Private Investigator

Private Investigators are hired to do investigative work involving legal, financial, or personal matters, and offer a variety of services including background verification, locating missing persons, conducting surveillance, and more. They must have a good understanding of federal, state, and local laws, as well as legal issues affecting their work. Private investigators work in many places, depending on their assignment or case. Some spend more time in offices, doing computer searches, while others spend more time in the field, conducting interviews and performing surveillance. They may work irregular hours.

This Continuing Education Certificate prepares students for a job in the field of Private Investigation. The program will provide a combination of education and experience to assist a student in obtaining an entry-level position in a public or private organization.​ Students will learn the fundamentals of constitutional law and criminal law, the relationship between private investigation and the criminal justice system, including regulations, scope of operations, ethics, civil law, and legal considerations.

Students entering this program should have self-discipline, computer skills, strong interpersonal skills, strong problem-solving skills; the ability to analyze evidence; and be detail-oriented, organized, and resourceful.

Private investigator jobs can be found in the private and public sector, and in small and large organizations or companies​​. Additional career information may be found in Career Coach: https://ccbcmd.emsicc.com/.

Program Course Sequence