The Ohio State University is adding a first of its kind major to its catalog.

Forensic anthropology was approved in the summer as an official major, allowing students to declare it as a major in the Department of Anthropology beginning in the fall of 2023.

“The demand for forensic anthropology training has never been greater. Students have been asking for a program like this for years, but until now the only options in our department were the forensic minor or a more general major in anthropological science,” said Department of Anthropology Chair W. Scott McGraw. “Now we’ve got a dedicated forensic anthropology major leading to a Bachelor of Science that provides superb training – including casework in our state-of-the-art forensic lab – for a variety of medico-legal careers or advanced graduate study.”

Forensic anthropology is the fifth major offered by the Department of Anthropology, joining anthropological sciences (BS), anthropology (BA) and medical anthropology (BA and BS). The BS in forensic anthropology will require successful completion of 43 hours, which includes 33 major hours plus an additional 10 hours of prerequisite coursework. In addition to these credit hours, the degree program will encourage undergraduate research, particularly among those with graduate or professional school aspirations.

A certificate in forensic anthropology is also offered and introduces students to the methods, practices and ethical considerations surrounding osteological and bioarchaeological analyses as they pertain to forensic inquiry. Emphasis is on a hands-on approach to the field, with core classes structured around applied teaching with human remains and a replica excavation.

“Ohio State is the only university in the nation offering the forensic anthropology major and we couldn’t be more excited,” said McGraw.

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