Program Overview

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About this course

Learn how to uncover the secrets of past lives through the study of human and animal skeletons. With this specialist master’s in bioarchaeology, you’ll gain expertise in human anatomy, with unlimited access to our large skeletal collection. You’ll also develop skills in faunal analysis; we have one of the largest reference collections of mammals, birds and fish in the UK.

We're ranked 6th in the UK for archaeology (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023).

Your specialist bioarcheology learning will cover:

• analysing human bones to understand age, sex, diet, health and migration
• identifying mammals, birds and fish through skeletal remains
• understanding fossilisation and bone modification
• interpreting archaeology from collections of remains

Beyond your specialist modules you can personalise this MSc bioarchaeology degree to your areas of interest through a range of optional modules.

This archaeological science master's is a very practical degree, but you don’t need prior knowledge of biology or anatomy. You’ll spend a lot of time in our dedicated archaeology laboratories and you’ll have access to specialist isotope labs and a scanning, imaging and micro-CT suite.

You’ll work closely with experts in our Centre for Learning Anatomical Sciences and benefit from opportunities to apply your learning in real-world settings.

There's an opportunity to apply your learning on a 4-week placement, where you’ll gain valuable real-world experience of the archaeology sector and heritage industry. Previous placements have included Historic England, Wessex Archaeology and The Nautical Archaeology Society.

We bring expertise together from across the University, including Medicine, Humanities, the National Oceanography Centre, Engineering and Winchester School of Art, to enable you to gain both scientific skills and cultural understanding.

This bioarchaeology master's offers a balance between vocational and research skills. During your dissertation you’ll be able to embed with one of our research groups to do original research on a topic that you choose. There is the possibility that this work will be published.

Southampton is close to the World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury and we have research projects engaged with both sites, as well as a range of other archaeological projects across the Globe.

Flexible study

If you prefer, you can apply to study this course as:

• a part-time master's - study the same course content over 2 or more years

Your modules and fees may vary if you choose a different study option.

We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.

Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).

Course lead

Dr Jacobo Weinstock is an Associate Professor of Archaeology at the University of Southampton. He has experience in the analysis of faunal remains dating to different periods and geographical areas, from the Pleistocene and up to Early Modern times. Including a zoological study from Troy (in today’s western Turkey) and Carthage (Tunisia).

He has a BA in Archaeology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MA in Environmental Archaeology and Palaeoeconomy at the University of Sheffield. Before joining Archaeology at Southampton, he spent time as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Ancient Biomolecules Centre (Oxford University), and the Centre for GeoGenetics (Copenhagen).

For more information view Dr Jacobo Weinstock's staff profile

Related pathways

If you’d prefer a less specialised archaeology master’s degree, or you’d like to focus on a different specialism, you can choose from our 3 other Archaeology MSc pathways. When you join us you’ll have 2 weeks in which you can change pathway if you wish.

Archaeology - Personalise your study of archaeology and build real-world skills through a heritage or archaeological placement with this QS top 30 Archaeology Master’s.

Archaeology Higher Archaeological Practice - Discover our archaeological practice master's degree at the University of Southampton. Learn how to get a job in archaeology and commercial archaeology.

Archaeology Palaeoanthropology - Discover our Palaeoanthropology master's degree at the University of Southampton. Learn to analyse stone tools and hominin skulls to understand our evolution.

Learn more about this subject area

Archaeology

Develop the skills to explore our human past, so we can understand how we live today. The courses we offer cover areas from maritime archaeology to bioarchaeology, paleoanthropology and heritage management.

Alexandra Barroso

MSc Archaeology Bioarchaeology

I was given the opportunity to excavate with the British Museum on an incredible palaeolithic research project as the result of the networking that I undertook at Southampton

Amber Wood

MSc Archaeology Bioarchaeology

I had the opportunity through Uniworkforce to participate in an internship for the English Merchant Shipping, Trade, and Maritime Communities project. For this I learned about relational databases and wrote an article about particularly interesting ships from the East India Company.

Entry requirements

You'll need a 2:1 degree in a subject which includes assessed written academic work.

Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

IELTS score requirements

• overall score: 6.5
• reading: 6.0
• writing: 6.0
• speaking: 6.0
• listening: 6.0

If you do not meet the English language requirements through a test or qualification, you may be able to meet them by completing one of our pre-sessional English programmes before your course starts.

If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Pre-masters

If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with OnCampus. Learn more about the programmes available.

Recognition of professional experience

If you’ve been away from formal study for some time we’ll assess your relevant professional experience, your subject knowledge and your aptitude for learning.

Your application will be considered on individual merit and you may be asked to attend an interview.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email:
Tel:+44(0)

Course structure

Your studies will run for a full year, from September to the following September.

If you’d like to take longer to complete this master’s you can study part-time over 2 to 5 years.

If you decide that you’d like to change to a different archaeology specialism within the first 2 weeks of term you’ll be able to change your degree.

Throughout your studies we’ll encourage you to engage with the wider research community through attending and presenting at seminars, workshops or conferences. In the summer you’ll focus on your personal research project, which you’ll complete with guidance from a personal supervisor.

What you'll study

This degree gives you ultimate flexibility; you can choose modules from the full range of available archaeology modules. You can also:

• include up to 30 credits from final-year undergraduate archaeology modules
• gain credit through practical placements with other organisations such as museums and heritage sites
• choose to study a module from another University department, subject to the approval of the course leader

Each module requires at least 150 hours of study time. As a full-time student you’re likely to be on campus up to 4 days a week.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Modules

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.

We don't have module information for this course yet. Please check again later.

Learning and assessment

Learning

This course involves a lot of practical lab work as well as seminars and lectures. Learning highlights include:

• summative bone fragment testing
• skeletal identification and methodology
• writing publication standard zooarchaeological reports
• using zooarchaeological data
• osteological analysis of human skeletons

Assessment

You'll be assessed through:

• essays and portfolios
• group presentations
• written exams and reports
• digital projects
• mapping packages
• field, laboratory, and practical tests

Dissertation

Your dissertation is a personal research project which has a 20,000-word limit and takes about 600 hours to complete. You must take the dissertation module to complete this course unless otherwise agreed with the course coordinator.

Your learning and assessment will depend on the modules you take. Explore course modules for full details.

Academic Support

Your contact hours will vary depending on your module/option choices. Full information about contact hours is provided in individual module profiles.

Careers and employability

The employability and enterprise skills you'll gain from this course are reflected in the Southampton skills model. When you join us you'll be able to use our skills model to track, plan, and benefit your career development and progress.

Download skills overview

Work experience opportunities

Choosing to do work experience is a great way to enhance your employability, build valuable networks, and evidence your potential. Learn about the different work and industry experience options at Southampton.

Read more

Careers services and support

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV and interview skills and workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.

Your career ideas and graduate job opportunities may change while you're at university. So it is important to take time to regularly reflect on your goals, speak to people in industry and seek advice and up-to-date information from Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise professionals at the University.

More about careers support

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

• UK students pay £9,250.
• EU and international students pay £25,400.

Check fees for other versions of this course.

Deposit

If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.

Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.

Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.

What your fees pay for

Your fees also cover:

• the majority of the cost of fieldwork trips
• up to £350 transport costs for placements

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Explore:

• accommodation costs
• living costs
• budgeting advice
• fees, charges and expenses regulations

10% alumni discount

If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton, you could be eligible for a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.

Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)

This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.

Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship

40 scholarships of £10,000 each are available to international students studying for an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate master’s degree in Arts and Humanities.

Find out more about the Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship, including eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.

Other postgraduate funding options

A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

How to apply

1. Use the blue 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our postgraduate admissions system.
2. Create an account which gives you access to your own application portal. .
3. Search for the course you want to apply for.
4. Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
5. Pay the £50 application assessment fee, (there are some exemptions, check terms and conditions).
6. Submit your application.

For further details of our admission process, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications.

Application deadlines

UK students

The deadline to apply for this course is Tuesday 9 September 2025, midday UK time.

We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.

International students

The deadline to apply for this course is Tuesday 26 August 2025, midday UK time.

We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.

You’ll need to include information about:

• your knowledge of the subject area
• why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
• how you intend to use your qualification

You'll also need to submit two academic references.

Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.

You may also be asked to provide:

• a degree transcript
• evidence of professional qualifications

What happens after you apply

You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.

We will aim to send you a decision 6 weeks after you have submitted your application.

If we offer you a place, you will need to accept the offer within 30 working days. If you do not meet this deadline, we will offer your place to another applicant.

Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email:
Tel:+44(0)

Related courses

Archaeology Bioarchaeology (MSc) is a course in the Archaeology subject area. Here are some other courses within this subject area:

• MSc Archaeology
• MSc Archaeology Palaeoanthropology
• MSc Business and Heritage Management
• MA Cultural Heritage Studies
• MA Cultural Heritage Studies (Heritage and Museums)
• MA Cultural Heritage Studies (Heritage and Public History)
• MA Cultural Heritage Studies (Heritage and the Arts)
• MSc Higher Archaeological Practice
• MSc Maritime Archaeology