiplomaGet Info
Virginia College OnlineOnlineAssociate, Bachelor, MasterGet Info
Western Career CollegeCAAssociateGet Info
Westwood CollegeCA, CO, GA, IL, VABachelorGet Info
Westwood College OnlineOnlineBachelorGet Info
Woodbury CollegeOnlineMasterGet Info

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Additional Details

We have some additional detailed pages at the state level for Protective Service. These pages include maps focused on the particular state, among other details.

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