There are three pathways to satisfy the requirements for the M.A. in Anthropology with a concentration in Forensic and Biological Anthropology:  

Thesis Track

Students following the thesis track will develop and demonstrate research skill by formulating a research project designed to contribute original knowledge to the field of forensic and biological anthropology, bioarchaeology, human variation, or human skeletal biology, with the findings presented in a thesis. Pursuing this track will help the student prepare to pursue a career as a forensic or physical/biological anthropologist or to continue their graduate education toward a doctorate.

Professional Paper Track

Students who follow the professional paper track will develop and demonstrate competency by undertaking a project that results in a report, exhibit, or other scholarly contribution of the sort produced by professionals in the field. A scholarly work published in a refereed journal or other reviewed forum is also considered a professional paper. Due to the limited nature of our skeletal collection, many students choose to analyze a case from the teaching collection and produce a comprehensive case report. Pursuing this track will help the student prepare for a career as a forensic anthropologist or other career that emphasizes the practical application of skills in skeletal analysis.

Portfolio Track

This is a non-thesis option. Students following the portfolio track will design a program in which they specify a set of goals and a set of courses and other experiences that lead to achievement of these goals. Students will demonstrate progress toward and satisfaction of their goals by collecting the work produced in their courses and other experiences into a portfolio. This track requires more coursework than the thesis or professional paper tracks and is designed for students who do not plan to work professionally as forensic or physical/biological anthropologists or who plan to use their degree in another context, such as educators seeking an M.A. degree in a field of science.

General Graduate Program Requirements

Graduate School policies and standards can be found on the Graduate School Policies page. 

The minimum GPA for any graduate program is 3.0. Individual programs may require more than a 3.0 to remain in good standing. 

The minimum grade for a course to be accepted toward any requirement is C. Individual programs may require higher grades for specific courses.

MASTER OF ARTS - ANTHROPOLOGY; FORENSIC & BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY CONCENTRATION

Successful completion of an M.A. in Anthropology requires coursework, successful completion of a comprehensive evaluation, and significant original scholarly work. The Anthropology faculty expects that students will complete the requirements for the M.A. degree in two years.

Some background classes are required for all students in the Forensic and Biological Anthropology Graduate Program, which ideally will have been taken as an undergraduate prior to admittance. At least one course must have been taken in each of the following five areas, though it is possible with approval of the student's advisor for one course to count as both a forensic anthropology course and an osteology course. Students who enter the program without having previously completed these background courses must complete them before their M.A. degree is awarded. Students should understand that they may need more than the minimum number of credits to complete their M.A. degree.

• Forensic Anthropology - a lecture or lecture plus laboratory course covering the principles of forensic anthropology, such as ANTY 414;
• Osteology - a laboratory or lecture plus laboratory course covering skeletal anatomy, such as ANTY 412;
• An archaeological field experience, such as ANTY 466 or ANTY 495;
• General forensic science, such as CJUS 488;
• Statistics, such as ANTY 508.

Course Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses
Complete all of the following courses:
ANTY 500	Contemporary Anthropological Thought	3
or ANTY 553	Evolutionary Archaeology
ANTY 510	Seminar on Human Variation & Evolution	3
ANTY 512	Advanced Forensic Anthropology	3
ANTY 513	Seminar in Bioarcheaology & Skeletal Biology	3
ANTY 515	Theory & Methods in Bioanthropology	3
Thesis, Professional Project, or Non-Thesis Options
Complete one of the following options:		15-21
Thesis/Professional Project Option - Complete 15 credits of the following to achieve a total of 30 credits:
ANTY 599	Thesis/Professional Project
Additional graduate-level courses
Defense of thesis or professional paper/project
Non-Thesis Option - Complete 21 credits of the following to achieve a total of 36 credits:
ANTY 590	Research
Additional graduate-level courses
A reviewed scholarly work or portfolio or a comprehensive evaluation
Total Hours		30-36