Masters Degrees (Forensic Anthropology)

The MSc Forensic Anthropology is designed to equip students with the skills necessary for the analysis and identification of human skeletal remains. The one-year degree is uniquely designed for students who already hold a degree in a relevant biomedical science and wish to pursue further study in Forensic Anthropology.

Why study Forensic Anthropology at Dundee?

Forensic anthropology is the analysis of human remains for the medico-legal purpose of establishing identity. The discipline has adopted a pivotal role in UK and International investigations in cases of inter-personal violence and homicide, repatriation, mass disasters and war crimes.

Our course provides you with training in dedicated laboratory areas with exclusive access to the unique skeletal collections in the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identfication (CAHID). The programme offers a unique mix of theoretical subject matter combined with hands on practical experience which is delivered by case active academic staff who are world leaders in the field.

Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification

This course is taught within Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID). The award winning staff of CAHID are amongst the most experienced in the UK in the fields of human identification, forensic anthropology, cranio-facial reconstruction and the study of the human body. The Centre is regularly contacted for advice and input in high-profile forensic cases both at home and abroad. The cases in which staff have involvement are reflected in much of the research undertaken by the Centre, enabling it to maintain a high profile within the forensic community.

The Centre was awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education in November 2013. Presented in recognition of 'world class excellence', the Queen's Anniversary Prizes are among the most highly-regarded awards for the UK's universities and colleges.

Top 10 reasons to study Forensic Anthropology at Dundee

Only institution in the UK to offer a career progression pathway in Forensic Anthropology
Opportunity to review forensic case work undertaken by CAHID staff
Teaching by world leading forensic practitioners
Access to several unique skeletal collections
Opportunity to act as an expert witness in simulated courtroom exercises
We teach and train towards RAI accreditation standards following the approved Forensic Anthropology curriculum
Multidisciplinary approach with excellent links across subject boundaries
Access to cases from CAHID's virtual anthropology communication service
Regular programme of seminars delivered by invited speakers from the UK and abroad
Diversity of career opportunities – our graduates work in a variety of related fields

Teaching & Assessment

This course is taught by a team based in the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID). Specialist teaching is undertaken by case-active forensic practitioners. The cases in which our staff have involvement are reflected in much of the research undertaken by the Centre, enabling it to maintain a high profile within the forensic community. In turn, this research feeds into our teaching.

The course starts in September each year and lasts for 12 months on a full time basis.

How you will be taught

The programme will be taught through a combination of face-to-face lectures and on-line learning resources as well as a large practical involving direct examination of the adult human skeleton.

Course Structure

This is a one year full time taught Masters programme in which all modules are compulsory. The research dissertation can be in the form of original laboratory research in an area pertinent to anatomy and forensic anthropology.

- Forensic Osteology (20 Credits)
- Peri and Post mortem processes (20 credits)
- Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) training (20 credits)
- Research Methods (20 credits)
- Forensic Human Identification (20 credits)
- Forensic Science and the Law (20 credits)
- Developmental Juvenile Osteology (20 credits)
- Research Project (60 credits)

How you will be assessed

Assessments will take the form of in-course essays, paper appraisal and presentation exercises in addition to final degree examinations and MSc research dissertation.

Careers

There is a significant requirement for anatomically-trained forensic anthropologists who are competent in dealing with both soft and hard tissues in order to fulfil the requirements of DVI deployment. This course will greatly increase the professional employment characteristics of any student undertaking it who seeks a career in forensic anthropology, forensic osteology or DVI.

Where are our graduates now?

Previous graduates in Forensic Anthropology have progressed to become teachers and researchers in the field with some going on to provide their skills and services on both the national and international forensic front.

Some of our graduates have gone on to pursue careers in biomedical research, scene of crime analysis, forensic science, human biology and osteological research.

Many have chosen to enter a degree in medicine or dentistry and have found that the skills they have acquired in Forensic Anthropology stand them in good stead, particularly with regards to radiology, paediatrics, gerontology and orthopaedics.

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MSc Forensic Anthropology is designed to enable graduate students to develop skills in a variety of areas, which concern the processing, analysis and identification of human remains. This postgraduate course provides intensive training in developmental anatomy and osteology, forensic anthropology methods and theory, forensic taphonomy in theory and practice, crime scene investigation and the law, research methods and expert witness and presentation skills. The course has a focus on both domestic forensic anthropology work (e.g. UK and US) and forensic anthropology in the context of international humanitarian work and international criminal investigation.

UCLan’s postgraduate Forensic Anthropology course is the only forensic anthropology/osteology MSc in the UK to be based within a dedicated forensics department with state-of-the-art Crime Scene Investigation practical labs as well as excellent resources in Forensic Biology and Chemistry.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ASSESSMENT

We have a dedicated MSc Forensic Anthropology laboratory and radiography facilities with the full range of teaching casts as well as an extensive collection of experimentally induced projectile, blunt and sharp force trauma. We have an archaeological skeletal collection consisting of some 120 individuals from two sites, one late Medieval and one Victorian. UCLan’s TRACES facility for decomposition and taphonomic experimentation is located nearby and many students choose to conduct MSc dissertation research projects as part of the long term research agenda into estimating time since death. Staff members teaching the course are also active in research and consultancy. UCLan has an MSc-level Exchange with two US universities with forensic anthropology MA programmes, namely California State University at Chico and Wichita State University, both of which have active forensic anthropology consulting services.

Assessment is based on a combination of coursework and examination and includes an MSc dissertation project. Students are encouraged to present their research findings at international meetings.

OPPORTUNITIES

Graduating from this course, you will be well placed to undertake further research at the doctoral level, take up jobs in forensic anthropology laboratories, or to participate in human remains excavations.

A course module that will help you plan your career is available as a free choice module (called an elective), which you can study as part of your degree programme.

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This one-year degree is designed for students who already hold a first degree (BA or BSc) in Forensic Anthropology or a related subject, and is intended to provide advanced training in subject areas which are germane to current professional requirements, but which are not available collectively at any other institution in the world.

Why study Anatomy & Advanced Forensic Anthropology at Dundee?

Forensic anthropology is the analysis of human remains for the medico-legal purpose of establishing identity. The discipline has adopted a pivotal role in UK and International investigations in cases of inter-personal violence and homicide, repatriation, mass disasters and war crimes.

Recent mass fatality incidents have highlighted the requirement for national and international disaster victim identification (DVI) capability, and cemented the forensic anthropologist’s role as a significant component within the multi-disciplinary response facility.

Traditionally the forensic anthropologist has dealt with human skeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths; this professional definition is unrealistically restrictive given the multi-disciplinary nature of the demands of human identification in the twenty-first century. In particular there is a significant requirement for anatomically-trained forensic anthropologists who are competent in dealing with both soft and hard tissues in order to fulfil the requirements of DVI deployment.

Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification

This course is taught within the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identfication (CAHID) and is located in the Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Dundee, Scotland.

Prof Sue Black heads the Centre, she was awarded an OBE for her International Human Identification work from mass graves and co-authored Developmental Juvenile Osteology and The Juvenile Skeleton.

The award-winning staff of this Centre are amongst the most experienced in the UK in the fields of human identification, forensic anthropology, craniofacial identification and the study of the human body.

The core remit of the Centre is the study of anatomy. The Centre delivers high quality anatomy teaching at all levels, via whole body dissection which allows students to develop a sound knowledge of the human body. The Centre relies on the generosity of donors for the ability to teach students to the highest standard possible.

The Centre was awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education in November 2013. Presented in recognition of 'world class excellence', the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are among the

Aims of the Programme

The aim of this programme is to provide training in anatomically-based forensic anthropology, and specifically to provide advanced training in musculoskeletal anatomy, juvenile osteology, comparative forensic osteology and DVI training.

What you will study

Course Structure:
This is a one year full time taught Masters programme in which all modules are compulsory. The research dissertation can be in the form of original laboratory research in an area pertinent to anatomy and forensic anthropology.

Human Gross Anatomy (Semesters 1 & 2):
Provides the opportunity to conduct whole body dissection, with particular emphasis on functional and musculoskeletal anatomy
Exposure to human form and function with direct relevance to the identification process
Only institution in the UK offering the opportunity to dissect cadavers which have been embalmed using the Thiel soft-fix method, which provides life-like preservation of the soft tissues.

Developmental Juvenile Osteology (Semester 1):
Focuses on the development of the human juvenile skeleton as a means to understanding adult skeletal form
Through practical examination, each bone of the body will be studied from its embryological origin, through key developmental milestones, until the attainment of its adult form
Practical sessions will focus on the unique Scheuer collection of juvenile skeletal remains.
Forensic Anthropology as Expert Evidence

Covering the more specialised skills including forensic anatomy, trauma analysis and age estimation in the living this module will cover the skills required to present your analyses in a court of law.

Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) training (Semesters 1 & 2):
Provides a thorough understanding of the DVI process in the UK and abroad
Developed by experienced practitioners, it is based on the National DVI Training course for the UK DVI team
Delivers a robust theoretical underpinning for anyone undertaking DVI work on a practical basis.

MSc Research Project (Semester 3):
Students will undertake an advanced level practical project supervised by a research-active practitioner
CAHID staff have significant experience in many areas of forensic human identification, including juvenile osteology, facial anthropology, facial reconstruction, age assessment in the living and dead, analysis of sexual dimorphism and ancestry, soft tissue biometric systems, human provenance, skeletal pathology and trauma, and virtual anthropology

How you will be assessed

A variety of assessment methods will be employed including practical spot exams, online assessment and traditional essay based examination.

Careers

There is a significant requirement for anatomically-trained forensic anthropologists who are competent in dealing with both soft and hard tissues in order to fulfill the requirements of DVI deployment. This degree will train individuals to be competent in specialist areas of anatomy and forensic anthropology.

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This Masters course at Liverpool John Moores University provides the skills and knowledge to forge a career in forensic anthropology. You will also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field and carry out novel research.

•Complete this masters degree in one year (full time)
•Stratigraphic excavation techniques to solve missing person cases
•Specialised forensic science labs and facilities
•Study a course developed and delivered by leading researchers
•Gain hands-on experience in the field
•Employment opportunities in forensic anthropology and related fields
•Optional module in skeletal anatomy – a complete introduction to working with bones


Forensic Anthropology is the combination of physical anthropological knowledge, and the application of forensic methods and techniques. The discipline is used by the justice system to solve cases where a missing person or an unknown murder victim is involved.

The MSc in Forensic Anthropology will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to pursue a career in the search for missing people, recovery of evidence and human remains from clandestine graves and identification of unknown corpses by osteological analysis.

The programme will develop a broad understanding of these issues, including excavation, laboratory analysis and the courtroom skills necessary to present findings in a trial. You will also have the opportunity to learn analytical techniques, taphonomic analysis, field methods and genetic applications.

The programme develops a high profile curriculum, which is supported by a structured lecture programme, workshops and seminars in the department’s well-equipped specialist laboratories.

The MSc in Forensic Anthropology is also supported by a skeletal reference collection and staff members are currently involved around the world as practitioners in forensic cases. When you complete the course you will have the skills to continue into academic research or employment as a forensic anthropologist.

Please see guidance below on core and option modules for further information on what you will study.
Level 7

Advanced research methods
Project management and employability skills
Academic and non-academic dissemination
Human identification from skeletal remains
Human identification from genetic evidence
Dental anthropology
Biomechanics and trauma analysis
Taphonomy
Excavation techniques
Paleopathology
Laws and courtroom skills
Crime scene investigation
Forensic sciences, chemistry and biosciences

Further guidance on modules

The information listed in the section entitled ‘What you will study’ is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal Academic Framework review, so may be subject to change. Students will be required to undertake modules that the University designates as core and will have a choice of designated option modules. Additionally, option modules may be offered subject to meeting minimum student numbers.

Academic Framework reviews are conducted by LJMU from time to time to ensure that academic standards continue to be maintained. A review is currently in progress and will be operational for the academic year 2016/2017. Final details of this programme’s designated core and option modules will be made available on LJMU’s website as soon as possible and prior to formal enrolment for the academic year 2016/2017.

Please email [email protected] if you require further guidance or clarification.

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Our Forensic Anthropology course is concerned with the application of biological anthropological techniques to the analysis of human skeletal remains within a legal context and provides a vital suite of expertise and skills that can be applied to answer both modern and archaeological questions.

Specialist anthropological skills can contribute, not only to our understanding of the past, but also to the effective investigation of serious incidents in the modern world, particularly murder, genocide and human rights violations within the constraints of the criminal justice system. Such skills have also proved increasingly useful in recent years in the wake of mass disasters, both natural and man-made.

This course was previously called Forensic Osteology.

Core units:
Bodies of Evidence-Skeletal Changes Before & After Death
Crime Scene Management & Forensic Science
Human Functional Anatomy
Principles & Methods in Human Osteology
Professional Practice in Forensic Science
Research Project

Optional units (Choose 1):
Forensic Archaeology
Techniques of Archaeological Recovery & Recording

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This MSc provides students with a foundation in the analysis of human remains, both in archaeological and modern forensic settings. With a solid grounding in skeletal and dental anatomy, students learn about morphological variation, development, methods for biological profiling, human disease and forensic approaches to trauma and taphonomy.

Degree information

Students will learn procedures for interpretation and analysis of human skeletal remains - considering both archaeological and modern forensic contexts. There is a unique opportunity to analyse recently excavated human remains, utilising methods and techniques learned during the programme. While the focus of this programme is primarily on modern humans, late Pleistocene hominids are also considered.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of five core modules (75 credits), one optional module (15 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).

Core modules
-Dental Anthropology
-Forensic Anthropology
-Methodology and Issues in Bioarchaeology and Palaeoepidemiology
-Morphology and Palaeopathology of the Human Skeleton
-Variation and Evolution of the Human Skull

Optional modules
-Anthropological and Archaeological Genetics
-Archaeology of Early Modern Humans
-Forensic Archaeology
-Forensic Geoscience (by arrangement with the Jill Dando Centre for Forensic Sciences)
-Funerary Archaeology
-Human Evolution (by arrangement with the Department of Anthropology)
-Palaeoanthropology (by arrangement with the Department of Anthropology)
-Zooarchaeology in Practice
-Other Master's options available at the Institute of Archaeology.

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical classes. This MSc has strong links with the Forensic Archaeological Science MSc which gives individual programmes an interesting mix of participants and provides many opportunities for discussion. Assessment is through essays, class tests, reports and the dissertation.

Careers

Some graduates of the programme go on to PhD studies, while others go on to work in a range of archaeological and non-archaeological organisations as osteoarchaeological specialists, the police, curators and political researchers.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The UCL Institute of Archaeology is the largest and most diverse archaeology department in the UK, offering students a range of opportunities.

This particular MSc is unique, offering a combination of bioarchaeological and forensic principles for the study of human remains unlike anything else available in the UK. Students further benefit from access to a large collection of skeletal material for study, including dental and palaeopathology reference collections. Access to sophisticated equipment and techniques (laser scanner, SEM, thin sectioning, CT) is also available.

Some lectures will take place at the Royal College of Surgeons and students have access to their teaching collections and museums, including the Wellcome Museum of Anatomy and Pathology.

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This course provides postgraduate education in the discipline of Forensic Anthropology. This course provides intensive training in human osteology and the techniques used by Forensic Anthropologists to build osteological profiles of unknown skeletonised human remains. The first half of the taught phase provides you with a solid foundation in the core skills of forensic science, such as crime scene examination and interpretation and presentation of evidence, using our crime scene facilities and real crime scene expertise and casework. The second half of the taught phase includes specialised modules on human osteology, and techniques of estimation of sex, age, stature and ethnic ancestry in skeletal remains, as well as distinguishing between animal and human bones. It also includes topics such as skeletal development, trauma and pathology; forensic taphonomy (decomposition and decay); and post-mortem interval estimation. The course is very practically and vocationally-focused, and provides hands-on experience of dealing with skeletonised and decomposed human (and animal) remains.

In the last third of the course, you are given the opportunity to pursue an original research project, on a topic provided by supervisors or of a relevant topic of your choice. This requires 50 days of laboratory work, and takes place in the summer term.

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Forensic archaeology is the application of archaeological skills to the location and recovery of human remains and forensic evidence. Forensic anthropology is the analysis of human remains for the medico-legal purpose of establishing identity.

Our MSc Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology course provides students with training in both disciplines in dedicated laboratory areas. You will have exclusive access to the unique skeletal collections in the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID).

You will develop the skills and knowledge required by those who undertake searches for missing people and will be involved in the recovery of remains from clandestine burials. You will also gain the skills required to present evidence as an expert witness in court.

What's so good about this course at Dundee?

Our staff are amongst the most experienced in the UK in the fields of human identification, forensic anthropology, forensic archaeology cranio-facial reconstruction and the study of the human body. We are regularly contacted for advice and input in high-profile forensic cases both at home and abroad. Staff are able to bring this experience into their teaching.

Our students and staff are also involved in forensic research which is informed by casework and is thus relevant and current to modern practice.

Our student feedback reflects the outstanding facilities and teaching collections that are available to support their learning experience.

You will be supervised by a research active member of staff and have the opportunity to pursue an area of research that is of specific interest to you.

Top 10 reasons to study Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Dundee

1 - Only institution in the UK to offer a career progression pathway in Forensic Anthropology
2 - Opportunity to review forensic case work undertaken by CAHID staff
3 - Teaching by world leading forensic practitioners
4 - Access to several unique skeletal collections
5 - Opportunity to act as an expert witness in simulated courtroom exercises
6 - We teach and train towards both the standards set by the RAI accreditation standards following the approved Forensic Anthropology curriculum
7 - Multidisciplinary approach with excellent links across subject boundaries
8 - Access to cases from CAHID's virtual anthropology communication service
9 -Regular programme of seminars delivered by invited speakers from the UK and abroad
10 - Diversity of career opportunities – our graduates work in a variety of related fields

Teaching & Assessment

- How you will be taught

Content delivery will be by a mixture of lectures, tutorials and practical based work, both in the lab and externally. All of the subjects taught have a practical component and the ability to apply theory to practice has always been a strong tradition for all CAHID courses, equipping those attending for the skills for future employment.

Expert witness experience is gained through involvement in a mock trial presided over by skilled legal practitioners.

- How you will be assessed

in-course essays
paper appraisal
practical exercises
final degree examinations
MSc research dissertation

What you'll study

The research dissertation can be in the form of original laboratory research in an area pertinent to forensic archaeology and forensic anthropology.

- Forensic Human Osteology (10 credits)
- Trauma and Taphonomy (10 credits)
- Forensic Archaeology I (20 credits)
- Disaster Victim Identification (20 credits)
- Forensic Human Identification (20 credits)
- Forensic Archaeology 2 (20 credits)
- Forensic Science and the Law (20 credits)
- Research Project (60 credits)

Employability

There is a significant international requirement for forensic archaeologists and forensic anthropologists who are competent in dealing with body recovery and identification in order to fulfil the requirements of Disaster Victim Identification deployment. This course will greatly increase the professional employment characteristics of any student undertaking it who seeks a career in forensic anthropology, forensic archaeology or DVI.

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Course Description

This course is designed to give a broad introduction to the subject, rapidly advancing into the understanding of cutting-edge research and the latest methodologies. The course is highly practical and hands-on, aiming to produce forensic experts capable of giving expert witness testimonies in a courtroom situation and elsewhere.

The course consists of a two-week period of introductory studies followed by academic instruction in modular form. Most modules are of five days' duration, interspersed with weeks devoted to private study and visits to forensic science establishments.

The Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology MSc is part of the Forensic MSc Programme which has been formally accredited by the Forensic Science Society.

Course overview

The course consists of a one-week period of introductory studies followed by academic instruction in modular form. Most modules are of five days' duration, interspersed with weeks devoted to private study. Students are required to take four core modules, four role specific modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and either a thesis or literature review and paper.

Duration: Full-time MSc - one year, Part-time MSc - up to three years, Full-time PgDip - one year, Part-time PgDip - two years

English Language Requirements

Students whose first language is not English must attain an IELTS score of 7

Individual Project

The individual project takes four months from April to July. The student selects from a range of titles, or may propose their own topic. Most are practically or experimentally based using Cranfield’s unique facilities.

Assessment

By written and practical examinations, continuous assessment, project presentation and viva voce.

Career opportunities

Takes you on to opportunities to work in the field of forensic archaeology or anthropology within forensic laboratories, police departments, government bodies and non-governmental organisations. It is also a necessary introduction that could lead into conducting research at PhD level in the subject.

For further information

On this course, please visit our course webpage - http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/courses/masters/forensic-archaeology-and-anthropology.html

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Research profile

The MSc by Research in Archaeology is aimed at students who have a specific topic of interest into which they wish to conduct their own research.

The programme provides structured research training while at the same time enabling you to pursue a research project that you design yourself, in consultation with supervisors. It serves as both a self-contained research degree and a preparation for further study for the PhD degree.

Archaeology at Edinburgh has a tradition going back to the 19th century. Many aspects of that tradition are still visible in the School today: our archaeological collections were named to commemorate the great prehistorian and first holder of the Abercromby Chair Vere Gordon Childe; the annual series of Munro lectures in archaeology and anthropology were endowed in 1910 by Dr Robert Munro, a distinguished medical practitioner who, in his later life, became a keen archaeologist; and the Abercromby Chair of Prehistoric Archaeology commemorates Lord Abercromby, author of distinguished research on Bronze Age pottery.

Edinburgh’s great tradition in prehistory continues to this day, with expertise in Britain, the Mediterranean and the Near East, but we also have strengths in Classical and Byzantine archaeology, in archaeological theory, environmental archaeology, osteoarchaeology and forensic anthropology.

We are happy to supervise across the wide range of our research interests: we have particular strengths in prehistory of Europe, the Mediterranean and Near East, in classical and early medieval archaeology, as well as in archaeological theory, environmental archaeology, osteoarchaeology and forensic anthropology.

Facilities

Our home is the William Robertson Wing, an A-listed building on the southern edge of Edinburgh’s Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Designed by the distinguished 19th-century architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, the building – part of the University’s Old Medical School – has recently been refurbished to an exceptional standard, providing state-of-the-art facilities for research, teaching and study.

Graduate students enjoy access to:

a large and attractive study and computing lab, equipped with printing, copying and scanning facilities, plus two further study rooms that provide shared desk space
student research rooms, housing some of the School’s impressive book collections and additional IT facilities
teaching rooms fitted out with the latest technology
exhibition areas, filled with artefacts, artwork, statues, busts and casts from the School’s many collections
a stunning common room, used by staff as well as graduate students

All of our facilities are in addition to the multiple libraries and computer labs provided across the University’s estate. Many of our rooms overlook the Meadows, one of the city’s best-loved green spaces.

Archaeology students benefit from our laboratories for artefact analysis, environmental archaeology, osteoarchaeology, bone chemistry and computing (with a wide range of software applications).

There is an extensive reference collection of archaeological materials, such as pottery, metal, stone and glass artefacts, in the V Gordon Childe teaching collection.

You can also benefit from the facilities, archives, collections and expertise of a range of heritage agencies and commercial archaeology units based in the city of Edinburgh.

Programme structure

A long dissertation of 30,000 words is the sole form of assessment, but you will also attend compulsory training courses and may take other relevant courses.

Career opportunities

The programme’s focus on research under supervision makes this degree suitable for those contemplating doctoral study, whether in our own School or elsewhere, and many who take this degree follow that route. But undertaking a substantial and independent research and writing project is equally an excellent preparation for a wide variety of careers.

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This new MSc programme equips you with the ability to excavate and analyse human remains.

Learn the practical skills needed to recover human remains in the field. Gain the theoretical knowledge needed to reconstruct biological profiles from hard tissue, supported by laboratory based training.

You learn from a team of internationally respected academics with extensive professional experience. You have the opportunity to access one of the largest human skeletal collections in the UK, with extensive skeletal pathology and accompanying radiographs. The collection is curated by the Skeletal Biology Research Centre, in the School's Human Osteology Research Laboratory.

The programme is suited for students from a wide range of BA and BSc backgrounds. This MSc will provide a firm foundation for continued work, or PhD research, in anthropology, archaeology and related forensic fields.

For more information about this new MSc programme please contact the programme director Dr Chris Deter: [email protected]

About the School of Anthropology and Conservation

With specialisation in forensics and paleopathology, osteology, evolutionary psychology and the evolutionary ecology and behaviour of great apes Kent is one of the largest institutions for biological anthropolgy. The School also houses the Skeletal Biology Research Centre (SBRC) which brings together innovative research, novel methodologies and international collaborations. Kent Osteological Research and Analysis (KORA) is an enterprise unit based within SBRC offers osteological analyses of human skeletal remains.

Kent has pioneered the social anthropological study of Europe, Latin America, Melanesia, and Central and Southeast Asia, the use of computers in anthropological research, and environmental anthropology in its widest sense (including ethnobiology and ethnobotany). We maintain an active research culture, with staff working in many different parts of the world.

Our regional expertise covers Europe, the Middle East, Central, Southeast and Southern Asia, Central and South America, Amazonia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Polynesia.

Careers

Higher degrees in forensic anthropology create opportunities in many employment sectors including academia, archaeology, police sector, the civil service and non-governmental organizations through work in areas such as human rights. A forensic anthropology degree also develops interpersonal and intercultural skills, which make our graduates highly desirable in any profession that involves working with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

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Research within this area centres on ethnobiological knowledge systems and other systems of environmental knowledge and is supported by members of the Centre for Biocultural Diversity (http://www.kent.ac.uk/sac/research/research-centres/cbcd/index.html).

We research local responses to deforestation, climate change, natural resource management, medical ethnobotany, the impacts of mobility and displacement and the interface between conservation and development. The Centre has an Ethnobiology Lab and Ethnobotanical Garden, and extensive collaborative links, including with the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew), and Eden Project.

MSc by Research
This course is a one-year full time or two-year part-time programmes. You research and write a thesis under the supervision of one or two academic staff.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/204/ethnobiology

Course structure

The first year may include coursework, especially methods modules for students who need this additional training. In general, you work closely with one supervisor throughout your research, although you have a committee of three (including your primary supervisor) overseeing your progress.

Study support

- Postgraduate resources

The School has a lively postgraduate community drawn together not only by shared resources such as postgraduate rooms, computer facilities (with a dedicated IT officer) and laboratories, but also by student-led events, societies, staff/postgraduate seminars, weekly research student seminars and a number of special lectures.

The School houses well-equipped research laboratories for genetics, ecology, visual anthropology, virtual paleoanthropology, Animal Postcranial Evolution, biological anthropology, anthropological computing, botany, osteology and ethnobiology. The state-of-the-art visual anthropology laboratory is stocked with digital editing programmes and other facilities for digital video and photographic work, and has a photographic darkroom for analogue developing and printing. The biological anthropology laboratory is equipped for osteoarchaeological and forensic work. It curates the Powell-Cotton collection of human remains, together with Anglo-Saxon skeletons from Bishopstone, East Sussex. The ethnobiology laboratory provides equipment and specimens for teaching ethnobiological research skills, and serves as a transit station for receiving, examining and redirecting field material. It also houses the Powell-Cotton collection of plant-based material culture from Southeast Asia, and a small reference and teaching collection of herbarium and spirit specimens (1,000 items) arising from recent research projects.

Kent has outstanding anthropology IT facilities. Over the last decade, the School has been associated with many innovatory projects, particularly in the field of cognitive anthropology. It provides an electronic information service to other anthropology departments, for example by hosting both the Anthropological Index Online and Experience-Rich Anthropology project. We encourage all students to use the Centre’s facilities (no previous experience or training is necessary).

Anthropology at Kent has close links with the nearby Powell-Cotton Museum, which has one of the largest ethnographic collections in the British Isles and is particularly strong in sub-Saharan African and Southeast Asian material. It also houses an extensive comparative collection of primate and other mammalian material. Human skeletal material is housed at the Kent Osteological Research and Analysis Centre within the School.

Anthropology, together with the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) form the School of Anthropology and Conservation.

- Researcher Development Programme

Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html) for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subjectspecific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.

Research areas

Work in these areas is focused on the Centre for Biocultural Diversity. We conduct research on ethnobiological knowledge systems, ethnoecology, and other systems of environmental knowledge, as well as local responses to deforestation, climate change, natural resource management, medical ethnobotany, the impacts of mobility and displacement and the interface between conservation and development. The Centre has an Ethnobiology Lab and Ethnobotanical Garden, and extensive collaborative links, including with the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew), and Eden Project.

Careers

As a School recognised for its excellence in research we are one of the partners in the South East Doctoral Training Centre, which is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This relationship ensures that successful completion of our courses is sufficient preparation for research in the various fields of social anthropology. Many of our students go on to do PhD research.

The School has a very good record for postgraduate employment and academic continuation. Studying anthropology, you develop an understanding of the complexity of all actions, beliefs and discourse by acquiring strong methodological and analytical skills. Anthropologists are increasingly being hired by companies and organisations that recognise the value of employing people who understand the complexities of societies and organisations.

Many of our alumni teach in academic positions in universities across the world, whilst others work for a wide range of organisations.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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UNB offers the only comprehensive anthropology program in the Maritimes, with graduate study in sociocultural, archaeological, forensic, and biomedical anthropology.

Recent UNB graduates have gone on to top doctoral programs in Canada and abroad, or work in government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector across the Maritimes, including Archaeological Services New Brunswick, as well as consulting firms.

Graduate students have access to teaching and research labs in archaeology and biomedical anthropology, student lounge, and seminar room in the Anthropology building (Annex C) which also houses faculty offices. Students have access to two additional labs - one for archeology and one for human osteology and forensics in other buildings on campus.

Our graduate students enjoy a close-knit community with 15-20 students, including doctoral students in the Interdisciplinary PhD program.

Research Areas

-Sociocultural anthropology
-Medical and biological anthropology
-Archaeology
-Bioarchaeology and forensics

Funding

A MA-level teaching assistantship is valued at approximately $15,000 over 12 months. Outstanding students, such as those who hold a first class honours degree, are eligible to receive a top up Board of Governor Merit Award, or a Magee-Third Century Postgraduate Merit Award, which could add approximately $3000.00 over 12 months. A maximum of five semesters of funding is possible.

Request More Information

You can request more information about our Graduate Programs here: http://www.unb.ca/admissions/request-information.html

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Forensic art encompasses a wide range of subjects, notably facial anthropology and identification, such as two and three-dimensional facial reconstruction, craniofacial superimposition, post-mortem depiction, composite art and age progression.

This highly innovative one-year taught Masters course will encompass all these fields, employing highly specialised tutors from scientific backgrounds alongside experienced forensic art supervisors.

Why study Forensic Art at Dundee?

Forensic Art is the presentation of visual information in relation to legal procedures. A forensic artist may aid in the identification or location of victims of crime, missing persons or human remains, and may facilitate the identification, apprehension or conviction of criminals.

Forensic artists require technical and conceptual art skills alongside comprehensive medical and anatomical knowledge. The course provides training and expertise at the cutting-edge of the forensic art profession

What's so good about studying Forensic Art at Dundee?

You will benefit from the facilities of a well-established art college, whilst appreciating the newly-refurbished laboratories, a dedicated library and access to human material in a modern medical science environment.

The award-winning staff in the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) are amongst the most experienced in the UK in the fields of human identification, forensic anthropology, craniofacial identification and the study of the human body. The core remit of the Centre is the study of anatomy and staff deliver high quality anatomy teaching at all levels, via whole body dissection which allows students to develop a sound knowledge of the human body.

The Centre was awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education in November 2013. Presented in recognition of 'world class excellence', the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are among the most highly-regarded awards for the UK’s universities and colleges.

Teaching & Assessment

Teaching methods include traditional and online lectures, practical workshops in the studio and dissecting room and small group discussions. These encourage debate around theoretical research-based solutions to current practical problems.

The MSc will be taught full-time over one year (September to August).

How you will be taught

The course is delivered using traditional methods including lectures, practical studio sessions and small group discussions with an encouragement into debate and theoretical solutions to current problems.

What you will study

This highly innovative one-year taught MSc will encompass these fields, employing highly specialised tutors from scientific backgrounds alongside experienced forensic artists.

Semester 1 (60 credits)

In semester 1 the focus is on the study of anatomy through dissection, prosection study, illustration and facial sculpture and applying this to life art practice. Students will also be introduced to research methods and digital media.

Anatomy 1 - Head and Neck (15 credits)

Anatomy 2 - Post Cranial (15 credits)

Life Art (10 credits)

Digital Media Practice (10 credits)

Research Methods (10 credits)

Semester 1 may be also taken as a stand-alone PGCert entitled ‘Anatomy for Artists’.


Semester 2 (60 credits)

Forensic Facial Imaging, Analysis and Comparison (25 credits)

Forensic Art (25 credits)

Medical-Legal Ethics (10 credits)

On successful completion of Semesters 1 and 2 there is an exit award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Art and Facial Identification.

Semester 3 (60 credits) - dissertation and exhibition resulting from a self-directed project undertaken either at the university or as a placement.

How you will be assessed

A variety of assessment methods are employed, including anatomy spot-tests; oral and visual presentations; portfolio assessment of 2D/3D image acquisition and of artwork; written coursework and examination, such as forensic case reports.

Careers

This programme aims to provide professional vocational training to underpin your first degree, so that you can enter employment at the leading edge of your discipline. Career opportunities in forensic art are varied and will depend on individual background and interests.

In forensic art, potential careers exist within the police force and overseas law enforcement. Possible careers include:

Police art & design departments producing law enforcement documents, image enhancement, CCTV surveillance, image collection, staff posters and presentations.
SOCO/CSIs in UK or overseas law enforcement agencies
Facial composite practitioner and witness interview expert in police force
Archaeological artist working with museums, institutes and exhibitions
Facial identification services
Medico-legal artwork
Freelance art applications
Special effects and the media/film world
Academia – teaching or research
PhD research

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The MSc in Human Anatomy is a unique Master's programme created in response to the need to provide training in human gross anatomy for those who wish to improve their understanding of the structure and function of the human body, as well as those for whom this is a new area of study. The programme aims to provide expertise for those intending to use the knowledge gained in a learning and teaching environment.

The programme is the only one of its kind in the UK
It combines whole body dissection with practicing techniques for the presentation of material for learning and teaching
Provides an introduction to anatomical preservation and presentation techniques
Full body dissection of Thiel embalmed (soft fix) cadavers
Opportunity for self-directed original research

What does the course involve?

The programme is based around human gross anatomy, being supplemented by relevant embryology, neuroanatomy, clinical and surgical anatomy topics and anatomical techniques. Many components are examined entirely by course work through seminar presentations, essays, practical techniques and the development of web-based teaching tutorials and websites.

Both semesters 1 and 2 have a strong emphasis on gross anatomy through whole body dissection working in groups of no more than four per cadaver. Semester 1 also has modules in Embryology and Developmental Anatomy and in Anatomical techniques, while semester 2 has modules in Neuroanatomy and in Clinical and Surgical Anatomy Topics.

Semester 3 allows students to focus on an independent and novel research project in one of the following areas:

Thiel cadaveric anatomy
The anatomy of a specific region of clinical/surgical interest
Functional anatomy
Anatomy and biomechanics
Education

Our reputation

The College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee was ranked ahead of all other Universities in Scotland and is one of the UK's top 5 universities in the category of Biological Sciences out of 51 Universities.
Staff have international reputations in practice and research.
The award-winning staff of the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) are amongst the most experienced in the UK in the fields of human identification, forensic anthropology, cranio-facial reconstruction and the study of the human body.

Benefits of studying with us

Study human gross anatomy in the renowned Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification
Access to Thiel embalmed cadavers
Introduction to anatomical preservation and presentation techniques and skills
Exposure to a wide range of IT and personal presentation skills

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