Forensic Anthropology

What can a human skeleton tell us about its owner’s life and identity? How is this information recovered and used by the legal system? If you are interested in the analysis of human remains, you should consider studying for a degree in Forensic Anthropology.

Forensic Anthropology is principally concerned with the description and identification of human remains for medico-legal purposes. It is a field within biological anthropology and uses that discipline to understand the variation in the human body and apply this to identifying the individual.

The course aims to:

• Provide students with a broad education in human biology
• Human variation
• Earth sciences
• The forensic techniques necessary to identify and describe human remains and the contexts in which they are found

There are three main streams to the programme:

• Human anatomy and skeletal biology
• The context and recovery of human remains
• Forensic Methods

There are opportunities to pursue careers in forensic laboratories, teaching or research (e.g., universities and museums), industry and government laboratories, allied health sciences and science education.

In addition the transferable skills will enable students to compete effectively in the wider job market for careers not directly related to Forensic Anthropology, but especially for which training in human biology and other sciences is beneficial.