28,July 2024
Are you someone who is interested in digging out the deep dark secrets hidden below the earth that are related to solving a crime mystery? It is truly said that no matter how smart a criminal is, he still leaves a clue behind after committing a crime. Sometimes these clues are found above the earth on land surface while sometimes these clues are found inside the earth i.e. below the upper land surface. So, if you are willing to unveil the hidden mysteries of a crime then becoming a forensic archaeologist is the perfect field for your professional journey.
But now the question arises of how a candidate can become a forensic archaeologist. To help candidates know, the detailed procedure that they need to be follow to enter this field are mentioned over here. In this blog, we have elaborated on complete details of how an aspirant can become a forensic archaeologist.
Who is Forensic Archaeologist?
Forensic archaeologists who are often referred to as forensic anthropologists are experts in the scientific field who use their knowledge to help the police department and crime investigation personnel to solve crime mysteries. Experts in this field help in the identification of deceased or human remains using their medical knowledge. Sometimes, such professionals are accompanied by anthropologists to help them in the excavation task of dead remains.
This is a unique field and hence people who work as forensic archaeologists get rare full-time jobs. While working as an archaeologist, such people are required to work on different profiles in various private and public offices. For example, as an expert, you will be required to work with armed services, medical examiner’s officers, non-governmental organizations, and various other institutes.
How To Become Forensic Archaeologist?
As discussed above the tasks these professionals are required to fulfill are really hectic and require them to fully dedicate themselves to their work. These experts are dedicated to identifying the real identity of the deceased whose dead remains are found after excavation of a land. Since the human body gets infected and degrades faster when buried under the soil, therefore, forensic archaeologist needs to be precise about the findings of a case.
Just like other forensic experts, these professionals are also required to fulfill their basic educational criteria followed by acquiring the necessary certifications in the respective field. To give you better clarity on the same, here we have mentioned a simple step procedure that you can follow to become such a professional.
1. Get a Bachelor’s Degree:
Becoming a forensic archaeologist is not an easy thing because it requires a candidate to give his whole time and effort to get a degree in forensic courses. As an expert, you need to have a deep understanding of the human body, its working mechanism, and how it reacts to the external environment and chemicals when comes in contact. Therefore, to build a strong understanding of the same, it is mandatory that a candidate should first get a bachelor’s degree in forensics, archaeology, biology, chemistry, or an equivalent subject from a recognized university.
Now the question arises of how to get an undergraduate degree in forensic archaeology. So, to get admission to a good college to pursue your graduation, candidates are required to fulfill the below mentioned eligibility conditions.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Students must have passed class 10th and 12th in the science stream from a recognized board with at least 50% aggregate marks.
Students who wish to pursue forensic courses can enroll themselves in below mentioned format:
Options Available To Pursue Degree:
- Full-time Degree: Candidates have the option of pursuing their degree in this field in full-time mode from a reputed institute.
- Part-time Degree: Candidates can also opt to pursue a degree in part-time mode as well. There are several colleges that offer part-time degrees to their students.
- Online Degree: Candidates who are working professionals or those who live far from the colleges can opt for online courses as well.
Bachelor’s Program Available:
- B.Sc. in Forensic Science,
- B.A. in Archaeology.
2. Complete Your Training:
Once you are done with getting your degree in forensic archaeology then the next step that you need to jump onto is getting the necessary training in your respective field. It is because the task such experts are required to do is not restricted to theory instead they need to enter the field and conduct the examination there itself. Therefore to ensure their accuracy in examination of the evidence and analysis of human remains it is important for you to be an expert. And the field experience can be acquired by getting trained in this field under expert guidance. The time period for completing your training can vary from 6 months to 12 months.
3. Get Certification in Respective Specialization:
Getting a degree in the field of forensics or archaeology will not be enough for you to become a successful forensic archaeologist hence you will need to a specialized certificate in this field as well. You can certification from several reputed colleges located in India and abroad. If you get a certificate in this domain then you will be offered a senior-level position in the work organization and will have an upper hand over those without certification. Therefore it is important that before starting your career, you should consider getting certification in archaeology.
4. Get A Master’s Degree:
If you are a graduate then it is sufficient for you to become an archaeologist but if you consider getting a post-graduate degree in the same field then it will turn out to be really beneficial for you. It is because organizations look for candidates who are masters in this discipline and not just a graduate. The cause behind this thing is organizations have the concept of judging people on the basis of their degrees.
When you are a postgraduate in forensic archaeology then it will fetch you a higher package as compared to those who are undergraduates. In order to get a master’s degree in forensic archaeology, candidates are required to follow the below mentioned eligibility conditions of the colleges offering such degrees.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Students must have passed class 10th and 12th in the science or equivalent stream with at least 50% marks from a recognized board.
- Candidates need to pass a bachelor’s degree in the concerned field from a recognized university with at least 50% marks.
Master’s Program Available:
- M.A. in Archaeology,
- M.Sc. (Archaeology),
- M.Phil in Forensic Archaeology,
- PhD (Archaeology).
Primary Duties of Forensic Archaeologist:
Forensic anthropologists or archaeologists are required to perform a wide range of tasks and collaborate with professionals in the same field. Here we have mentioned some of the primary duties that need to be done by such professionals:
1. Conduct Research:
One of the primary tasks of these professionals is to perform research in order to contribute to the advancement of technology in this field. These professionals are always focused on staying updated with the new technologies entering the market that prove to be beneficial for solving a case and researching new ways that can be fruitful for their investigation. For doing so they often collaborate with their fellow members and other police department personnel.
2. Analyzing Dead Remains:
During a crime investigation when law enforcement agencies come in contact with such discoveries that can’t be explained by them they reach out to forensic archaeologists. With the help of such professionals, crime investigators take their help to reveal the identity of those unidentified human remains that are found from below the earth. Criminals in order to erase the evidence of their crime try to either destroy or hide the body of the deceased.
To do so, archaeologists use several techniques including DNA analysis, X-rays, CT scans, and microscopic analyses to determine the age, race, sex, time, and cause of death of the deceased.
3. Preparing Reports:
These professionals are required to examine and analyze the body of the deceased and thus prepare a report consisting of relevant information and share the details with fellow examiners and law enforcement agencies. Some experts write scientific papers for various publications in journals citing new analysis techniques that can be used for the examination. There are others who note down each minor detail about the remains and convey the same to the investigators thus helping in solving crimes.
Skills for Forensic Archaeologists:
These professionals perform a range of duties and hence they need to acquire a set of skills as well. Here we have mentioned some of the most important skills that a candidate needs to hold for a successful career.
1. Technical Skills:
These experts need to have strong technical skills for analyzing and examining a crime. It is because to investigate the case with utmost accuracy a candidate must have knowledge of scientific techniques and a deep understanding of operating equipment. They are required to operate technical equipment like X-ray machines, microscopes, CT scanners, etc.
2. Research Skills:
As discussed above forensic archaeologists need to have strong research skills that allow them to study the dead remains and thus make accurate conclusions to a case. It is because of these skills that such professionals are able to conduct in-depth research and get the best results from the examination of the remains.
3. Analytical Skills:
Candidates in this field require strong analytical skills that allow them to get the best solutions for the case. These professionals use such skills to assess the possible solutions for the crime investigation.
4. Attentive:
It is important for an archaeologist to be attentive to the case details because it helps them to get accurate information about the remains. They are required to pay attention to each detail including the cause of death, time of death, etc.
It is true that every second case does not require forensic archaeologists but their expertise is of most help in cases that lack enough evidence for solving crime cases. Apart from being an archaeologist these people also work as professors, and professional archaeologists, and are also seen working for museums. Students of archaeology should not get confused because of what is being shown in TV shows instead they should understand that their role comes into the picture from time to time.
These professionals are called for investigation of missing people and identify the dead based on the remains found by the investigating officers from the construction sites, or from below the ground. Apart from this they also visit the courts to testify the facts related to the case.
References:
- https://bestaccreditedcolleges.org /articles/become-a-forensic-archaeologist -education-and-career-roadmap.html#:~: text=Career%20Requirements,-Degree%20Level &text=A%20master's%20degree% 20may%20be,to%204%2Dyears%2Dexperience.
- https://forensicarchaeology .weebly.com/careers.html
- https://ca.indeed.com/career -advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become -a-forensic-anthropologist
- https://fac.utk.edu/what-training -do-forensic-anthropologists-need/