Forensic Anthropology (Minor)
Minor: Forensic Anthropology
Program Code: M715
About This Minor. . .
The Forensic Anthropology minor introduces students to the knowledge and skills necessary to employ anthropological techniques in a forensic context. Students become familiar with both field and laboratory techniques used in forensic anthropology. Students in the minor use the Forensic Investigation Research Station, a facility built to study the decomposition of the human body. The Minor especially complements such degree programs as Criminal Justice and Biology. Students with the background in Forensic Anthropology will be better prepared for jobs in areas related to death investigation.
Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.
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Institutional Minor Requirements
The following institutional requirements apply to all CMU minors. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.
- A minor consists of 15-24 semester hours. There may be prerequisites required for the minor which will increase the total number of credit hours for a student who has not already taken those prerequisites.
- Courses taken to satisfy Essential Learning, major requirements, or electives can be counted toward the minor if applicable.
- At least 33 percent of the credit hours required for the minor must be in courses numbered 300 or above.
- At least 25 percent of the classes must be taken at CMU.
- 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher for the courses used for the minor.
- A minor is not a degree by itself and must be earned at the same time as a baccalaureate degree.
- A minor must be outside the major field of study.
- A student may earn up to five minors with any baccalaureate degree at CMU.
- The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements sheet you should follow.
- See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.
Program Specific Minor Requirements
(22 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following options: | 3-4 | |
| Death and Forensic Science and Death and Forensic Science Laboratory | ||
| Survey of Biological Anthropology-GTSS3 and Survey of Biological Anthropology Laboratory-GTSS3 | ||
| ANTH 331 & 331L | Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Anthropology Laboratory | 3 |
| ANTH 478 | Professional Issues in Forensic Science | 3 |
| ANTH 499 | Internship 1 | 3-4 |
| CRMJ 280 & 280L | Crime Scene Processing and Crime Scene Processing Laboratory | 3 |
| Select 6 credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Field Methods in Archaeology and Field Methods in Archaeology Laboratory | ||
| Forensic Entomology and Forensic Entomology Laboratory | ||
| Human Osteology and Human Osteology Laboratory 2 | ||
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 21-23 | |
- 1
The number of internship credits will be determined by whether the student takes ANTH 231/ANTH 231L (4cr) or ANTH 270/ANTH 270L (3cr). Either way, the student will take sufficient internship credits to bring the total of required course credits to 22.
- 2
These courses have prerequisite courses not required for this minor. Refer to course information for more details.
Advising Process and DegreeWorks
Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a minor. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and developing a suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for her/his intended minor.
DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a minor. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head for the minor. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Process
A minor cannot be awarded by itself. It must be combined with a baccalaureate degree outside the major field of study. Students should follow the graduation process outlined for the baccalaureate degree and list their majors and minors on the “Intent to Graduate” form.
If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be her/his responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.