Marston Polygraph Academy, located in San Bernardino, California, is accredited by the American Polygraph Association, which is the leading professional polygraph association. Eligible applicants include presently employed or retired peace officers, individuals with degrees in a related field and retired military officers. Classes are available three times per year and last 8 1/2 weeks, from January to March, May to June and September to November, on campus. Students will be in class Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. A 40-hour, post-conviction sex offender class is available once per year, in March, and takes five days to complete.
Academy of Polygraph Science, in Ridge Manor, Florida, provides their students with hands-on experience with the instrumentation necessary to perform a polygraph examination. A 10-week program is available which includes eight weeks of on-campus instruction and two weeks off-campus researching a final paper on polygraphs. Classes start at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Occasionally, students are required to attend a Saturday or Sunday class as well. Admission requirements for this course include a psychological test, oral interview, bachelor's degree or appropriate criminal justice background, extensive background check and a laptop with mouse.
Millersville, Maryland is home to the Maryland Institute of Criminal Justice. A fully accredited basic polygraph course is available twice per year, from April to May and September to November. Students learn how to properly structure polygraph test questions, perform polygraph examinations professionally, analyze results and recognize and work with deceptive subjects. Classes last eight hours per day, Monday to Friday, for eight weeks. Applicants cannot have a felony conviction, and will be investigated and undergo an oral interview to determine ability for admission. Police or investigative experience or 60 college semester hours are necessary to be considered for the program. A 40-hour advanced course for post-conviction sex offender testing is available twice a year as well, in March and November.
At the Academy for Scientific Investigative Training, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a polygraph training course is available four times during the year. Courses are from January to March, March to May, May to July and September to November and last eight weeks. Students learn the history of lie detection, techniques, instrumentation, question formulation, interviewing, psychophysiology, chart interpretation, legal and ethical aspects and forensic psychophysiology research and methods. In the Academy's polygraph laboratory, students will observe, and participate in, actual polygraph examinations. A post-graduate assignment is given to students at the end of the course, that may include book reviews, video reviews or submitting charts.