Forensic Behavioral Sciences, B.S.

Major Advising Sheet (opens a new window) |

Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

A grade of C or higher is required for all courses to be counted toward the major (excluding CR/NC classes).

Forensic Behavioral Sciences Major (minimum 51 units)

See all advising notes below.

Lower-Division Core Requirements:

CRIM 1 - Strategies for Success in the Criminology Department Units: 1
CRIM 2 - Administration of Justice Units: 3
CRIM 20 - Criminal Law Units: 3
CRIM 50 - Statistical and Computer Applications in Criminal Justice Units: 3 (Area B4)

Upper-Division Core:

(minimum 6 units)

CRIM 100 - Criminology Units: 3
CRIM 170 - Research Methods in Criminal Justice Units: 3
PSYCH 144 - Research Designs and Experimental Methods Units: 5

Upper-Division Requirements:

CRIM 113 - Forensic Science Units: 3
FBS 114 - Ethics in Forensic Behavioral Sciences Units: 3
FBS 153 - Psychology of Criminality Units: 3
FBS 154 - Fundamentals of Forensic Behavioral Sciences Units: 3
FBS 155 - Biology of Criminality Units: 3
FBS 156 - Forensic Behavioral Sciences and the Law Units: 3
PSYCH 128 - Cognitive Psychology Units: 4
OR
PSYCH 127 - Forensic Cognitive Science Units: 4

General Electives Cluster:

Select two courses from

CRIM 108 - Directed Policing Units: 3
CRIM 110 - Police in America Units: 3
CRIM 120 - Juvenile Delinquency Units: 3
CRIM 127 - Evidence Units: 3
CRIM 133 - Institutional Corrections Units: 3
CRIM 134 - Criminal Justice Counseling Units: 3
CRIM 135 - Community-Based Corrections Units: 3
CRIM 136T - Topics in Criminology Units: 1-3
CRIM 140 - Family Violence Units: 3
CRIM 141 - Alcohol, Drugs, and Criminality Units: 3
CRIM 160H - Honors Seminar in Criminology Units: 3
CRIM 160T - Topics in Crimes Units: 1-3
CRIM 173 - Trauma & Crisis Intervention Units: 3
CRIM 174 - Ethnic and Gender Issues in Criminal Justice Units: 3
CRIM 175 - Victimology Units: 3
CRIM 176 - Victim Services Units: 3
CRIM 180I - Internship Units: 3
AFRS 146 - Law and the Minority Community Units: 3
ANTH 101 - Introductory Fieldwork in Archaeology Units: 3-6
ANTH 169T (Forensic Anthropology)
PAX 110 - Peace Building Units: 3 (Area E1)
PHIL 151 - Cognitive Science: Mind Units: 3 (Area IC)

Forensic Behavioral Sciences Electives Cluster:

Select one course from

FBS 157 - Interviewing and Interrogation Units: 3
FBS 159T - Topics in Forensic Behavioral Sciences Units: 3

Psychology Electives Cluster:

Select one course from

PSYCH 127 - Forensic Cognitive Science Units: 4
PSYCH 128 - Cognitive Psychology Units: 4
PSYCH 149 - Psychological Testing Units: 4
PSYCH 154 - Personality Units: 4
PSYCH 156 - Social Psychology Units: 4
PSYCH 160T - Topics in Clinical Processes Units: 2-5

Other Degree Requirements

In addition to the major program requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate degree requirements such as:

American Government and Institutions (PLSI 2 )
General Education Requirements (48 units)
Multicultural and International (MI)
Upper-division Writing
Sufficient Elective Units to Meet Required Total Units (varies); it is recommended that units in this area be utilized to complete a second major or minor.

A full description of the University’s graduation requirements can be found in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements .

Total Units: 120*

*General Education, MI, and Upper-division Writing courses can be double counted with major requirements. These courses include CRIM 50 (Area B4), PAX 100 (Area E), and PHIL 151 (Area IC). See advisor for details.

Advising Notes

From Fall 2019, students wishing to change their major to Criminology or Forensic Behavioral Sciences will need to have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
These courses are also required for the other three Options in the Criminology major.
CRIM 1 is a prerequisite for CRIM 180I . Special note: Due to its importance for all Criminology majors, CRIM 1 should be taken as early as possible.
This requirement may also be met by completing PSYCH 42 , PH 92 , MATH 11 , DS 73 , or any equivalent statistics course from another university or community college.
Students must choose either PSYCH 127 or PSYCH 128 as one of their upper-division requirements. When they choose one of these courses as an upper-division requirement, they may choose the other as their Psychology Electives Cluster course.
Students must take FBS 114 or CRIM 102 as a prerequisite or corequisite for CRIM 180I .
FBS students may receive only 3 units of credit for any combination of CRIM 108 or CRIM 180I toward major requirements.
FBS students may receive only 3 units of credit for CRIM 136T (Mock Trial) toward major requirements.
PSYCH 160T , depending upon the topic, has a variable number of units (2 to 5 units). To qualify as an acceptable Psychology Electives Cluster course for FBS, the course must be worth a minimum of 4 units.