BS in Criminal Justice | Crime Scene Investigation

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120

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100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 75% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Study How to Investigate Crimes and Safeguard Physical Evidence with a Criminal Investigation Degree

These days, CSI brings with it an image of an exciting, action-packed life filled with drama and romance. The actual field of crime scene investigation is not exactly the same as what is portrayed on TV. If you want a rewarding and exciting job that involves helping to solve crimes and mysteries, then join the ranks of the many professionals who have pursued this as their chosen profession. Crime scene investigators can also be called forensic investigators.

If you are wondering how to become a forensic investigator, then conferring Liberty University’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice – Crime Scene Investigation is a great place to start.

Our CSI degree is designed to help provide you with a strong understanding of the criminal justice field and the skills necessary to develop and analyze forensic laws. Through this program, you can learn the essential skills needed to conduct criminal investigations as well as protect and record vital evidence to ensure that it can be accurately analyzed.

Offered online, our program’s flexibility allows you to study without sacrificing your career – because our goal is to support you as both a student and a professional as you become a positive force in the criminal justice field. You can gain the knowledge you need to pursue roles at police departments and government agencies across the country.

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600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s BS in Criminal Justice – Crime Scene Investigation?

At Liberty, we are dedicated to excellence, and as a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, we have a history of innovation. Today, we put our experience to use by providing you with an education that is affordable and at the forefront of forensics. Our goal as a nonprofit Christian university is to help provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to lead in the criminal justice field with strength and integrity.

If you want to be out in the field actively recording crime scenes and collecting evidence, then this crime scene investigation degree can help. If you prefer to work in the lab studying the evidence that has been collected, then this degree can help as well.

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), so your degree has met rigorous academic standards and accreditation requirements. We strive to bring you the best education you can get with the flexibility to study in your home or office without having to travel to campus.

What Will You Study in Our Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice?

Through Liberty’s online forensics degree program, you will study both the scientific and analytical aspects of forensics. By analyzing past criminal cases, you can understand what police officers and crime scene investigators go through in the execution of their duties. Discover how to identify, collect, preserve, record, process, and analyze all forms of evidence. You can also learn how to capture the crime scene through the use of digital photography.

Furthermore, you can work to gain the essential skills to conduct a criminal investigation, such as how to process a crime scene and how to collect evidence via subpoenas and interviews. Your crime scene investigator education will teach you what is legal under the Constitution and how criminal laws govern the actions of both police and regular citizens.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for all undergraduate courses at no additional cost to you. As a full-time student, this could save you an estimated $800-2,000 per year on textbooks!

Undergraduate Full Time	$390/Credit
Undergraduate Part Time	$455/Credit
Military Undergraduate	$250/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9595.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official high school transcripts or official GED test scores.*
- Students may be allowed to enroll in up to 12 credit hours with Liberty with the submission of our High School Self-Certification Form (login required – you will first need to claim your Liberty Account).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system).
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

*Official high school transcript requirement may be waived with college transcripts from an accredited college/university showing at least 12 earned credit hours with an acceptable GPA.

Note: A 2.0 or above cumulative GPA is required for admission in good standing.

Transcript Policies

High School Transcript Policy

Applicants may submit a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of a final official high school transcript in order to enroll in up to 12 credit hours at Liberty University.

Applicants may submit a college transcript showing 12 or more credits from an accredited institution and a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of high school transcripts.

Students must submit official high school transcripts, or official college transcripts showing at least 12 credit hours earned with an acceptable grade point average (GPA) from an accredited institution, in order to register for additional courses.

The official high school transcript, GED requirement, and High School Self-Certification Form can be waived if the applicant has earned an associate degree or higher.

Final transcripts must reflect all coursework and final grades received for grades 9-12, a graduation date, and an overall GPA. (Mailed transcripts must be in a sealed and unopened envelope.)

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Military Transfers

International Applicants

If you are an international applicant, you may be required to have your international transcripts reviewed. Information regarding the transcript evaluation process for international students can be found by visiting NACES.

Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $565 per course)*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
Potential college credit for military training

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Frequently Asked Questions for the Online Crime Scene Investigation Bachelor’s Degree

What does a forensic scientist do?

The general term “forensic science technician” is used for someone who aids criminal investigations by collecting, safeguarding, and analyzing evidence. Usually, you would pick an area to specialize in, such as crime scene investigation or laboratory analysis. If you were working at a crime scene, you would be involved in analyzing the scene and determining what evidence is there and how it can be collected.

You would then record the scene for use in the investigation by taking photographs, making sketches, and marking the location and position of evidence. This evidence would then be brought to a crime lab for further analysis.

In the laboratory, you might perform chemical, biological, and microscopic analyses on the evidence that was taken from the crime scene. This would involve analyzing DNA results and consulting with other experts on areas such as toxicology to determine if someone was poisoned. You might work with medical experts to study the causes of death and the identity of the victims through dental records.

Liberty University’s forensic science online degree focuses on helping to prepare you for these roles by covering essential skills that would typically be studied in a criminal justice program. Our online forensic science bachelor’s degree helps provide the knowledge and tools you need to approach your career with confidence.

Is Liberty University accredited?

What benefits are there to pursuing a program like this online?

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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BS in Criminal Justice – Crime Scene Investigation Advancing Investigations With Modern Forensics

Study How to Investigate Crimes and Safeguard Physical Evidence with a Criminal Investigation Degree

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s BS in Criminal Justice – Crime Scene Investigation?

What Will You Study in Our Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice?

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Frequently Asked Questions for the Online Crime Scene Investigation Bachelor’s Degree

What does a forensic scientist do?

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What benefits are there to pursuing a program like this online?

Are you ready to change your future?

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