Overview | Summary of Courses

Offered By:

ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

This specialisation is no longer accepting new applicants. Please see the entry for the Graduate Certificate in Archaeological Science (Program: 6035XARSC).

Forensic anthropology is not offered at most Australian universities. The Graduate Diploma in Arts specialising 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 Graduate Diploma (Forensic Anthropology) must consult the Convenor (Forensic Anthropology) as to the coursework required. Normally the structure will be as given below: however, under certain circumstances the Convener may vary these requirements.

In the Graduate Diploma 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.

The Graduate Diploma and the Master of Arts degree specialising in Forensic Anthropology are integrated to allow students who achieve an average grade of Distinction (70%) or better in the Graduate Diploma to transfer to the Master of Arts program.

The information published on the Study at ANU 2012 website applies to the 2012 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2011 website.