MSc Bioarchaeology

Core units:
 

• Principles & Methods in Human Osteology: This unit will introduce you to human osteology and the principles of analysis and interpretation involved in the study of skeletal remains of modern humans from archaeological and forensic contexts, focusing on the anatomy of hard tissues and related soft tissue structures and the principles and application of biological profiling from the skeleton. Specific characteristics covered include age at death, biological sex, stature, metric and non-metric variation. You’ll also gain an understanding of the differences between human and non-human animal bone.

• Principles & Methods in Zooarchaeology: This unit provides a solid foundation in the principles and practice for identification of skeletal remains of mammals and birds and the recording and analytical methods currently employed in the study of animal bones from archaeological sites. You’ll also develop your knowledge of the principles and scope of zooarchaeological studies and an appreciation of how zooarchaeological data inform our understanding of past human societies and how animal bone studies are integrated with other aspects of archaeology. 

• Archaeology of Human Remains: On this unit you’ll develop a contextualised understanding of human remains through a combined appreciation of the osteological and archaeological evidence, and natural science applications. Study themes include demography, diet, health and disease, activity, mobility, genetics and mortuary behaviour, complemented by fundamental considerations of taphonomy and degradation.  

• Research Project: You’ll explore in detail core aspects of your subject area while developing methodological, research and presentation skills. You may develop a research paper suitable for publication in an externally recognised journal, or a dissertation.

Specialist unit - Anthropology pathway

Primate & Human Evolution: This unit will focus on the global record of primate evolution from the earliest beginnings of the fossil record starting 65 million years ago considering theories around primate and human evolution in light of behavioural, climatic and ecological changes. You’ll investigate many lines of evidence including fossils, geochronology, palaeoenvironmental change and ancient DNA, as well as a diverse range of modern primatology studies and their relevance for understanding human evolution. 

Specialist unit - Osteoarchaeology pathway

Applications of Zooarchaeological Science: On this unit you’ll develop advanced faunal identification skills and a firm foundation in the identification and interpretation of skeletal remains from a diverse range of taxa, including: large mammals; small mammals; amphibians and reptiles; birds; and fish. You’ll also explore case studies to promote your understanding of the potential applications of zooarchaeological science in order to investigate past human societies.

General entry requirements:

The normal requirements for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:
 

• A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:1 in a required subject.

• Required subjects include: Archaeology, History, Biological Sciences, Biological Anthropology or Anthropology

International entry requirements

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:
 

• China:  学士学位 (Bachelor degree) with a minimum of 70% overall

• India: Bachelor’s degree (4 years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 65% 

• Nigeria:  Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:1

• Thailand:  Thai Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0

• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.7/4.0

• Vietnam:  Bachelor's degree/Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with an average score of 75/10, or a Master’s degree/Thac si.

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:
 

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

Annual tuition fees:
 

• £7,500 (UK, ROI & CI)

• £14,500 (Int'l)

Forensic archaeology is an expanding international field. Upon completion of the course you will join other BU graduates who are acknowledged as some of the most experienced forensic archaeologists in the field.

This will open up a wide range of career prospects for you, and you could end up work anywhere in the world examining crime scenes, mass graves & disasters and educating other researchers in new forensic science approaches.