ANTHRO 588: FIELD AND LABORATORY METHODS IN BIOARCHAEOLOGY AND FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY

Location: Amherst, MA, USA

Season: May 18, 2026 to June 30, 2026

Application Deadline: March 27, 2026

Deadline Type: Exact Date

Website: https://www.umass.edu/bioarchaeology/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Project Director:
Dr. Ventura Pérez

Project Description:

This course introduces students to the role of the biological anthropologist, archaeologist and forensic scientist in excavations of human remains. This field school is particularly unique because we work in collaboration with the UMass Chan Medical School’s Division of Translational Anatomy and Anatomical Gift Program. Students will also receive lectures from experts in political science, federal Indian law, historical archaeology, the US State Department, and law enforcement.

The course will be divided into three units. The first unit will introduce students to field and laboratory techniques, including osteology, recognizing what constitutes bioarchaeological or forensic data, and violence theory. Students will participate in lectures and lab exercises at both UMass Amherst and at the UMass Chan Medical School. The second unit will consist of excavations of a pseudo-crime scene and pseudo-archaeological burial. The third unit will focus on laboratory techniques used to analyze the biological profile and write the lab report of the two excavation sites, as well as the design and build of the following year’s burial sites. Throughout the course we will explore key concepts in ethics, violence theory, socio-cultural constructs left on the body, repatriation, medicolegal death investigation and regulations regarding unmarked burials.

Period(s) of Occupation: Multiple

Notes:
May 18 - June 30, 2026 (Class will run M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no class on Memorial Day and Juneteenth).

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 6 weeks

Minimum Age: 18

Room and Board Arrangements:
https://www.umass.edu/living/assign/summersession

Academic Credit:
$500/credit @ 6 credits