Overview | Summary of Courses

Offered By:	ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Academic Contact:	Dr Marc Oxenham

This specialisation is no longer accepting new applicants. Please see the entries for the Master of Archaeological Science (Program: 7119MARSC) and the Graduate Certificate in Archaeological Science (Program: 6035XARSC).

Forensic anthropology is not offered at most Australian universities. The Master of Arts in Forensic Anthropology is designed for students with a background in a cognate field who have developed an established interest in forensic anthropology and/or archaeology, but who may have relatively little prior formal background in the subject. The aim of the qualification is to provide such a student, at the intensity and initiative levels appropriate for graduates, with a broad grounding in forensic anthropological and archaeological theory and techniques, and to proceed from that to a short supervised research sub-thesis in the subject.

The purpose and aims of this degree are not to provide a qualification for work as a forensic anthropologist and/or archaeologist, but rather, to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to enable the student to pursue original (and for the most part experimentally oriented) research in this disciplinary area

Requirements

Before enrolling, postgraduate students admitted to the Master of Arts (Forensic Anthropology) must consult the Forensic Anthropology Convenor as to the coursework required for Part A. Normally the structure will be as given below: however, under certain circumstances the Convener may vary these requirements.

In Part A of the Master of Arts (Forensic Anthropology) candidates are required to complete 36 units of coursework. Courses normally available for inclusion in this coursework program are listed below under 3 headings: compulsory courses; core courses; and elective courses.

The standard structure is:

• both the compulsory courses (12 units);
• at least two courses (12 units) selected from amongst the core courses;
• and the balance of coursework units to total 36, selected from amongst the elective courses.

Any variation to this structure will follow from a student's needs and background as well as course availability during a student's coursework period. Subject to staffing, reading courses will normally be offered in place of any compulsory courses unavailable during a student's coursework period. Reading courses on core course topics may also be offered, at the lecturer's discretion. A maximum value of 12 units applies to all reading courses in the program.

In order to proceed from Part A of the Master of Arts (Forensic Anthropology) to Part B a candidate must have passed each of the six courses at their first attempt and achieved an overall average equivalent of distinction (min. of 70%) or better. Students who do not achieve this will transfer to the Graduate Diploma.

Part B comprises a 36 unit sub-thesis of 30,000 words, which will normally be based on library or student generated fieldwork/experimental research. The topic of the sub-thesis has to be approved by the Prescribed Authority on the recommendation of the Head of the School, Archaeology and Anthropology. The sub-thesis is individually supervised and each student should contact potential supervisor(s) to discuss his/her topic interests, towards the end of the coursework period at the latest.

For a candidate to meet the requirements for admission to the degree, he or she must achieve a result of at least 70% (H2A) in the sub-thesis (Part B) component. A candidate's degree performance will be determined as a fail where this result is not achieved.

The information published on the Study at ANU 2011 website applies to the 2011 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2010 website.