Associate Degree

• In an associate degree program, such as the one offered by Springfield College in Illinois, requirements include completing coursework in topics such as biology, chemistry and criminal justice along with general education courses in social sciences and the humanities. An introductory course in forensic science taken during the final semester of the 72-credit program prepares students to continue their studies in forensic science.
  
  

Bachelor's Degree

• Students enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, such as the one offered at Penn State University, take upper-level forensic science courses in areas such as chemistry and molecular biology. Courses in criminalistics show students how to reconstruct a crime scene and analyze evidence, such as "read" a crime scene for evidence. Students also learn how to provide expert courtroom testimony through practice sessions.
  
  

Master's Degree

• At the graduate level, forensic science students are required to present original research in the form of a thesis or participate in an internship to gain real-world work experience. At Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania master's degree candidates take 38 credits of advanced courses, including forensic medicine, biochemistry, forensic toxicology and forensic biology. Seminars led by professionals in the forensic science field give students an opportunity to discuss the use of forensics in high-profile cases, current medical research and how to present effective expert testimony.
  
  

Doctoral Degree

• The requirements for earning a doctoral degree are rigorous. Students enrolled in Florida International University's chemistry doctorate program with an emphasis in forensic science must complete 81 credits of coursework. Topics include forensic biology, toxicology and chemistry. You take a series of 10 proficiency examinations and must pass four of them to become a Ph.D. candidate. A student's Ph.D. studies culminate with the presentation and defense of a dissertation before a committee of faculty members.