Bones have the capacity to reveal the life narrative of the one who left them! An Osteologist is trained to tell the stories. If you want to dig through the fossils and learn more about the eras they came from, or if you want to learn more about the whereabouts of fossils discovered by archaeologists, you should consider acquiring an Osteology degree.
Osteologists are trained specialists who examine deceased bodies and determine if the fossils discovered are from people or animals based on their sex, size, and shape. If you find yourself inclined towards this unique field, here is a post aiming to elucidate various courses, universities, and career prospects in Osteology.
Table of contents
- What Is A Degree In Osteology?
- Is A Career In Osteology A Good One?
- What Can You Do With A Degree In Osteology?
- How Much Can You Earn With A Degree In Osteology?
- Requirements To Become An Osteologist?
- How To Get A Degree In Osteology?
- How Long Does It Take To Complete A Degree In Osteology?
- Top 10 Schools To Get An Osteology Degree?
What Is A Degree In Osteology?
Osteology is the detailed study of bones, skeletal elements, teeth, microbiome morphology, function, disease, pathology, the process of ossification (from cartilaginous molds), and the resistance and hardness of bones. It is a subdiscipline of anatomy, anthropology, and paleontology (biophysics).
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Is A Career In Osteology A Good One?
The tale of a bone is read and translated by osteologists. This uncommon ability provides information that aids in the understanding of old societies, the solving of puzzles, and the learning of animals. An Osteology degree gives you an upper hand to work in a variety of settings.
What Can You Do With A Degree In Osteology?
As an osteologist, you might work in a variety of settings. Working as an archaeologist or anthropologist allows you to learn more about how humans lived thousands or millions of years ago. You can discern a person’s gender, age, race, and sometimes even occupation-based purely on their skeletal remains thanks to your training.
As a Forensic Osteologist, you can help the police department solve mysteries in addition to becoming a Historian. You may be required to attend a crime site or have bones sent to you at the lab for this position. You then evaluate the bones using your equipment and tools and write a report detailing your results. To the untrained eye, what appears to be a mound of bones is actually the remains of a 46-year-old woman with three children.
Your abilities are also useful in medicine, science, and museums. You have the potential to offer your expertise anywhere there is a bone. As an osteologist, you will be responsible for the following tasks after earning a degree in the field:
- Determine whether the bone belongs to a person or an animal.
- Identify whether the bone belongs to a four-legged or two-legged creature.
- Identifying the different features of the bones, such as shape, size, and density.
- Trying to figure out if the sample bones belong to a single individual or if they belong to multiple people.
- The sex of a human is determined by the growth of teeth, morphology, and size of bones.
How Much Can You Earn With A Degree In Osteology?
In the United States, the average salary for an osteologist is $78,090. The average bonus for an Osteologist is $1,670, or 2% of their annual pay, with 100% of employees indicating that they receive a bonus every year. Osteologists earn the most in San Francisco, CA, with an average total pay of $81,856, which is 5% higher than the national average.
Requirements To Become An Osteologist?
Candidates must meet various entry requirements listed by colleges in order to obtain an Osteology degree. Because various colleges provide a variety of degree programs in this discipline, the criteria can differ depending on the program and the institution. Candidates are urged to consult the university’s official website for specific requirements. Take a look at the following qualifying conditions, which are set forth by the university in general:
- Formal education of 10+2 with BiPC subjects is required.
- Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Forensic Anthropology, or a closely related area.
- Students must pass English language competency tests such as the IELTS, TOEFL, and others.
- For a master’s degree, work experience in the relevant sector for 1-2 years is preferred.
- Candidates are recommended to have lucrative LORs (Letters of Recommendation) and SOPs (Statement of Purpose).
How To Get A Degree In Osteology?
Undergraduate Training
A thorough undergraduate education, usually with a major in anthropology, is required to become an osteologist. Students should also take scientific classes, including genetics, biology, and anatomy.
Graduate Education
Following completion of the bachelor’s degree, students should pursue a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in forensic anthropology. Forensic anthropology and osteology are closely related, and it will aid forensic investigations.
Graduate Courses
Numerous physical anthropology lectures focus on various physical features of human people, such as the study of bones, evolution, development, nutrition, and disease, in graduate courses to become an osteologist. The investigation of skeletal evidence is a big part of what forensic anthropologists do.
How Long Does It Take To Complete A Degree In Osteology?
Being an osteologist is a costly and time-consuming endeavor. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree takes two or three years to complete. The time it takes to earn a Ph.D. varies, but it normally takes five to eight years of further study.
Courses To Become An Osteologist
There are a variety of courses offered in this domain, mostly at the master’s level, to accommodate students from all walks of life and skill them into experts who can deliver the best in their industries. The courses listed below are some of the best you can take to become an osteologist.
- MSc Human Osteology and Palatheleology
- MSc Human Osteology
- MSc Forensic Osteology and Field Recovery Methods
- MSc Forensic Anthropology
- MSc Forensic Science (Forensic Anthropology)
- MSc Biological Anthropology
- MSc Funerary Anthropology
- MSc Bioarchaeology
- MSc Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology
- MSc Anatomy and Advanced Forensic Anthropology
- MSc Bioarchaeological and Forensic Anthropology
- MSc/PGDip Human Osteology and Palaeopathology
Top 10 Schools To Get An Osteology Degree?
Choosing the finest institution for your dream course and getting your career started on the proper track is one of the most important phases in your academic journey. That is why it is critical to choose an institution that conducts extensive research, as a university offers you the ideal platform to begin pursuing your career goals. The following are a few of the carefully selected top institutions that offer Osteology degrees:
- Flinders University
- University of Bradford
- University of York
- Durham University
- University of Kent
- University of Dundee
- University of Huddersfield
- Liverpool John Moores University
- University of Reading
- University of Exeter
#1. Flinders University
Discover the connections between past, current, and future societies by delving into the world’s rich cultural history. With South Australia’s unique Archaeology degree, you may get your hands dirty digging up secrets from the past. With a degree that qualifies you for a wide range of employment in museums, government, community organizations, and the cultural heritage management industry, you can unearth and analyze artifacts.
#2. University of Bradford
Three specialized osteology facilities are available at the Biological Anthropology Research Centre (BARC). The Keith Manchester laboratory, which features a state-of-the-art touchscreen, radiography screens, and a photographic setup, is their primary teaching facility.
Their labs are stocked with a variety of osteological tools and reference casts that can be borrowed for dissertation research. They can take digital radiographs for teaching and dissertation research at the School’s radiography lab.
They have a significant collection of approximately 4500 human skeletons, making it the UK’s largest teaching collection.
These range from the Neolithic to the nineteenth century and include internationally significant sites such as the mass burial from the Battle of Towton (AD 1461), relics from a medieval leprosarium, and almshouse in Chichester, and Wetwang Slack, the UK’s biggest excavated Iron Age cemetery.
The BARC also has a large collection of skeletal and clinical radiographs, totaling over 5,000.
#3. University of York
They are a dynamic, research-intensive university that is a member of the prestigious Russell Group. They collaborate with universities all over the world to produce life-saving discoveries and new technology that addresses some of the world’s most critical issues.
Their 30+ academic departments do ground-breaking research that informs their captivating teaching and encourages students to think critically, dream large, and make a difference in the world.
#4. Durham University
The Department of Archaeology is a leading center for the study of archaeology and one of the top departments in the world. We are an inclusive, vibrant and international community, with expertise in a wide range of areas and important strengths in field and landscape archaeology, archaeological science, and museums and heritage studies.
We work across five continents, offering research and teaching specialisms in world prehistory, early complex societies, India, Egypt, and the Near East, Roman and Classical archaeology, the archaeology of South East Asia, Eurasia, and the medieval, historical and contemporary worlds.
Our community is an exciting place in which to develop knowledge and gain essential and transferable skills, from lab-based training in osteology, isotopic analyses, and aDNA to applied skills in field survey, excavation, Geographical Information Systems, and remote sensing, and the study of artifacts and collections.
#5. University of Kent
In anthropology, they take pleasure in having a close-knit group of research students who are familiar with and can approach any member of the staff for aid. They have a diverse program of seminars and symposia for students and employees, given by members of the School as well as outside speakers.
For research students, there is a separate seminar where additional training is provided and students practice presentations as well as present chapters of their draft thesis. Students in the research program are encouraged to audit courses from the taught Master’s programs (for example, in field techniques) and, on occasion, from the undergraduate programs.
The Graduate School, Information Services, and the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching all offer unique training courses for research students (UELT). The school has an IT officer who may assist and advise students on IT issues, as well as a statistics helpline.
#6. The University of Huddersfield
Over 1,350 postgraduate research students make up the University of Huddersfield’s dynamic research community. They have students studying part-time and full-time from all over the world, with roughly 43% from abroad and 57% from the United Kingdom.
All of their teaching and learning activities are heavily influenced by research. Their staff stays current with the latest advances in their field by conducting research, which means you obtain knowledge and skills that are current and relevant to your specialty area.
#7. University of Dundee
Many of their employees are forensic specialists. They will assist you in gaining a thorough understanding of the abilities required to search for and recover human remains in a variety of settings, as well as analyze and interpret skeletal remains.
You’ll learn how to prepare forensic archaeology and skeleton reports, as well as how to apply them in the legal system, including how to present evidence in court as an expert witness.
You’ll get the practical skills and information needed by individuals who search for missing people, as well as participate in the retrieval of remains from secret graves.
#8. Liverpool John Moores University
They are a forward-thinking and ambitious school that defies tradition and is a firm believer in the concept of ‘One University’ — a community working together to achieve common student-centered goals through a well-defined plan.
Your courses will provide you with a thorough grasp of these concerns, including excavation, laboratory analysis, and courtroom skills for presenting findings in a trial.
During archaeological excavations at the Poulton Project archaeological site near Chester, you will learn analytical techniques, taphonomic analysis, field methodologies, and genetic applications, as well as having the rare opportunity to excavate and analyze human remains.
You’ll learn in brand-new human osteology laboratories, which have osteology collections as well as specialized digital radiography and 3-dimensional imaging technology like laser scanners and micro scribes for advanced morphometric investigations.
#9. University of Reading
Utilize their superb teaching collections and facilities, which are housed in modern buildings.
Their specialized Archaeology Building, as well as five laboratories with their enormous collection of artifacts, ecofacts, human remains, and animal bones, will be of great use to you.
You’ll also have convenient access to the University’s primary Chemical Analysis Facility as well as their three outstanding on-campus museums.
#10. University of Exeter
At two campuses in Exeter and Cornwall, the University of Exeter combines teaching excellence and high levels of student satisfaction with world-class research.
They are a member of the Russell Group, which consists of the world’s most prestigious research-intensive universities.
Their success is based on a close relationship with their pupils and a clear focus on excellent achievement.
Conclusion
With an osteology degree, you can embark on one or more fascinating and promising career choices. For determining the top 10 colleges where you can receive an osteology degree, the information in the preceding article is critical. Take a close look at it to see whether it can help you.
References
- leverageedu.com – How to Become an Osteologist?
- comparably.com – Osteologist Salary
- bonecareers.blogspot.com – Careers that Involve Bones – Osteologist
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