Fresno State is offering a new degree in Forensic Behavioral Sciences

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Criminology Department at Fresno State is turning a concentration into a degree that will be offered Fall 2019.

Candice Skrapec, PhD, is a forensic psychologist and coordinator of new Forensic Behavioral Sciences degree program.

She said it's been in the works for several years.

"We are a unique program and there is nothing like it in the country," she said.

Diana Krivobok started off as a nursing student but transitioned over Forensic Behavioral Sciences.

"I think this is just a very good program for those who think they may want to go into the criminal justice system or into criminology but may not know specifically which aspect they would want to go into," Krivobok said.

It's a broad degree, one that can be used for several different fields of work.

"I'm a psychologist first and I've applied by knowledge, skills, my techniques that I've learned as a psychologist to the criminal justice field, the legal area, and that's what makes be a forensic psychologist," Skrapec said.

The department even got a new lab for FBS students to work on research.

"The lab alone gives students a really important opportunity to work on their own research, certainly but work every day on research with professors in cutting edge research areas," she explained.

Skrapec said the research can be used to help the community.

Krivobok said she hopes to research psychopathy and criminals.

"I really want to focus my research on the biological side of psychopathy and these different types of offenders, just to see if there is possibly some type of genetic marker or mutation that occurred," she said.

Krivobok added one day she hopes to work with the courts and be an expert witness.