Top Forensic Anthropology Schools
Do bones, crime and puzzles go together? The best place to find out is in forensic anthropology schools, where you are taught to apply your knowledge and skills in science in the field of medico-legal investigation. As forensic anthropologist, you play an important role in solving criminal cases and putting perpetrators where they belong: jail.
An undergraduate degree is sufficient to start your career in this field. A certificate program coupled with actual experience even as a forensic science technician can serve as good springboards if you want to work in this area of law enforcement. A masters or doctoral program will increase your chances of finding work outside of museums and universities - the traditional domains of these bone experts.
Introduction
As a brief overview, services of forensic anthropologists are being sought to help law enforcement agencies identify skeletal remains recovered in crime scenes. A good education from any of the reputable forensic anthropology schools will equip you with the skills to determine the gender, age, race and height of a victim to work towards positively identifying the body. You also have the expertise, using both knowledge, experience and sophisticated tools and equipment to determine the cause and time of death.
Crime labs, federal and state law enforcement agencies or investigation bureaus are the usual employers of these professionals. Otherwise, you will likely be working in museums, private organizations or colleges and universities as researcher, lecturer or full time professor. Save for the curator position, most of the job prospects include a rewarding forensic anthropology salary that can often run in the range of $70,00 to $80,000.
The best preparation for this line of work is, of course, education. Enrolling in FA programs will give you the edge in this very competitive field to develop your knowledge, skills and abilities and earn the title "expert". Education begins with good forensic anthropology schools, located all over America. There may be plenty, but there are select schools that are often recognized as offering the best programs.
Forensic Anthropology Schools
1. Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute (Pennsylvania)
Undergraduate and Graduate programs in the area of FA are offered under its Applied Forensics Science Department. Both the Applied Forensic Sciences Program and the Masters in Anthropology with a concentration on Forensic and Biological Anthropology use state-of-the art techniques in classroom instruction, while providing several hands-on opportunities both in the laboratory and field to develop a well-rounded and confident professional.
You can choose to concentrate on either anthropology, criminalogy/forensic biology and forensic chemistry and toxicology at the undergraduate level. This provides students with an option when they eventually pursue their careers.
At the master's level, you can enroll in the Forensic and Biological Anthropology track to develop your skills in archaeological recovery of crimes committed outdoors, comprehensive laboratory analysis of skeletal remains and statistical analysis and interpretation of the biological significance of the remains collected.
2. Boston University, School of Medicine
Upon enrolling in its MS in FA program, you will benefit from its highly experienced faculty who are practitioners in the areas of anatomy, osteology, anthropology, pathology, crime scene investigation and forensic science. Extensive and intensive training in theory and practice will enable students of Boston University to train in techniques and procedures that will qualify you for the highly technical and sensitive nature of the job.
3. FA Center, University of Tennessee
Known as the only school with a Body Farm, it is a state-of-the-art research facility that is responsible for developing highly qualified graduates of FA, under its Biological Anthropology concentration. Focus is the application of skeletal biological techniques in identifying skeletal remains to aid law enforcement and medico-legal agencies and investigations.
4. California State University in Chico
Training and education can't go wrong in this school with its Physical Anthropology Human Identification Laboratory (PAHIL) that offers identification services to the entire Northern California, as well as other nearby states. The school offers a certificate program in aside from a masters programs.
5. University of Florida
It's a hands-on approach offered at the graduate level at the University of Florida. This is made possible through its two working laboratories: the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory and the Human Identification Laboratories. The coursework offered is broad, the training intensive and extensive. You can only expect the best products from this institution. There are several other forensic anthropology schools that you can look into to help you prepare for an exciting career.
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