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FSC435/FSC435L
Forensic Anthropology
Syllabus – v.1
Semester/Year Fall 2016 (9/1 – 12/8)
Day/Time Thursday 10:30-12:45 (Lecture)/ 12:45-1:30 (lunch)/ 1:30-4:30 (Lab)
Professor: Claire Gold, M.A.
Office: Virtual
Email: cgold@baypath.edu
Prerequisites Check with your program chair for any prerequisites
Course Credits: 4
Department Chair Christine Bacon ( contact info: cbacon@baypath.edu)
Introductory Comments:
This course provides undergraduates with a broad overview of forensic anthropology. Forensic anthropology
applies the methods of physical anthropology to the field of medico-legal death investigation. The identification
of skeletal human remains is important for both legal and humanitarian reasons. Forensic anthropologists work
to determine the age, sex, ancestry, stature, and unique features from the skeleton. Students will become
proficient in these forensic methods.
Course Description
FSC 435 (3 credits) Forensic Anthropology This course will present the methodological basis of the
osteological techniques behind the analysis and identification of human skeletal remains from criminal and
legal contexts. Topics will include skeletal anatomy of humans and other vertebrates, taphonomic analysis,
search and recovery techniques, mass disaster victim identification, trauma interpretation, and bone DNA
analysis. Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in BIO 150.
FSC 435L (1 credit) Forensic Anthropology Lab topics include hands-on exercises designed to teach advanced
techniques of skeletal analysis. Co requisite: FSC 435.
Student Learning Outcomes:
In this course students will be expected to:
1)describe the fundamentals of human osteology, which will entail the ability to identify
and describe the principal bones of the human body.
2) have an understanding of the various scenes that a forensic anthropologist may work in and the
roles and responsibilities for each type of scene.
3) demonstrate the ability to use techniques that determine sex, age, and ancestry, trauma or pathological
conditions of the human skeleton; and the techniques used to recover skeletal remains.
4) become familiar with each bone; develop progressively detailed knowledge leading to the ability to
identify human remains in a fragmentary state.
5) conduct themselves ethically and with respect for the deceased.

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Required Texts:
Burns, Karen-Ramey. Forensic Anthropology Training Manual. 2012.
Steadman, DW. Hard Evidence: Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology, 2009.
These texts can be purchased from the Bay Path University bookstore by clicking on the Bookstore button the
My Bay Path portal Welcome page.
Additional Readings
In addition to weekly readings from your textbooks, each student will be responsible for any articles assigned
by the instructor. Each article is selected based on the relevance to the topic of discussion. Some of the
articles will be posted on Canvas, and others will be provided by the instructor in class. Each week, students
will be called on to summarize the readings and facilitate a discussion. Students should come to class
expecting to present and discuss ALL readings. Failure to complete readings will result in points off final
grade. The only way I can be sure that you have completed your readings, is by class discussion.
Late Work Policy
Due to constraints on lab materials, make-up quizzes will not be permitted unless the instructor is notified
within 48 hours of exam administration and the student’s reasoning for absence, as determined by the
instructor, is of extreme circumstance. Illness must be verified with an original doctor’s note on office
stationary. Labs and quizzes can be made up, only if facility, equipment and specimens are available.
Assignments are due as stated unless modified by the instructor. Assignments will not be accepted late
unless the student obtains permission prior to the due date of the assignment. For each day the assignment
is late, 10% will be deducted from the assignment grade.
Attendance/Participation Policy
Students are responsible for all material covered in class. Therefore, students are expected to attend class
except in the case of a documented illness, religious observance, or an emergency occurs. A permanent
record will be kept of each student's attendance and participation. No absences are permitted on the day of
an exam/quiz without the prior permission of the instructor. Permission will be granted only in case of an
emergency or illness; the student must make arrangements to take the exam/quiz before it is graded and
returned to the class.
Turnitin.com Policy and Process
Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual
similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as
source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of
such papers. Use of Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the
Turnitin.com site. The following statement must be submitted with each paper: “I submit that this paper is
entirely my own work and agree that it may be submitted to Turnitin for the purpose of checking for
plagiarism and further that it may be maintained on the Turnitin database in order to check for future
plagiarism.”
Statement on Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is vital to the learning process and dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any student who
commits academic dishonesty will receive a sanction appropriate to the nature and severity of the violation
and in accordance with the Policy on Academic Integrity, which appears in detail in the course catalog
(available under Academics on Bay Path Connect). If you are unclear as to what types of behaviors constitute

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academic dishonesty, talk with the course instructor. (The entire policy may be found
at http://tinyurl.com/clwhq5u).
A faculty member who has evidence of a student failing to adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy has a duty
to report the conduct to the Office of Academic Affairs, which will maintain records of the allegation and the
disposition of the matter. When conduct involving academic dishonesty occurs in the faculty member’s class,
she or he may elect to attempt to resolve the matter informally, in which case the faculty member may assign
the student a grade of “F” for the course and/or for the particular assignment, or grade so much of the
assignment that represents the student’s own work, or require that the student repeat the assignment or a
similar assignment. The faculty member may elect to refer the matter directly to Academic Affairs for
disposition by the Standing Committee through a Hearing Board.
Procedures for Students with Disabilities
If you have an identified disability that may affect your performance in this class and you choose to request
reasonable accommodations, please schedule an appointment with the Director of Student Academic Support
Services, as soon as possible, so that provisions can be made to assure you have an equal opportunity to meet
all the requirements of this course.
Federal Credit Hour
Except as provided in 34 CFR 668.8(k) and (l), a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended
learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established
equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than –
(1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of
out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester
or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or
the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time
or
(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic
activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practical, studio work, and
other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
Communications from the University
The University provides a free e-mail account to all of our students. Please be sure to check this e-mail
account regularly by logging on to the My Bay Path portal at my.baypath.edu. Important campus messages
are often sent to this email account.
Be sure to check your Canvas classroom on a regular basis (daily is recommended) for messages and
assignments. It is also important set your "Notifications Preferences" within your Canvas profile. These
notifications will alert you of activity within your Canvas classroom via the method you choose. Remember
that Canvas mail is not the same as your Bay Path email account. Each must be checked separately.
Technology-Related Issues and Problems
The Bay Path University Technology Support Center (TSC) is always available to assist you with technology
related issues that may arise during your courses. The best way to contact them is through the “Tech
Support” link on the My Bay Path portal. You can also e-mail your questions or problems to
ITS@baypath.edu or you can call the TSC at 413-565-1487. TSC hours of support services are posted on the IT
Resources page of the My Bay Path portal. Be sure to be as specific as possible when requesting assistance;
this will help you receive assistance more quickly.

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Methods for Determining Final Grade
Class participation - For successful completion of this course, students must attend both lab and lecture
portions of class. If you miss a class you are still responsible for the material that was covered. Due to
constraints on lab material, there are no make-up labs, quizzes, tests or practicum. Lecture material will be
posted on Canvas. An important distinction: Your participation grade is measured by the effort put forth
during lecture, lab, discussion, and class assignments. It is not simply measured by attendance to class.
Your best participation effort is expected in a college course of this caliber. Students will be notified if
their participation is not up to class standard. Poor participation will result in a full letter grade
reduction.
(30%) Labs (approximately 6) are worth 5 points each, for a total of 30% of your grade. Labs will consist of
an assigned module, relevant to lecture. The labs should be completed with independence from the
instructor and with others in small groups. Collaboration is important during the lab period, as students are
encouraged to share knowledge. A portion of each lab period will be given for students to independently
study assigned bones. Students are expected to learn the major landmarks and structure of each bone,
covered in the lab manual. Students are expected to study and learn the osteology material independently
and gain progressively detailed knowledge of each bone. Each student should develop their own method for
learning the bones; whether by drawing, memorizing or labeling. At the conclusion of each lab period,
students will hand in their work for this grade.
(40%) Quizzes & Assignments (approximately 5) make up 25% of your grade. Quizzes (worth 5 points
each) will include material from lecture, lab, discussion, textbooks, readings and assigned bones. Each quiz
consists of short answer, matching, and bone identification. Leading class discussions of the assigned readings
and other various assignments will make up the last portion (15%) of this category. There are approximately
25 assigned readings that we will discuss – each student should plan on leading a discussion of two articles,
assigned by instructor, for a total of 6 pts. Various assignments will make up the remaining 9 pts.
(15%) Class projects are worth 15% of your grade and 7.5% each. All students must complete a case-study
analysis, involving methods used in Forensic Anthropology from a crime scene, a mass fatality scene, or a
humanitarian recovery scene. The case study must detail the specific methods used to build a biologic profile
of the victim(s). A case study must be approved by the instructor by Sept. 8th. Please start researching now!
For the second project you may choose between a bone disease project, (detailing the effects of a disease on
the skeleton), or a taphonomy experiment (should only be chosen by students who have proper space
necessary). This topic is due Sept. 15th.
(15%) Practicum is worth 15% of your grade. This is a practicum where students work in groups to
evaluate a forensic case, but each student is expected to write up a final report.
*If circumstances beyond your control prevent you from fulfilling course requirements, it is your responsibility to
contact me as soon as possible.
30% Lab Modules (approximately 6)
40% Quizzes (approximately 10) & leading class discussion
15% Projects (2)
15% Final exam (practicum)

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Classroom Expectations
Lap tops may be used for the purpose of taking notes in class. Surfing the web or doing work for another
class while in lecture or lab, will not be tolerated. Cell phones should remain off or on vibrate if there is an
anticipated urgent phone call, in which case, the call may be taken in the hall. There should be no talking
during a lecture, except when it is for relevant questions and class discussion. You should know that I reserve
the right to ask you to leave the classroom if you are being disruptive. Work missed due to this circumstance
may not be made up.
Evaluation of Student Learning
At the completion of this course, you will receive a letter grade reflecting your performance in this course.
Letter grades (from A – F) will be computed for each of the above items based on the percentage earned.
Your percentage total is then converted to a letter grade according to the following scale:
Letter Grade Equivalent: Percentage Earned: Grade Point:
A 95-100 4.00
A- 90-94 3.67
B+ 87-89 3.33
B 83-86 3.00
B- 80-82 2.67
C+ 77-79 2.33
C 73-76 2.00
C- 70-72 1.67
D+ 67-69 1.33
D 60-66 1.00
F Below 60 0.00
I None 0.00
W None 0.00
Tutoring Services at the Bashevkin Center for Academic Excellence (BCAE)
Free peer tutoring services in most subjects are available by appointment at Bay Path University. To make an
appointment with a tutor, go to the Welcome page of the Bay Path portal and click on the red “BCAE Tutoring”
button on the right under “External Links”. Please plan ahead if you wish to utilize this service as tutoring
hours vary by subject. The Center also hosts workshops on Developing Effective Study Strategies, Managing
Your Time More Efficiently and other topics to support your learning. Free tutoring is also available online
24/7 from Smarthinking from external professional tutors. The link is on the portal near the BCAE Tutoring
button.
Additional questions on tutoring should be directed toward Jemi Kuberski at 413-565-
1772 or jkuberski@baypath.edu
Class Format
Each class will consist of a lecture, and a lunch break, followed by a lab. Lecture is for conveying information,
class discussions, viewing videos and films, and exploring students’ views and questions, as well as class
assignments. Each week, one student will be chosen to start the discussion about our reading. The labs will
complement the lecture and allow you to put your knowledge to work by reinforcing concepts covered in
lecture. There will be skeletal material at each lab to examine. I will be present to facilitate each lab, but I
encourage students to work independently from the instructor and to collaborate with fellow students.
Dialogue is welcome as long as it is relevant to the class topic.

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Course Schedule of Topics
Date Week Lecture/Discussion Lab
#
Lab Topic Readings Assignments Bones
Sept.
1
1 Forensic
Anthropology
Discuss readings
1 Forensic
Anthropology
Bone/Nonbone
Burns 1,2,3,12
Steadman 1,2,7
*Log in to
Canvas
*Suggest a
website
Bone Biology/
Terms/Cranium
Sept.
8
2 Forensic Context
Discuss readings
2 Osteology
Human/Nonhu
man
Burns 1,2,3,4,5
Steadman 21,8
*Like-bone
Object Due
*Case-study
topic due
*Quiz 1
Human/
Nonhuman
Cranium/
Thorax/Spine
Sept.
15
3 Dentition
Discuss readings
3 Dentition Burns 3,11
Steadman
4,18,19
Zinni et al. 2013
*Bone topic
OR
taphonomy
proposal due
Cranium/
Dentition
Sept.
22
4 Taphonomy
Field Methods
Discuss readings
4 Taphonomy
PMI
Burns
3,8,9,10,15,16
Steadman 12-14
*Quiz 2
*Taph Object
due
Cranium/Leg/
Foot/toes/Pelvis
Sept.
29
5 Forensic
Archaeology
Discuss readings
Student
Presentations
Burns 4,5,6,7
Steadman 9-11
*Case-study
presentation
due
Arms/hands
/fingers/Thorax
/Spine
Oct.
6
6 Mass Death &
Humanitarian
Recovery
Discuss readings
Student
Presentations
Burns
3,11,7,8,9,17
Steadman 22-25
*Quiz 3 ALL

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Date Week Lecture/Discussion Lab
#
Lab Topic Readings Assignments Bones
Oct.
13
7 Identification:
determining Sex &
Ancestry
Discuss readings
5 Student
Presentations
Sex & Ancestry
techniques
Burns 13,14
Steadman 3,6
ALL
Oct.
20
8 Determining Age &
Stature
Discuss readings
6 Ageing
techniques
*Quiz 4 ALL
Oct.
27
9 Trauma
Child Abuse
Discuss readings
Trauma/Pathol
ogy
Steadman
15,16,17
ALL
Nov.
3
10 Bone disease &
pathology
Discuss readings
Student
presentations
Gruspier, 1999
Saul et al., 1999
*Bone
presentation
due OR
*Taphonomy
presentation
and log due
ALL
Nov.
10
11 Student
presentations
Student
presentations
ALL
Nov.
17
12 Review Inventory
procedures &
Skeletal analysis
Skeletal
inventory
worksheets
*Quiz 5
Nov.
24
13 No Class -
Thanksgiving
Dec.
1
14
Introduce practicum
cases – go over
inventory sheets
Practicum Practicum
Dec.
8
15 Practicum Practicum Practicum *Practicum
Due
Italics denote assigned supplemental reading – posted online or handed out
*Denotes graded assignment - Weekly assigned bones serve as a guide to independent osteology study

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Graded Assignments
All graded assignments are expected to be passed in on the assigned date and time, in the manner designated (i.e.
by email or in person). 10% of the grade will be deducted for every day that the assignment is late.
Students must choose 2 assignments to complete during the semester, each worth 7.5%. All students are
required to complete the Case-Study assignment. Students may pick one more assignment to complete from
choices 2 or 3:
1. Forensic Anthropology Case-Study
AND (one of the following)
2. Taphonomy experiment
3. Bone Disease assignment
Date Due Assignment________________________________________________________________________
Sept. 1 -Login to Canvas, introduce yourself! (1 pt)
-Suggest a website for studying bones (1 pt)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sept. 8 -Object that looks like bone due (1 pt.)
-Case-study topic due for instructor approval - Submit the name of the case
and 3 sources (1 pt)
-Quiz 1 (6 pts)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sept. 15 Bone disease topic or taphonomy proposal due – 1 paragraph summary and
3 sources (1 pt)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sept. 22 Quiz 2 (6 pts)
Object showing taphonomic changes due (1 pt.)
______________________________________________________________________
Sept. 29 Case-study is due – 6-8 slides and at least 5 sources. Projects must be
submitted by email to me by 10:30 a.m. Presentation slots will be assigned.
(6.5pts)
______________________________________________________________________
Oct. 6 Quiz 3 (6 pts)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Oct. 20 Quiz 4 (6 pts)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nov. 3 Bone disease topic or Taphonomy presentation and written portion due.
Projects must be submitted by email to me by 10:30 a.m. Presentation slots
will be assigned. (6.5 pts)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nov. 17 Quiz 5 (6 pts)
______________________________________________________________________
Dec. 8 Practicum due (15 pts)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Associated Readings
Bass, W. 1984. Time Interval Since Death, A Difficult Decision. In: Rathbun, T. and Buikstra, J. eds. Human
Identification, Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Springfield, IL: CC Thomas.
Burns, Karen-Ramey. Forensic Anthropology Training Manual. 2012, 3rd ed.
Dirkmaat, D. New Perspectives in Forensic Anthropology, Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 51:33–52
(2008).
Dirkmaat, D. 2012. Documenting Context at the Outdoor Crime Scene: Why Bother? In: D. Dirkmaat, ed. A
Companion to Forensic Anthropology, West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Galloway, A. Physical Anthropology and the Law: Legal Responsibilities of Forensic Anthropologists,
Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 33:39-57 (1990).
Gruspier, K. 1999. Pathological Changes on Human Skeletal Remains: Before, During or After? In: Fairgreve, S.
ed. Osteological Analysis, A Book of Case Studies, Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Lovell, N. 2008. Analysis and Interpretation of Skeletal Trauma. In: Katzenberg, M.A. and Saunders, S.R. eds.
Biological Anthropology of the Human Skeleton, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Mulhern, D. 2009. Differentiating Human from Nonhuman Skeletal Remains. In: S. Blau & D. Ubelaker, eds.
Handbook of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology, WAC.
Pokines, J, and Tersigni-Tarrant, M.T. 2013. Taphonomic Processes, Animal Scavenging. In: Tersigni-Tarrant,
M.T. and Shirley, N. eds. Forensic Anthropology, an Introduction, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Saul, J.M. and Saul, F. 1999. Biker’s Bones: An Avocational Syndrome. In: Fairgreve, S. ed. Forensic
Osteological Analysis, A Book of Case Studies, Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Schultz, J. 2012. Determining the Forensic Significance of Skeletal Remains. In: D. Dirkmaat, ed. A Companion
to Forensic Anthropology, West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Steadman, DW. 2009. Hard Evidence: Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology.
Wilson-Taylor, R. 2013. Time Since Death Estimation and Bone Weathering. In: Tersigni-Tarrant, M.T. and
Shirley, N. eds. Forensic Anthropology, an Introduction, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Zinni, D.P. and Crowley, K. 2013. Human Odontology and Dentition in Forensic Anthropology. In:
Tersigni-Tarrant, M.T. and Shirley, N. eds. Forensic Anthropology, an Introduction, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

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**Additional readings may be assigned throughout the semester.
Readings in Forensic Anthropology
Non-Fiction Suggestions
Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William Maples
Bones by Douglas Ubelaker
The Bone Lady by Mary Manhein
Trail of Bones: More Cases from the Files of a Forensic Anthropologist. Mary H. Manhein. Louisiana State
University Press. Baton Rouge, LA. 2005.
The Bone Woman by Clea Koff
Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology is used to Solve the World’s Toughest Crimes. Roxana Ferllini.
Firefly Books, 2002.
Identification of pathological conditions in human skeletal remains. Ortner, Donald J. Washington: Smithsonian
Institution Press, 1981.
Bass, William (1995 or 2005) Human Osteology: A Laboratory and Field Manual.
Special publication No. 2 of the Missouri Archaeological Society, Inc. Buikstra, Jane E. and Douglas Ubelaker
(1994) Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains. Arkansas Archeological Survey.
White, Tim D., Michael T. Black, Pieter A. Folkens (2011) Human Osteology. Academic Press
Fiction Suggestions
One Drop of Blood , Thomas Holland, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2006.
Deja Dead by Kathleen Reichs
Trail of Bones by Kathleen Reichs

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
 www.eskeletons.org (good online study guide for human osteology and comparative anatomy)
 http://www.easynotecards.com/notecard_set/5684
 http://www.csuchico.edu/anth/Module/skull.html
 http://www.forensicpage.com/new29.htm
 http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/meded/grossanatomy/learnem/bones/main_bone.htm
 http://www.theabfa.org/
 http://www.aafs.org/
 http://www.babao.org.uk/Linkspage.htm
JOURNALS
The journals below contain scholarly articles written by experts in the field.
 Journal of Forensic Sciences
 Journal of Archaeological Science
 American Journal of Physical Anthropology
 International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
 Forensic Science International
Disclaimer
The instructor reserves the right to change topics covered or the order in which they are covered at her/his
discretion (after advance notification to the class). The students are advised that select copies of their work
in this class may be retained by the professor or Bay Path University for educational or administrative
purposes.