CRJS 560 - Forensic Anthropology

3 credit hours

Overview of skeletal biology and its application to medico-legal death investigation. Study of the human skeleton including the individual bones, the major anatomical landmarks, and the range of human variation. Focus on the human skeleton in a medico-legal context including locating covert burials, processing outdoor scenes, determination of biological profile, trauma analysis, cause and manner of death, postmortem interval and methods of positive identification. The course is not designed to make students forensic anthropologists but rather to impart an overall understanding of the discipline and an appreciation for its contributions to forensic science. Jointly offered as an undergraduate/graduate course. Maximum of 6 credits/two undergraduate-graduate courses permitted to fulfill MACJ elective requirements.