Science

While there are a number of forensic science programs in the U.S., this is the first program with a concentration in death investigations. Throughout your courses, you’ll become skilled in report writing, critical synthesis, anatomy, statistics and surveying, data analysis and modeling. You’ll also become familiar with topics including:

• Advanced scene mapping.
• Excavation and recovery.
• Forensic anthropology.
• Forensic entomology.
• Human and comparative osteology.
• Photography.
• Taphonomy and wildlife forensics.
• The history and psychology of death investigation.

This program will prepare you to become a competitive job candidate and applicant for graduate and medical school in areas such as medicolegal death investigation, biology, pre-dental forensic odontology, wildlife forensics, forensic nursing and more. If you’re interested in becoming a crime scene investigator, law enforcement agent or crime lab personnel, ASU's online Bachelor of Science in forensic science is another option you can consider.

What does a medicolegal death investigator do?

A medicolegal death investigator’s role is similar to that of a crime scene investigator. However, medicolegal death investigators focus on human remains. Their duties include responding to scenes of suspicious deaths, photographing and documenting the human remains and transporting them to the medical examiner’s office. They also work alongside medical examiners to identify how individuals passed away and the details surrounding their deaths. The medicolegal field is multidisciplinary, blending the fields of medicine, science and the judicial system.

Who’s a good candidate for this bachelor’s program?

The ideal candidate is interested in working within the medicolegal system to find answers to suspicious or unexplained deaths. This program is a good fit if you’re looking to take the first step toward a career in forensic death investigations or further your education in medical or graduate school.

Please note: This degree doesn’t prepare you to immediately become a forensic pathologist, anthropologist, odontologist or psychologist upon graduation. While this program does provide an excellent foundation, additional schooling is required to work in these fields.

In this program, you'll delve into the workings of animal and human biology, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how we function, think and behave. With courses emphasizing ecological, evolutionary and biomedical knowledge, you'll learn how to apply core scientific concepts. Graduates can use this understanding in an array of fields ranging from chemistry and human physiology to neurobiology and veterinary science.

Additionally, you’ll become equipped with a set of multidisciplinary skills, including:

• Analyzing social behavior
• Collecting data and other lab functions
• Completing technical reporting

Please note that this program’s organic chemistry lab course includes a seven-day, in-person component. These in-person science labs take place in the summer and provide you with valuable laboratory experience, building your technical skills and your ability to work in teams in a lab setting.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

If you're fascinated by the intricacies of physiological function, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, immune or renal systems, and are eyeing a career in the biomedical field, this program may be a good fit for you. This program is also applicable to those interested in animal behavior, aiming for careers in wildlife management, zoos, animal conservation and training. If you're drawn to understanding animals in the context of ecological and evolutionary changes, such as their responses to climate change, or if you're considering a future in veterinary science, you're an ideal candidate for this program.

Additionally, this bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master's degrees include:

• Master of Science in biology
• Master of Science in computational life sciences

How this program compares to our neuroscience degree

As an NPB major, you’ll explore a broader and more integrated approach to the study of life sciences compared to ASU’s online Bachelor of Science in neuroscience degree. While neuroscience focuses intensively on the nervous system, particularly human neural functions and clinical implications, this program spans various physiological systems from cardiovascular to renal and emphasizes a comparative study across species.

This program also integrates ecological and evolutionary perspectives into organismal function, appealing to pre-health students, aspiring veterinarians and those interested in conservation biology and ecology. In contrast, our neuroscience degree concentrates on psychology and the clinical aspects of neural system function. This program, therefore, provides a more comprehensive exploration of biological sciences, ideal for those seeking a holistic understanding of life's mechanisms.

In the first program of its kind, you’ll learn how to apply the tools of historical, ethical, literary and cultural studies to technological and environmental questions. Through skill-building activities and opportunities for applied work, you’ll explore how humans interact with the places they live and the roles culture and technology play in facilitating relationships within communities. Your courses will emphasize three connected areas of knowledge, including:

• Culture
  • Delve into media, narrative, rhetoric, belonging and the imagination. You’ll explore approaches to equitable and diverse global citizenship through the study of culture and language.
• Technology
  • Explore humane technology, applied ethics and equitable innovation. You’ll learn how to apply humanities thinking to the human and ethical challenges of a world shaped by technology.
• Environment
  • Deepen your understanding of environmental justice and how the humanities enable us to develop sustainable ways to address challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. You’ll examine environmental justice in relation to race, gender, class, age, disability and more.

Who’s this degree a good fit for?

This program is ideal for those preparing for careers in advocacy and activism, communication and community, nonprofit organizations and more. As a candidate, you’ll have a passion for creating solutions that incorporate an arts and humanities perspective. You’ll also be committed to creating a positive impact on communities and acknowledging the role technology plays in shaping society.

Additionally, if you seek interdisciplinary studies to build transferable skills, this degree is a good choice for you. Upon completing this bachelor’s in culture, technology and environment, you’ll be competent in communicating, leading and planning. You’ll also have skills in analysis, flexible thinking and design thinking.

What can you do with a culture, technology and environment degree?

With a humanities background, you’ll be equipped to address cultural, ethical, technological and environmental challenges in a range of careers. This program complements career paths ranging from environmental activism and policy analysis to writing and nonprofit work. Top industries include manufacturing, educational services, public relations, nature or science writing and public administration. You’ll also be prepared to adapt to innovative technology that’s becoming ever-present in the world of work, such as generative artificial intelligence. Graduate with lifelong skills and a readiness to pursue justice in your communities.

In this program, you’ll gain an understanding of the interactions among physical, chemical and biological processes that define Earth’s surface environment. You’ll explore biogeochemical cycles, ecosystems, natural hazards, drivers of climate change, human-environment relationships and the natural resources that sustain human societies. Additionally, you’ll build quantitative and analytical skills, preparing you to develop evidence-based environmental solutions.

In addition to gaining base knowledge about Earth as a complex system, including geology, oceans, climate, soils, life and more, you’ll also tailor your degree to your career interests. You can choose from six elective tracks to focus your studies, or you can take courses from multiple areas. Available tracks include:

• Climate and environmental change.
• Environmental education.
• Environmental management.
• Environmental policy.
• Natural resources.
• Sustainability.

Who’s a good fit for this program?

This Earth and environmental sciences program is designed for those interested in Earth’s natural processes and systems, as well as their impacts on sustainability. You’re an ideal candidate if you’re passionate about solving complex environmental challenges from addressing climate change and natural hazards to environmental degradation and pollution.

Additionally, you may choose this program to support your science-focused career goals. Upon completion, you can seek scientist roles with a specialization in environmental protection and remediation, monitoring and natural hazards assessment. You’ll also have the knowledge needed to pursue science- and sustainability-focused graduate programs.

What are the differences between this BS and a BA in Earth and environmental sciences?

This Bachelor of Science in Earth and environmental sciences encompasses quantitative training in areas such as physics and calculus. You’ll also develop fundamental skills in chemistry related to the remediation of soil and water contaminated by common chemical pollutants.

By comparison, ASU’s Bachelor of Arts in Earth and environmental sciences online has a lower math requirement, leaving room for an extra elective course. Whether you choose the BS or BA program, you’ll graduate with an understanding of the natural processes that define planet Earth and support the development of ecosystems.

In this program, you’ll establish an understanding of Earth as a complex system, with a focus on the environment and the physical processes that affect it. Broadly, you’ll build knowledge about the natural sciences, with an emphasis on the physical, chemical and biological processes that define the function of the Earth’s surface environment. Core areas of learning include natural resources, hazards, life, geology, soils, oceans and climate, as well as their implications for a sustainable human society.

You’ll also have the opportunity to specialize in your interest area by selecting an elective track. You can either take five elective courses in the same track or explore various topics. Available tracks include:

• Climate and environmental change.
• Environmental education.
• Environmental management.
• Environmental policy.
• Natural resources.
• Sustainability.

Who’s a good fit for this bachelor’s program?

This program is ideal if you want to learn how to sustain our planet and understand the processes that regulate Earth’s systems. You’re also a good fit if you’re motivated to find solutions to problems such as climate change, natural hazards, environmental degradation and pollution.

Upon graduation, you’ll be empowered to drive environmental improvements in local and global communities. You’ll have the skills needed to pursue careers in environmental science research, conservation management, public policy development or advocacy. This program can also be a stepping stone to graduate studies in natural and environmental sciences, science journalism, public policy and environmental management.

How does this program compare to a conservation biology and ecology degree?

This Earth and environmental sciences degree emphasizes the natural processes that define our environment. Beyond the life sciences, this program delves into the realms of natural resources, biogeochemical cycles, natural hazards, human-environment interactions and other processes.

By comparison, a program such as ASU’s conservation biology and ecology degree concentration online focuses on preserving Earth’s biodiversity and sustaining healthy ecosystems. The conservation biology and ecology concentration is also a Bachelor of Science, which means it has higher requirements in math and statistics.