For a career as a forensic laboratory analyst, prospective students can choose to undertake an undergraduate degree specializing in forensic science as an alternative to qualifying in a traditional science field. The Arkansas State University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Science. Students can obtain a general degree, a chemistry-specific degree or a biology-specific degree. Focusing on chemistry prepares students for toxicology, arson, drug and trace forensics, whereas the biology-specific degree prepares students for working with DNA. The degrees will also allow students to find jobs in the natural sciences fields.
For students who wish to gain a graduate qualification in Forensic Criminology relating to the fields of psychology, law, public health and social work, the University of Massachusetts-Lowell offers a graduate certificate online. The certificate training prepares students to deal with populations in correctional systems, mental health institutions and juvenile facilities. Students can choose appropriate courses for their specialties. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree with a 2.8 grade point average (GPA) or above.
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers two separate bachelor's degrees in criminology. The first focuses on criminology and criminal justice with 36 semester hours, and the second is a specialization in computer criminology with 53 semester hours. The programs are suitable for future criminal investigators if students also minor or complete a second major in the natural sciences. The criminology and criminal justice program is also offered online from 2011 onward.
West Virginia University also offers a Bachelor of Arts major in Criminology and Investigations for students who have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and who have completed core introductory courses to at least a C grade. Courses cover sociology, the criminal justice system, anthropology and research methods, among other areas. Students must undertake 128 credit hours to pass. Students may also undertake fieldwork, independent study or an internship during the course. The major is offered by the Division of Sociology and Anthropology and prepares students for careers relating to criminal investigation and for graduate study.