Forensic Osteology and Field Recovery Methods - MSc

University of Kent

Identify, excavate and analyse human skeletal remains for a career in forensics, archaeology, the police force or academic research. Forensic osteology is the scientific study of human bones, used to identify individuals, determine cause of death, and shed light on the past. During this one year course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to identify, excavate and analyse human skeletal remains. With access to over 1,000 human skeletons in our Human Osteology Lab, you will learn to find evidence of trauma, disease and cause of death. You will use histological sectioning of human tissue, dental pathology and high-resolution microscopy to aid skeletal identification. You will develop advanced fieldwork skills in our outdoor taphonomy facility where you will excavate and recover skeletal remains and can examine the decomposition of organic material. In our Crime Scene Facility you will learn how to preserve evidence, recover remains, and present expert evidential reports to the highest standard. The theoretical knowledge and practical experience gained on this course will give you the competitive advantage for a career in the police force, archaeology or further academic research. This course can also be taken part-time over two years.

School of Anthropology and Conservation