Anthropology (forensic)??

Question

okay im going start college this fall... and i got in as undeclared major...

just recently i got really obssessed with wathcing that tv show BONES... and omg i fell in love with it not because of all that drama but becasue of the knowledge that is required and all that...

so my question is if i plan to major in anthro (forensics mainly)

is forensic anthropology as glorious as BONES makes it seem??

and i do really ahve a passion for art aswell for criminal justice and all good stuff so am i in the right track???

and just to add i am a pretty good artist myself... so do i have a chance or not??

Answer 1

No, nothing is ever as glamorous as it appears on TV. Most CSI type shows depict an unrealistic expectation that you get to be the person with the big picture, when really that just doesn't exist in the CSI world. More likely you'll be a small part of a large case doing your one little thing.

Art, criminology and forensic anthro do have a few common careers. Namely, forensic art or sculpture.  Artists work on recreating what they think a body would have looked like using science as a guide. It could be aging or recreating a missing person orsuspect or working with ancient fossils, etc.

You really don't need to declare a major for 2 years so take that time to explore your options. Take the intro classes and see what really excites you.

Answer 2

follow your passions if you find them less than ???? later you can always change but if you dont & find out they were the real thing you kick your self for the rest of your life.

Answer 3

Art, criminal justice and forensic science are related mainly in the sense that everything is related.  In other words, they are hardly related at all.  

It sounds to me as if a criminology degree with a concentration in forensics might be your best path.  Maybe you can minor in art and think of it as a hobby (there isn't much money in it and the job opportunities are few).  Forensic anthro is, frankly, an oversaturated labor market right now, and the skills you would get out of it would not open up as many employment prospects as a criminology degree would.

Answer 4

Although Bones is based off from fictional books written by a forenisic anthropologist... it is not at all a very accurate portrayal of what forensic anthropologists do. Most people are very, very lucky to even be considered a 'full-time' forensic anthropologist. Usually what happens is that you become a Physical Anthropologist with emphisis on forensics... normally meaning you end up as Anth professor and ocassionally give aid to law officials.

The process of estimating everything you can about skeletal remains is entirely different than the show's 'glance at the bones and solve the case in a half hour' format. You have to have A LOT of patience. It can take months even years to identify the remains... and a lot of times you won't ever get a conclusive match.

Also... forensic anthropologists don't get a say in anything. They only offer their opinions about what they find on the bones in the form of a testimony and thats about it. Even if dental records come up as a match... a forensic anthropologist can only strongly suggest that they think they have found the identity.

You'll also have to be fine with the smells and sights of death... not everything brought to you is a feshly cleaned bone... often times you may have to deflesh the remains.

You'll also have to plan on earning a Phd to be recognized in the field along with new techniques and changing procedures. SO plan on studying and experimenting forever on until you retire or die.

I'm typing too much... to put it simply: forensic anthropology is not glamorous at all really.