Where can I find an online or correspondence degree in Human Osteology or Forensic Anthropology?

Question

I have an MA in Mediterranean Archaeology, but I need to get a specialist degree in Osteology so I can do bone classifications and such.

Answer 1

Try MIT's anthropology section...

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Anthropology/i...

Answer 2

Hi,

stormsinger1 is right - you definitely need to handle bones to learn bones. You may have a problem finding a class to take or a professor willing to do an independent study with you if you are not currently enrolled in a university program.

What you're looking for are courses in biarchaeology, not forensic anthro (which deals with modern cases of murder victims and such)- the basic osteology applied in either case is the same, but in different contexts with different implications.

How detailed are we talking for bone classifications? Do you just need to be able to distinguish bones from other materials in the field, do you need to ID specific bones or bone fragments, or do you need to be able to create mortality schedules and population demographic profiles, etc, with the bones? These all require different levels of training.

you might be able to take an undergraduate-level osteology course without enrolling in a program. My undergrad alma mater, Marquette U in Milwaukee, WI, offers such a course, although I don't know if the prof allows people to take the course without being enrolled, and I don't know if any other universities that are near you offer such things either. It's be worth checking out at any rate. British universities, such as the U of Glasgow, offer more specific degrees than US ones (i.e. osteology vs physical anthropology) , too, so check those out.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

You really can't.  It's a hands-on subject that can't be learned from books or pictures.  Are you close to a major university with a biological anthropology program?  You may be able to work out a deal with the professor to take some "independent study" classes, especially if you have your MA.