California University of Pennsylvania
Guidelines for New Course Proposals
University Course Syllabus
Approved: 10/19/12
Department of Justice, Law and Society
A.

Protocol
Course Name:
Course Number:
Credits:
Prerequisites:

Advanced Forensic Anthropology
ANT 446
3 credits
ANT 100, 245, 254, or MAT 215, 225 or PSY 220; or permission of the
Instructor
Maximum Class Size: 30
B.

Objectives of the Course:
Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
1. Apply standard methods of skeletal analysis in the study of unknown human remains.
2. Identify the limitations of the most important osteological methods currently used by forensic
anthropologists.
3. Use metric and non-metric variables from a known population to build methods of identifying
unknown specimens, including problems such as genetic drift and secular differences.
4. Diagnose evidence of trauma and pathology.
5. Determine the sex, age, estimated stature and ancestry of unknown human remains.
6. Demonstrate the ability to develop a hypothesis and then test it using a set of data either
collected by the student or provided by the instructor.
7. Report the results of research accurately and clearly using representations such as tables,
graphs, and illustrations within a professional report and/or presentation to solve a problem of
medicolegal significance, primarily the determination of personal identity and cause of death
from human remains.

C.

Catalog Description:
Forensic Anthropology is an applied area of physical anthropology. Students in this intensive lab
and lecture course will become familiar with the use and limitations of the most important
osteological methods currently used by forensic anthropologists. This course employs methods
developed in osteology, skeletal biology, bioarchaeology, and paleopathology to the recovery and
identification of human remains in a medico-legal context. This is a writing intensive course.

D.

Outline of the Course:
I. Introduction to the purpose of the course.
II. Data analysis and the role of archaeological theory and hypothesis testing
A. Different forms or scales of Data
B. Evolutionary and Biological Theory
C. Research Design
D. Hypothesis testing and its connection to theory and data
III. Research design, Hypothesis and Sampling
A. Research design
B. Sampling methods

C. Hypothesis testing and sampling
D. Development of a research project
IV. Measurement Scales Used in the Analysis
A. Artifacts
B. Ecofacts
V. Basic Descriptive Statistics
A. Types of descriptive statistics
B. Graphical or visual means to describe and display data
• Tables
• bar graphs
• pie charts
• line graphs to describe data
VI. Report preparation and presentation
A. Components of a report
B. Illustrations and photographs
C. Visual aids for describing archaeological data
VII. Completion of a course research report and its presentation
E.

Teaching Methodology (face to face or classroom)
A variety of teaching methodologies may be used in teaching this course. They include, but are
not limited to: lectures, PowerPoint images, assigned readings, case studies, multi-media
presentations, group discussions, and guest speakers. Emphasis will be placed on engaging the
learner for involvement and active participation in the learning process.
 

F.

Text
Sample texts for this course include:
Forensic Anthropology Training Manual, 2nd edition by Karen Ramey Burns. Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall (2007).
Hard Evidence: Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology by Dawnie Wolfe Steadman. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall (2003).
Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William R. Maples, Ph.D. and Michael Browning. New York:
Doubleday (1994).

G.

Assessment Activities (face to face or classroom). Individual instructors may customize
different activities.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

H.

Performance assessment tasks
 
Weekly assignments and reports
 
Exams and/or quizzes
 
Individual/Group projects
 
Case studies
 
Research Reports
 
Article/Book Critiques
 

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities:
• Reserve the right to decide when to self-identify and when to request accommodations.
• Will register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) each semester to receive
accommodations.
• Might be required to communicate with faculty for accommodations which specifically involve the
faculty.
• Will present the OSD Accommodation Approval Notice to faculty when requesting
accommodations that involve the faculty.
Requests for approval for reasonable accommodations should be directed to the Office for Students with
Disabilities (OSD). Approved accommodations will be recorded on the OSD Accommodation Approval
notice and provided to the student. Students are expected to adhere to OSD procedures for self-identifying,
providing documentation and requesting accommodations in a timely manner.
Contact Information:
• Location:
• Phone:
• Fax:
• Email:
Web Site:
I.

Azorsky Hall – Room 105
(724) 938-5781
(724) 938-4599
osdmail@calu.edu
http://sai.calu.edu/osd

Supportive Instructional Materials, e.g. library materials, web sites, etc.
American Journal of Archaeology
Annual Review of Anthropology
Current Anthropology Journal
AnthroSource, a full-text online resource of over 30 American Anthropology journals and
magazines
McNeill, AR. 2005. Human Bones: A Scientific and Pictorial Investigation. New York; Pi.
Buikstra, J. E. and Ubelaker, DH (eds). 1994 Standards for Data Collection from Human
Skeletal Remains: proceedings of a seminar at the Field Museum of Natural History,
Chicago. Fayetteville, Arkansas; Arkansas Archeological Survey.
Hoppa, RD. and Vaupel, JW. 2002. Paleodemography: age distribution from skeletal samples
(electronic resource). Cambridge; Cambridge University Press.
Howell, C . L. and Blane, W. 1995 Practical Guide to Archaeological Photography. Los
Angeles, CA; Institute of Archaeology, University of California.
Quigley, C. 2001 Skulls and Skeletons: human bone collections and Accumulations.
Jefferson, NC; McFarland.
Schwartz, J. H., 1998. What the Bones Tell Us. Tucson, AZ; University of Arizona Press.

Ubelaker, D. H. 1978 Human Skeletal Remains: excavation, analysis, interpretation.
Washington, DC; Taraxacum.
White, T. D. 2000 Human Osteology. San Diego; Academic Press.
Additional Information for Course Proposals
J.

Proposed Instructors:
Anthropology faculty members in the Department of Justice, Law and Society with the
appropriate background in Forensic Anthropology may teach this course.

K.

Rationale for the Course:
The course is designed to provide students with a hands-on methods course which will help to
teach the basic skills in the identification, analysis and reporting of osteological, biological,
dental, and paleopathological specimens. Such a course does not exist and the prposed lab
methods course is vital to helping students to develop practical skills needed within the field of
biological anthropology required by employers.

L.

Specialized Equipment or Supplies Needed:
No specialized equipment or supplies are needed.

M.

Answer the following questions using complete sentences:

N.

1.

Does the course require additional human resources?
The course does not require additional human resources.

2.

Does the course require additional physical resources?
The course does not require additional physical resources.

3.

Does the course change the requirements in any particular major?
Yes, the course is a requirement in the revised undergraduate Anthropology (forensic
concentration) curriculum.

3.

Is the course replacing an existing course?
No, this course does not replace an existing course.

4.

How often will the course be taught?
This course will be taught every third semester.

5.

Does the course duplicate an existing course in another Department or College?
This course does not duplicate an existing course in any other Department or College.

6.

What is the recommended maximum class size for this course?
The recommended class size is no more than 25 students.

If the proposed course includes substantial material that is traditionally taught in another
discipline, you must request a statement of support from the department chair that houses that
discipline.
This course is taught within the Anthropology discipline.

O.

Please identify if you are proposing to have this course considered as a menu course for General
Education. If yes, justify and demonstrate the reasons based on the categories for General
Education. The General Education Committee must consider and approve the course proposal
before consideration by the UCC.
This course is approved as a writing intensive course under the old and new (effective Fall 2013)
general education systems.

P.

Provide Approval Form (electronically).

Additional Guidelines
The following are additional guidelines that you must follow which will expedite your course
proposal. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the return of the proposal to the department.
1.

Be sure that your proposal is in the correct format (Guidelines for New Course Proposals)
and that all questions have been completely answered.

2.

Be sure that you have completed and attached the Application to Establish a New Course
form and/or the Advisement Sheet Revision form and that the appropriate signatures
have been affixed. Please send through the process electronically (the preferred method)
or by paper. No items will be placed on the agenda until the Chair of the UCC is in
possession of these forms.

3.

Be sure that you include an updated advisement sheet for any course that is being
required by the department or is classified as a restricted elective. In addition, you must
include an electronic copy (MS Word or PDF) of the current advisement sheet(s) with
your proposal. Be certain that all advisement sheets affected by the proposed course
change be included with your proposal.

4.

When submitting materials for consideration by the Curriculum Committee, you must
provide an electronic copy of each item to be reviewed to the Chairperson.

5.

All completed items must be in the hands of the Chairperson of the Curriculum
Committee a minimum of one week prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting.

6.

Any department requesting a course name change, number change, prefix changes, credit
changes, etc. must submit this request on the Application to Establish a New Course
Form and submit electronically.

7.

New advisement sheets, major proposals, minors, or changes to advisement sheets will
become effective the fall semester following committee approval. The advisement
sheets must also include the committee approval date and the effective date on the
advisement page. Submit this request on the Advisement and /or Program Changes
form.

8.

New courses will become effective the semester following committee approval.

9.

Any references listed must be in the appropriate bibliographic format for the discipline.

10.

Online courses must follow the Quality Matters™ rubric and is posted on the UCC
website. Be sure that you include the online teaching methodology statement (refer E.2
above) that refers to the Quality Matters™ rubric.

11.

All course objectives must follow Bloom’s Taxonomy learning domains located on the
UCC website.