Forensic Osteology and Field Recovery Methods

How do we begin to analyse and interpret biological remains from an unknown source? How do you ensure that such remains are handled and managed in an ethical and sensitive way? You will learn how to identify morphological structures from human hard (bones and teeth) and soft tissues (muscles) by utilising one of the largest collections of human skeletons in the UK. By gaining an understanding of core anatomical landmarks, you will be able to assess the size and shape variation that is present between males and females, adults and juveniles, and amongst people of differing ethnicities. Upon completion of this module, you will have gained systematic training and foundations in a core biological science that underpins all human skeletal biology and forensic anthropology.

How do Forensic Anthropologists construct a biological profile? By gaining an advanced practical skill set that builds upon the modules ‘Advanced Human Osteology and Anatomy’, and ‘Growth, Disease and Taphonomy’, you will learn how to detemine age-at-death, biological sex, and stature from hard tissue. You will extend your knowledge of skeletal disease into non-specific and specific infections. You will learn protocols for disaster victim identification and be introduced to the most up-to-date soft-tissue biometric identification methods. You will become proficient in presenting biological profiles to an audience, which is essential for a practicing forensic anthropologist. Upon completion you will have gained a skill-set that transitions directly into the professional world.

How does the physical environment affect how buried human remains change over time? How can we derive information pertaining to an individual’s health from their bones after death? Human skeletons (hard tissue) are often the only evidence that is recovered during a forensic excavation of a clandestine grave but forensic investigators can still provide a huge amount of information about an individual’s life.  By introducing you to the key principles underlying the way in which hard tissues grow, and by providing ‘hands on’ experience that utilises a world-class collection of pathology, you will learn how to identify trauma and basic disease processes. You will gain knowledge about post-mortem environmental (taphonomic) events and how these can be isolated and differentiated from events that occurred during life. Upon completion you will have gained theoretical knowledge and practical experience identifying markers of growth, diagnosing skeletal trauma and disease, and distinguishing these processes from taphonomy.

Why is it important to understand the influence of bias within forensic science? What are the expected professional standards for practicing forensic scientists? How do forensic laboratories adhere to the strict standards the legal system expects of them? What is it like to give evidence in a court of law? This module illustrates a range of contemporary topics in forensic science that underpin professional practice for those students wishing to enter the forensic science profession. The module content draws upon guidance published by the UK Forensic Science Regulator, UKAS, ENFSI, CSFS as well as academic and professional commentary, with a particular emphasise on evaluative reporting, case assessment and interpretation (CAI), quality standards, ethics in forensic science and bias. You will be provided training in writing expert witness court reports before undergoing a mock courtroom exercise in which you will deliver expert testimony in a courtroom environment, an essential skill for future case reporting forensic scientists.

This module will introduce students to research and survey design, and hypothesis testing, drawing upon different scientific approaches. The principles of experimental design and how these can be applied to field projects will be explained, together with the nature of both quantitative and qualitative data. An introduction to sampling strategies and the role of probability in inferential statistics will lead into the role of descriptive statistics and measures of variability in data exploration. This will be complemented by consideration of the application of both parametric and nonparametric statistics in data analysis (t-tests, ANOVA, regression, correlation, their nonparametric equivalents), including multivariate tests. The rules underlying the appropriate presentation of statistical data in research reports will be discussed. Upon completion students will understand the principle quantitative analytical approaches to research, and the best ways of presenting results.

This module will teach students the steps of recovery and excavation of human remains. Starting with finding human remains (mapping and carrying out a survey) to taking the remains into the lab for analysis. Students gain experience in designing and laying out an excavation grid, learning how to record and photograph human remains and contextual evidence found in the field. Finally, the students will have hands on learning experience in recording and bagging the finds and creating a chain of evidence. This module will look at the challenges of single and multiple burials and mass disasters.

How do we innovate within forensic science to provide entirely new knowledge to our scientific and global communities? The field of forensic science is continually evolving and changing as we respond to scientific advancement and needs from the judicial system. For new methodologies or techniques to be adopted within the field they must first be rigorously and carefully researched within the laboratory or computationally. This module will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in cutting-edge independent forensic science research. You will implement the skills you have learned throughout your degree to plan, conduct and troubleshoot research in your chosen forensic field. You will learn new analytical and modelling techniques and perform complex data analysis to provide new insight in the forensic sciences, preparing you for roles within industry research and development teams and academic research pathways.