If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the investigation industry, you need training and development and ongoing education. Universities, colleges, schools, and investigation companies offer private Investigator training. It comes in many forms: degree programs, certificate programs, continuing education, home study courses, and internships.
Overview
The best resource for an overview of the private investigator profession is the U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Outlook Handbook. The handbook describes the nature of private investigation work, working conditions, earning potential, qualifications, and other significant points for private investigators.
The handbook also explains the general amount of P.I. education and training one should have to enter the profession. See How to Become a Private Investigator and private investigator services or check out the eBook The Private Investigator’s Licensing Handbook: How to Get a Private Investigator License in any State available at Amazon.com.
Private Investigator Training Resources
The following are private investigation and detective training courses, development programs, and home study courses that will help you learn how to become a private investigator and do private investigation work. Visit the associated website to learn more details about the course, learn about fees, and how to apply.
Before proceeding, it is important to note that many states have specific training courses applicants must complete becoming licensed. Visit the state licensing authority’s website for more information on the specific courses and exams that each state requires. You’ll find links to each state’s licensing authority in our private investigator licensing section.
PIEducation
Following are examples of PIEducation continuing education courses:
- Surveillance learning program
- Death investigations courses
- Forensic photography courses
- Instruction Interviewing witness
- Bounty hunting training
- Private investigation laws and ethics
- Skip Tracing guidance
Blue Ribbon Investigative Institute
The Blue Ribbon Investigative Institute is licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education and certified by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Department of Education to provide the 40-hour private investigator intern course required by the state. The course is written and taught by a true private investigator. The course covers the following:
- The applicable state statutes and administrative code
- Professional ethics and legal issues
- How to interview witnesses and verify the truth
- How to use computers in the investigation process and sources of information
- Restrictions on records
- How to write reports
- How to find people
- Evidence
- Courtrooms, trials, and formal hearings
- Testifying as a witness
- Executive protection
A certificate is provided upon completion of the course with a passing grade. The certificate must be submitted to the state with the license application form.
Detective Training Institute
Detective Training Institute – This company offers a State-approved home study course to become a Qualified Private Investigator. The Private Investigator Course trains you on how to become a PI, and the latest investigative techniques, including state-of-the-art computer online investigative strategies. Other topics covered include:
- Background Investigation and Research
- Tracking and Locating Missing Persons
- Surveillance
- Legal Investigations
- Business Crimes Investigations
- Starting Your New Career as a Private Eye
You can begin your private investigator’s education and development via home study or online. No previous experience is required to get started in this exciting profession. Whether this is your first career or a career change, DTI makes it simple for you.
The course provides detailed, step-by-step explanations with hundreds of photographs that make learning easy and fun. And most importantly, you can learn private investigation from home in your spare time, on your own time schedule.
Enroll online or via mail. Online counseling is available, and students can send their exams for grading via fax or online. Private Investigator and Detective Training School is a specialized private investigation school licensed by the Nevada Commission on Post-secondary Education. Most students can complete this state-approved online program within ten weeks.
We recommend downloading and reading the first lesson, which is available for free on DTI’s website. This will give you an idea of the high-quality information you’ll receive via this excellent private eye training program.
Discovery Detective Academy
The Discovery Detective Academy offers Investigations, Process Serving, and Security courses. Their Master’s Course in investigations prepares you to run your own agency. The course covers the following:
- Law: Civil, Criminal, Federal, and ethics
- Civil and criminal investigative techniques
- How to collect evidence and process a crime scene
- Forensics: handwriting analysis, fingerprints, lab results
- Document research and retrieval
- How to locate people, skip tracing
- Photography and videos
- Interrogation techniques
- Courtroom testimony
- How to manage cases
- How to set up and market your business
Global School of Investigation
The Global School of Investigation offers online education and distance learning programs for private investigation studies. The web-based training courses teach you all aspects of private investigations, including private investigations, insurance investigations, security, fraud investigations, skip tracing, and bounty hunting.
Rasmussen College – Criminal Justice Program
Rasmussen College – Criminal Justice Program – The Rasmussen College criminal justice program, offers a career that allows you to have a direct positive impact on individuals, businesses, and entire communities. You can choose from various criminal justice specialties, including law enforcement, corrections, psychology, and homeland security.
- Learn from current sheriffs, sergeants, and other seasoned law enforcement professionals
- Gain real-world insight through police ride-along, correctional visits, and other hands-on opportunities
- Examine the social and behavioral issues involved in the study of crime to help you in the field
For more information, visit the website or contact:
Michael Schwartz
Rasmussen College
Address: 8300 Norman Center Drive, Suite 300
Phone: 952-806-3900
FAX: 952-831-0624
Michael.Schwartz@rasmussen.edu
The Stratford Career Institute
The Stratford Career Institute offers a Private Investigator Training Distance Learning Course (home study) that provides fundamental instruction on key areas such as
- Ethics and legal issues
- Various types of investigations, including accidents, criminal, domestic, fraud, financial, insurance, missing persons, and undercover
- Resources, tools, and techniques in the P.I.’s toolbox
- How to interview witnesses
- How to provide testimony
- How to conduct research
Worldwide Learn
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR & SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAMS – Train at home to be a private investigator, detective, or security specialist or to work in personal or executive protection and intelligence & investigations with these online courses and distance learning diploma programs from accredited institutions.
Private Investigator Training Books
Books are a good place to start if you are interested in entering the field of private investigation. If you’re already licensed and working in the field, reference books can be a great way to add to your knowledge and experience or to pick up new skills. A good detective always knows where to turn to find the right information. Sometimes, the answers may be sitting on your bookshelf. Start building your library of reference books today.
The Private Investigator’s Licensing Handbook: How to Get a Private Investigator License in any State
Think you might be interested in pursuing a career as a private investigator? Browse through the pages of this eBook to learn about the services provided by private investigators, the typical work environment, career outlook, and salary range. Plus, learn the basic licensing requirements for each state and where to find more information. Includes sections on training and education, PI associations, and more. Buy the eBook at Amazon today for just $3.49.
PI School: How To Become A Private Detective – Most detectives are ordinary citizens just like you – except they know how to locate information, data, and how to locate people. And so will you after you read this book. A PI is only as good as his techniques, and PI School teaches you everything you need to know: surveillance, paper trails, interrogation, and more.
Traffic Accident Investigators’ Manual: A Level 1 and 2 Reference, Training, and Investigation Manual – This book is a great resource for investigating, analyzing, and reconstructing traffic accidents. It explains how to investigate traffic accidents, conduct various analyses and prepare reports for clients.
Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation Interactive Training CD-ROM
This interactive CD-ROM summarizes, in layman’s terms, the critical concepts detailed in Fisher’s text of the same name. This hands-on CD presents complex, scenario-based interactions within virtual crime scenes and offers activities and exercises with instant feedback that allows students and trainees to determine right and wrong answers immediately. Each section follows the outline of Fisher’s text and contains short quizzes to test comprehension instantly. The CD also serves as an aid for court testimony, providing useful information for investigators, expert witnesses, and attorneys.
Covert Surveillance
Learn how to conduct covert surveillance investigations for your clients. Learn the methods used by the pros to conduct undetected surveillance and gather the information, photographs, and video you need.
Death Investigation: The Basics
This guide details the procedures used by coroners and medical examiners. Includes flow charts, illustrations, sample forms, current information on the diagnosis of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and procedures for investigating infant deaths. Primarily for new death investigators.
Forensic Anthropology Training Manual
Book Description – This new book focuses on the challenges and responsibilities of the Forensic scientist, the multidisciplinary nature of the work, and the international potential for the Forensic sciences. This an excellent introduction to the realities of the profession of Forensic scientist. Trains in the description and analysis of human skeletal and dental remains. This guide offers a well-illustrated approach to osteology, including a concentration on vocabulary-building, case studies, and a structured approach to skeletal analysis and report writing—an excellent text for those considering the field of Forensic science.
If you’re interested in becoming a police officer, learn about the training and education options available to law enforcement.
If you have any questions about these private investigator training, development, and education resources, please post them below. Also, view a list of Private Investigator Jobs.
