Law and public service - Criminal justice and forensics

This program builds skills employers value across industries, including critical thinking, communication and problem-solving. Coursework also strengthens your ability to analyze information, manage projects and make systems-driven decisions.

You’ll explore four topic areas to become career-ready:

• Global and natural science perspectives
  • Learn to think scientifically, interpret data and explore global challenges in science and technology.
• Humanities, identities and society
  • Study culture, identity and human behavior through history, philosophy and the arts.
• National and civil service and professional studies
  • Explore government, civic leadership and ethical practices in public and professional settings.
• Organizations, technology and ethics
  • Understand how organizations function, use digital tools and apply ethics in practical settings.

Build on your previously earned credits with this transfer-friendly program

ASU values your previously earned credits and has designed this program to minimize credit loss. With a broad range of courses, you can tailor how you complete your remaining degree requirements.

You’re an ideal candidate if earning a bachelor’s degree supports your goals, whether you want to shift careers, advance in your current role, prepare for graduate school or achieve personal milestones. Completing a widely recognized general studies degree can help you stand out as a well-rounded candidate with marketable skills.

How three of our most flexible programs compare

Our most flexible degrees — general studies, interdisciplinary studies and liberal studies — share a commonality of choice and transferability. Housed in a college with advisors who specialize in supporting students with diverse interests, these programs enable you to explore multiple areas of study. Each offers a different level of customization and structure. Discover the best option for your goals:

• General studies
  • Finish your degree efficiently by applying the credits you’ve already earned. By choosing the most flexible path, you’ll build career-relevant skills and graduate with the academic credentials needed for advancement.
• Interdisciplinary studies
  • Design a degree that combines two areas of study and builds transferable expertise from nearly 200 concentrations. This is a strong option for gaining focused knowledge aligned with your career goals or graduate study.
• Liberal studies
  • Pursue a humanities-based education and tailor your course plan to your interests. This degree combines structure and choice, offering a broad foundation to explore diverse academic paths.

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.

Forensic science degrees focus on applying scientific methods to matters of law. In this program, you’ll explore the investigative and scientific principles behind examining different types of evidence from crime scenes. Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped with the analytical skills required to pursue jobs related to forensic investigations.

Scientific and technological advances, as well as increasing caseloads, mean there is expected to be an increased demand for skilled forensic technicians over the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth for forensic science technicians is projected to increase 13% from 2022-2032, much faster than average for all occupations.

The knowledge and skills you’ll develop in this program

In this forensic science program, you’ll learn how to uncover and analyze evidence that can be used in court during criminal and civil cases. You’ll learn the essential science, investigative and communication skills needed to meet this demand and be successful in the field. The beginning of the program focuses on building strong foundational knowledge in biology, chemistry and math. You’ll take various lab courses, including two organic chemistry labs which must be completed in person.

Later in the program, you’ll take advanced forensic science courses covering the common techniques used in crime labs. Key course topics include forensic botany, toxicology, forensic anthropology, molecular genetics and more. These courses will teach you how to analyze crime scenes, fingerprints, DNA, blood patterns and other types of evidence. Graduates will be equipped to pursue careers or a graduate degree in forensics and other science-related fields.

Gain hands-on experience with in-person lab sessions

To gain necessary laboratory skills and hands-on experience, this program requires two separate, in-person lab experiences in Arizona.

The first lab experience includes one week at ASU’s Tempe campus to complete two organic chemistry labs, followed by a four-day in-person biochemistry lab session at the ASU West campus in Glendale. Alternatively, you may complete equivalent organic chemistry lectures and labs at an approved local college or university. The biochemistry lab, a 300-level course, cannot be taken at a community college.

To finish the program, you’ll complete a two-week in-person session at the ASU West campus during the summer. This experience covers key forensic field skills including photography, fingerprint analysis, blood pattern analysis and DNA analysis.

This concentration provides a deep understanding of constitutional rights in law enforcement interactions, police department operations and effective crime reduction strategies. You’ll explore essential topics that align with careers in policing, including:

• Case law and criminal procedure
• Crime analysis and mapping techniques
• Police accountability and management
• Police-citizen relations
• Policing research

While not always required, earning a degree focused on policing can give you a competitive edge in the hiring process. Employers often look for candidates with advanced knowledge and may offer higher starting salaries. A four-year degree is also a common requirement for leadership roles or careers in federal law enforcement.

Choose the right criminal justice degree for you

If you’re looking to enter a sworn position or civilian roles in areas such as private sector security, intelligence analysis or crime analysis, this program would be best suited for your goals.

If your interests extend beyond law enforcement, ASU’s online Bachelor of Science in criminology and criminal justice provides a broader overview of the U.S. legal system. You'll focus on the consequences of crime and the role criminal justice agencies play in responding to it. Coursework builds skills in research and analysis while offering a deeper understanding of the justice system.

Additionally, both programs are ideal for those looking to continue on to graduate studies. 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 Arts in criminal justice
• Master of Science in crime analysis