Overview

Students in the Forensic Anthropology program of Washburn University will take classes and get hands-on training with state of the art equipment. Our partnership with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) gives students the opportunity to learn from KBI scientists serving as adjunct instructors or by working alongside them through forensic anthropology internships. Students also will collaborate with faculty and students in the other forensic programs such as chemistry, biology, criminal justice and computer science.

Why study Forensic Anthropology at Washburn?

• This degree is the first Bachelor-level forensic anthropology concentration in Kansas.

• Hands-on training in all phases of excavation and forensic analysis in our lab and outdoor site, using the latest technology and state-of-the-art facilities.

• Opportunities for independent research and forensic anthropology internships.

Careers in Forensic Anthropology

Forensic anthropologists work in laboratories, at crime scenes, in offices, and in morgues. As a professional in the field, you may work for federal, state, and local governments; international organizations; public and private laboratories; medical examiner’s offices; hospitals; universities; police departments; or as independent forensic science consultants.

After earning your B.S. in anthropology with a forensic concentration, you can seek a variety of positions within the criminal justice field, such as:

• Criminalist

• Forensic Crime Scene Specialist

• Police Evidence Specialist

• Crime Scene Investigator

• Crime Scene Technician

• You’ll also be eligible for jobs outside the criminal justice field, including positions in:

• Museums of natural history

• Culture resource management (surveying, documenting, and/or excavating sites)

• State historical societies

• Forensic anthropologist in the office of the coroner or Chief Medical Examiner

• Adjunct faculty at a college or university

Board-certified forensic anthropologists have earned a Ph.D. in physical anthropology with an emphasis in skeletal biology. Most are university professors who consult for coroners, medical examiners and, possible, human rights organizations.