According to the California Employment Development Department, criminalists are expected to at least attain a bachelor's degree in either forensic science, chemistry, physics or biology. Though some crime labs require graduate-level study in criminalistics, an associate's degree in forensic science can lead to a job in some labs as a forensic identification specialist. This post is considered entry-level and often filled by students seeking bachelor's degrees.
A number of master's degree programs, both on site and online, are accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.These programs are geared toward turning scientists into forensic scientists, with a focus on the skills used in crime scene analysis, like DNA testing and fiber analysis. Postgraduate degrees in criminalistics can also lead to teaching positions.
Some online programs tailor your degree toward a forensic science career. A certification program from Albany State University delves into biomedical forensics; an 18-month course from the University of Lausanne certifies the graduate on evaluating evidence via statistics. A University of Florida online program bequeaths graduates a master's degree in forensic science.
Forensic scientists obtain different types of degrees depending on the field in which they want to work, according to criminology professor Dale Nute of the University of Florida. Medical examiners and forensic odontologists perform autopsies and typically require medical degrees, but with courses on investigative processes and forensics. Crime scene analysts and technicians obtain bachelor's and postgraduate degrees primarily in the life sciences, many times with double majors in a range of specialties, for instance, chemistry and anthropology or biology and criminal justice. According to Nute, a well-trained forensic scientist will know much more than just how to pick things up from a crime scene and put them in bags.