What to Expect

Students of law and security administration learn how to protect an organization's assets. You should have excellent leadership and communication skills, as well as a polished appearance.

With five to six classes a semester, students sometimes find it hard to budget time and get homework done. The average student takes about two classes a day, with lectures and labs, and then does about three to four hours worth of homework a night.

Leslie Hebden studied law and security administration at a community college. She says that students can expect to study at least 10 hours a week. Her courses consisted of sociology of deviance, placement preparation, tort and business law, communications, and principles of security.

During the two-year program, students commonly take math, science, criminal justice, business and sociology classes.

"Some of the more difficult aspects of the program that students should be prepared for in first year are the fitness requirements," Hebden says. "Second-year students should be prepared to handle large workloads and develop good communication skills."

How to Prepare

High school students are encouraged to take all the math classes they can, as well as business classes. These classes prepare students by showing them the inner workings of a business.

Mischelle Stone took the program at Michigan State University. She recommends that students also take sociology and accounting courses, and get involved in extracurricular activities. "Join the American Society of Industrial Security and get involved in the local chapter. Any experience such as working at sporting events, fairs, etc.," would be useful, she says.

Making contacts in the industry is one of the most important ways students can get into a good job after graduation. Joining clubs and societies during college is a great way to interact with other students and people working in the industry.