If the answer to the question, “What does a compliance officer do?” appeals to you, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your high school guidance counselor. Discuss your career goals and ask whether there are any relevant courses you could add to your schedule. Some good choices would be classes in government, law, business law, accounting and finance.
You’ll need to earn an undergraduate degree after high school. There is some flexibility regarding the type of degree you can earn, but a legal studies degree is a great choice.
After earning your bachelor’s degree, you should plan on earning a master’s degree. Although a graduate degree isn’t a strict, universal requirement, many employers do prefer it and you’re likely to find that you’re able to pursue more job opportunities with this advanced degree.
All aspiring compliance officers need an undergraduate degree, but there is no universal requirement regarding the type of bachelor’s degree you should earn. Many professionals have backgrounds in finance, accounting, business administration, law or justice studies/criminal justice. Law and criminal justice degrees can be particularly advantageous for compliance officers, because, after all, their role focuses predominantly on compliance with regulations.
If you do decide to earn a degree in government studies with an emphasis in law, you can expect to study topics such as the following:
- Philosophical foundations of law and ethics
- Quantitative and qualitative methods of research in government and law
- Public policymaking, as well as its applications and analysis
- Civil law and the analytical techniques for resolving legal issues
- Legal research, reasoning and analysis
Although it’s possible to land a position in the field with just a bachelor’s degree, many employers do prefer to hire compliance officers who possess a master’s degree. In addition, earning a master’s degree might empower you to commanding a higher salary.
As with your bachelor’s degree, there is some flexibility regarding the type of master’s degree you can earn. A master’s degree in criminal justice is a great choice, particularly if you can choose a concentration in legal studies.
During your degree program, you’ll fine-tune your critical thinking and communication skills, and you’ll develop greater awareness of professional ethics and responsibility. Some of the specific topics you’re likely to study include the following:
- The interrelatedness of law and socioeconomic issues, and the philosophical underpinnings of justice administration
- Research competencies and methodological analysis of various topics in the modern justice environment
- The practical applications of legal communication methods
- Constitutional amendments and case law in criminal jurisprudence, including a look at constitutional rights
- Organizational behavior and leadership within the criminal justice field
Some, but not all master’s degree programs require students to complete a master’s thesis. A master’s thesis is a research paper, typically about 40 to 80 pages in length that takes a deep dive into a specific topic in the field. Unlike doctoral students completing a dissertation, master’s degree students do not need to conduct original research for their master’s thesis.