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School of Archaeology and Anthropology · ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
This course explores a wide range of topics pertaining to the medico-legal recovery and investigation of human remains to provide a comprehensive introduction to the fields of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology. Students will receive practical and theoretical training in the identification and analysis of skeletonised human remains and the archaeological recovery of forensic evidence through core lectures, labs, and field training exercises such as the mock crime scene investigation. Guest lectures by leading forensic experts from the ANU and beyond cover real-life examples drawn from domestic and international cases to give students broad interdisciplinary insights into cutting-edge approaches to, and applications of, the forensic study of both the skeleton and the crime scene. Students will gain skills necessary, and appropriate in terms of the requirements of the Australian medico-legal professions, for the practical management and excavation of a body/crime scene.
2 x Forensic Anthropology Reports (Advanced, 1 page each)
Learning outcomes 1, 4, 5
Mock Expert Testimony (Advanced, 30 minutes)
Learning outcomes 1, 3, 4, 5
Crime Scene Management Report (1 page)
Learning outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5
Non-Skeletal Evidence Report (1 page)
Learning outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5
Crime Scene Investigation Report (Advanced, 3500 words)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 37 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 22 hours of lectures, 11 hours of laboratories, and 4 hours of field training*; and b) 93 hours of independent student research, reading, and writing. *Please note that participation in the field training (mock crime scene excavation) is mandatory. The times and dates of the excavation will be confirmed at the beginning of semester, but it is likely that the excavation will be repeated each day from Monday to Friday in Week 6. Each student participates in the excavation for one half-day only (10am-2:30pm). The allocation of students to a particular excavation session is undertaken at the start of the course to account for each student's Week 6 commitments as far as possible. Work Integrated Learning Fieldwork Students undertake a mock crime scene excavation and complete authentic assessments using the data they have collected. Provides key practical and analytical training required for a career in forensics.
Students must have their own copy of the following text book: White TD, and Folkens PA. 2005. The Human Bone Manual. Boston: Academic Press. This book is invaluable for helping with learning skeletal anatomy and for aiding bone identification in field and lab settings. A detailed list of course readings will be uploaded to Wattle prior to the start of semester. Preliminary Reading Christensen, A. M., Passalacqua, N. V. & Bartelink, E. J. (2019). Forensic Anthropology: Current Methods and Practice, Second Edition. San Diego: Academic Press. Langley, N. R., & Tersigni-Tarrant, M. A. (2017). Forensic Anthropology : A Comprehensive Introduction, Second Edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Byers, S. N., & Juarez, C. A. (2024). Forensic Anthropology Laboratory Manual, Fifth Edition. Abingdon: Routledge.