Forensic Anthropology

  • GMS FA 705: Forensic Anthropology Techniques
    Prereq: consent of instructor. This course will provide students with a detailed history of forensic anthropology, including pioneers in the field, bone growth and development, and an extensive knowledge of protocols, methods, and procedures used by forensic anthropologists, to include distinguishing osseous from non-osseous material, distinguishing human from non-human remains, and estimating the biological profile. Students will be provided hands on experience in casework and will prepare several forensic anthropology case. Prince Zinni. 3 cr, Fall sem.
  • GMS FA 706: Forensic Anthropological Procedures
    Prereq: Forensic Anthropology and Osteology. This course provides in-depth knowledge of the protocols, methods, and procedures used by forensic anthropologists and entomologists in the recovery of human skeletal material, identification of human skeletal remains and to identify and analysis of types of bone and soft tissue trauma and the stages and processes of human decomposition. In addition, students will have gained experience in the identification and classification, timing and nature of trauma to bones and the estimation of time since death. Prince Zinni. 3 cr, Fall sem.
  • GMS FA 708: Homicide Invest
  • GMS FA 709: Medicolegal Death Investigation
    This lecture based course will provide the student with an overview of the basic practices and principles of medioclegal death investigations. Specific lectures will cover the procedures and skills necessary to conduct a thorough medicolegal investigation of death, knowledge of various types of traumatic injuries, the knowledge necessary to understand the characteristics that differentiate the manners of death and the skills to conduct an appropriately directed investigation. The curriculum will prepare the students to take the national certification examinations offered by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. A general knowledge of anatomy is recommended prior to enrollment. Laposata. 2 cr
  • GMS FA 711: Forensic Pathology
    This lecture-based course will provide the student with an overview of the role of the medical examiner as it relates to death investigations. Specific lectures will cover autopsy procedures in the investigation of gunshot wounds, sharp and blunt trauma, drowning, asphyxia, child deaths, motor vehicle accidents and time since death determination. A general knowledge of anatomy is strongly suggested. Laposata. 3 cr
  • GMS FA 712: Osteology
    This course is designed to provide the student with an overview of basic human osteology with an emphasis on structure and function of various bones typically used by forensic anthropologists in human identification and in the investigation of traumatic and sudden deaths. At the completion of this course the student will be well versed in the anatomy, growth, landmarks and surface anatomy of all bone in the human skeleton. They will have completed hands-on experience with handling, measuring and identifying real human skeleton components. In addition, the methods of recovery and preservation of human skeletal remains will be practiced. Siwek. 4 cr, Fall sem.
  • GMS FA 718: Special Topics in Forensic Anthropology: Outdoor Crime Scene
    Prereq: consent of instructor. This course will provide students with an overview of physical evidence found at outdoor crime scenes of buried or scattered human remains. Focus will involve the recognition, documentation, and collection of physical evidence and the review of real cases in which human remains have been recovered and how physical evidence was used to help solve the crime. L'Italien. 3 cr, Fall sem.
  • GMS FA 720: Forensic Anthropology Internship
    Prereq: consent of instructor. Students registered in this course will be expected to complete an approved internship in an anthropology or archaeology field school, forensic, or medicolegal setting. Faculty. 2 cr, on demand.
  • GMS FA 722: Anatomical Sciences for the Forensic Anthropologist
    Prereq: consent of the instructor. The central emphasis of this course will be on the gross morphological features of the human body with a modest treatment of function. Although forensic anthropologists typically deal with soft tissues post-mortem and/or skeltonized remains, this course will expose students to preserved tissues and the "normal" appearance of these tissues. Siwek, Moore. 4 cr, Fall sem.
  • GMS FA 740: Seminar in Forensic Anthropology
    Prereq: FA 705, FA 710 and consent of instructors. This course will provide students with an extensive knowledge of past and current research within the field of forensic anthropology. In addition, this course will foster critical thinking skills for students and include discussions of ethics and professional standards. Prince Zinni. 2 cr, Spring sem.
  • GMS FA 755: Forensic Anthropology Directed Study
    Prereq: consent of the instructor. Students will have the opportunity to develop a directed study in a specialized area of forensic anthropology or archaeology that is of particular interest. Faculty. 2 cr, all sem.
  • GMS FA 760: Research in Forensic Anthropology
    Prereq: consent of instructor. This course is designed to facilitate the students' thesis research. Faculty. Var cr, Fall and Spring sem.
  • GMS FA 761: Research
  • GMS FA 800: Field Methods in Forensic Anthropology
    This course will provide students with a sound basis for archaeological methods applied to a variety of forensic settings. Students will learn core concepts from academic archaeology and how forensic archaeology differs from traditional methods. Prince Zinni. 2 cr
  • GMS FA 804: Experimental Design and Statistics for Forensic Anthropologists
    The goal of this course is to provide a working understanding of experimental design and statistical analysis that are appropriate for various types of anthropological based experiments and for the analysis of skeletal remains for unknown individuals. Killiany. 2 cr
  • GMS FA 805: Advanced Crime Scene Investigation
    Prereq: GMS FS 701 Crime Science Investigation. This hands-on and lecture-based course will provide students with methods and underlying theories related to specialized aspects of crime scene processing. Topics will include techniques and principles utilized in search and recovery of human remains. Forensic entomology, mechanisms of human decomposition, use of ground penetrating radar, soil composition, excavation, telltale disturbances in flora and the presence of animal activity will be examined. A semester-long practical exercise will include the search and recovery of mock remains and the reconstruction of events. Brodeur, Martin. 2 cr
  • GMS FA 806: Advanced Human Osteology
    This course builds on the topics covered in GMS FA 712 Human Osteology by exploring human osteology in greater depth and will include lectures and extensive experience with radiographical material. Siwek. 4 cr

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