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How to Become a Private Investigator

Home >> Articles >> Legal Careers >> How to Become a Private Investigator

What Private Investigators Do

Life as a private investigator is not always sitting behind a desk in a fedora, waiting for dames with problems to come knocking on the door. As a twenty-first century private eye, you will do a lot of surveillance and a lot of research to discover who has been unfaithful or who committed a crime. Sometimes private investigators have to sit outside homes or businesses for hours, waiting for a suspect to emerge or a phone to ring. But when they can confirm details on a case to catch a suspect, the rewards are great.

Training to Become a Private Investigator

People who want to become a private investigator should know that there is no one path to this career. Although many detectives have degrees, most also have relevant experience in private security, law enforcement or the military. If you wish to become a private investigator and want to know what to study, know that most people who want to become private investigators have some education in criminal justice or law enforcement. With experience in either, you will have valuable information and access to resources most of the public does not have. Some corporate investigators have degrees in business, law or accounting, giving them a good business background to put to use.   

Careers as a Private Investigator

If you are to become a private investigator, you will probably want to specialize. Legal investigators work for law firms locating witnesses, reviewing evidence and as liasions to the police or testimony in court. Corporations sometimes hire corporate investigators to find information or money leaks, or find drug use in the workplace. Other private investigators find work at hotels or casinos in loss prevention.

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Legal Careers Featured Schools

For information on Legal Careers , please visit any school below and request more information.

Penn Foster Schools

1 Campus Location

Penn Foster offers affordable, self-paced career-focused distance education programs in fields like business, criminal justice, health services, technology, engineering, paralegal studies and more. More Details...

Programs :-
  • Private Investigator

Stratford Career Institute

1 Campus Location

Stratford Career Institute can help you earn your diploma from home in as little as six months, thanks to their proven study methods. More Details...

Programs :-
  • Private Investigator
  • Forensic Science

University of Phoenix

142 Campus Locations

As the largest private university in North America, University of Phoenix has more than 200 locations, and is available online in most countries around the world. Whether you're seeking a college degree at an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral level, we can help you reach your academic goal—and sooner than you might think. More Details...

Programs :-
  • B.S. in Organizational Security and Management
  • BS in Organizational Security and Management
  • A.A. in Criminal Justice
  • MS in Administration of Justice and Security
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Keiser University Campus

13 Campus Locations

Keiser University offers accredited degree programs in today's high-demand careers: Healthcare, Technology, Paralegal, Business, Nursing and Legal Studies. More Details...

Programs :-
  • Public Safety Administration, BS (Online Only)
  • Homeland Security, BA
  • Homeland Security, BA (Online Only)
  • Homeland Security, AA
  • Homeland Security, AA (Online Only)
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Strayer University

73 Campus Locations

Get the right foundation for your future with a degree from Strayer University. Evening, weekend and online classes are all available to meet the needs of busy adults. More Details...

Programs :-
  • BSCJ: Homeland Security and Emergency Mgt
  • BSCJ: Homeland Security Technology
  • AA: Criminal Justice
  • BSCJ: Criminal Justice Admin
  • BSIS: Computer Security
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Keiser University

1 Campus Location

Keiser University eCampus Online offers degrees in fields that are in high demand and provides job placement assistance to all its students and alumni. More Details...

Programs :-
  • Homeland Security, AA (Online)
  • Homeland Security, BA (Online)
  • Criminal Justice, AA (Online)
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Remington College

14 Campus Locations

At Remington College campuses, we offer a wide variety of educational programs. While no reputable school can guarantee employment after graduation, our programs are designed with an emphasis on helping students prepare for entry level employment in various career fields. More Details...

Programs :-
  • BS in Criminal Justice
  • AAS in Criminal Justice

Kaplan College - KHE

20 Campus Locations

Don't wait another day to take the next step forward in your career. Kaplan College can give you the real-world knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your chosen field. More Details...

Programs :-
  • Associate of Arts: Criminal Justice
  • Associate of Applied Science: Criminal Justice
  • Associate of Science: Criminal Justice
  • Associate of Applied Business: Criminal Justice
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American Military University

1 Campus Location

American Military University's online programs can prepare you to succeed in a civilian or military career. Choose from more than 70 Associate, Bachelor's and Master's degree programs. More Details...

Programs :-
  • M.A. in Security Management
  • B.A. in Security Management
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  • A.A. in Counter Terrorism Studies
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