Forensic anthropologist???????

Question

where do they go to school?????

Answer 1

At the university that I attended the forensic anthropology courses were part of the physical anthropology department, but different schools will organize their subjects and curriculum differently.  If you already have a school in mind, then I suggest that contact them and see which department they place it, otherwise here is a link of some schools that might give you a good idea of which university to start your search at.

http://www.forensicanthro.com/forensic-p...

Answer 2

If you like that field, I hope you watch "Bones" on Fox.  It is based on a true character....I think she has a book.  It would be worth looking into if you were interested in that profession.  Her name is Kathy Reichs.

I dont' know where you would go to school, google it or read her book.

Answer 3

I agree, I hope that you watch Bones, but even that show isn't all that realistic.  Of course, I think the one who plays Abby in NCIS has an actual degree in Forensic Anthropology.

Anyway, I also wanted to give you fair warning that the majority of forensic anthropologists out there only work part-time.  There are very few full-time jobs in this field.  So, where ever you go be sure to take other courses  that would prepare you to maybe have two part-time jobs in anthropology, or at least something to fall back on.

I do know that Berkely and the University of Wyoming have programs in forensic anthropology.  Here is a good link to some information from Berkeley.  http://ls.berkeley.edu/dept/anth/undergr...

Answer 4

The link Berickf gave you contains most of the best schools in Forensic Anthropology (I would have listed the same schools). Remember this is at the grad level.

I know this wasn't your question but I feel you should know what you’re up against. You need at least a Masters degree or a PhD. As an undergrad you would major in Anthropology with an emphasis on Physical Anthropology. You should take courses like biology, human anatomy, chemistry, statistics, geology, and maybe one or two physics or genetics classes. Also, you need to maintain a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 at the very minimum (I recommend about a 3.5 GPA). To get into grad school you will have to take the GRE and score above average. Most grad programs have very limited enrollment, so you need to stand out in the application process.

As an undergrad you might want to take an advanced human anatomy course that exposes you to cadavers or skeleton collections. This will help decide if this is the career for you (I've witnessed people change there major when exposed to cadavers or real bones, some just don't know how to deal with it).

I don't know what poster number three is talking about. There are full time jobs in Forensic Anthropology. Forensic Anthropologists find employment at Universities (teaching and research), Museums, the FBI, working with skeletal finds on archaeological sites, with other government agencies researching genocides, working with the military by identifying causalities, etc.. (You get the idea).

Now I will caution you about the T.V. shows, most of them are a far cry from the real job. For instance, Bones is based partly on a Forensic Anthropologist but they have twisted many facts and events to create a drama filled show for entertainment purposes. Most shows of that caliber are of NO educational value. If you are interested in Forensics and like to watch T.V. I would recommend Forensic Files on Court T.V. the cases are real and illustrate how real Forensic Scientists collaborate their knowledge to solve cases.



If you have any questions about pursuing Forensic Anthropology feel free to Email me.