Program Overview

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MSc Bioarchaeology: Forensic Anthropology

Overview

Our Forensic Anthropology course combines skills sets of biological anthropologists, archaeologists, pathologists and forensic scientists to facilitate recovery, identification and analysis of human remains to assist with problems and questions of legal significance.

To aid your studies, we have a laboratory dedicated to the study of anatomical variation and palaeopathological conditions in human and animal bones.

This fast-advancing field combines archaeology with branches of natural sciences.

Entry Requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree or above in their first degree in forensic science, archaeology, history, ancient history, anthropology, biology, geography, geology, chemistry, heritage, or similar.

While we normally only consider applicants who meet these criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.

For applicants from different academic backgrounds or with relevant work experience, please use your Personal Statement to provide additional information. This might include:

• Why you want to study this course at the University of Exeter and what personal qualities make you suitable for postgraduate study.
• Relevant background (work/degree experience).
• Lecturers/modules you are particularly interested in and why.
• Career/future ambitions and how the course will help you achieve them.

Entry Requirements for International Students

Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.

English Language Requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course Content

The programme is divided into units of study called modules which are assigned 'credits'. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.

Compulsory Modules

• ARCM012: Skeletal Anatomy (15 credits)
• HASM026: Research Skills in Archaeology and History (15 credits)
• ARCM405: Advanced Human Osteology (15 credits)
• ARCM600: Bioarchaeology Dissertation (60 credits)
• ARCM602: Forensic Anthropology: Principles and Practice (15 credits)

Optional Modules

• ARCM005: Professional Skills in Archaeology (15 credits)
• ARCM007: Advanced Project (15 credits)
• ARCM107: Digital Pasts (15 credits)
• ARCM108: Experimental Archaeology: Research and Public Engagement (15 credits)
• ARCM120: Themes in Archaeological Theory and Practice (15 credits)
• ARCM130: Discovering the Past with Molecular Science (15 credits)
• ARCM300: Material Culture (15 credits)
• ARCM403: Advanced Zooarchaeology (15 credits)
• ARCM407: Zooarchaeology (15 credits)
• ARCM412: Funerary Osteoarchaeology (15 credits)
• ARCM415: The Archaeology of Humans and Other Animals (15 credits)
• ARCM014: Professional Skills Portfolio in Archaeology (30 credits)
• ARCM013: Advanced Project Portfolio in Archaeology (30 credits)
• ARCM112: Field Study: The Archaeology of Landscape (15 credits)
• ARCM015Z: Researching Heritage Online (15 credits)

Fees

2025/26 Entry

• UK fees per year: £12,500 full-time; £6,250 part-time
• International fees per year: £25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships. For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship

We are pleased to offer University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone taught Masters degree (e.g., MA, MSc, MRes, MFA, LLM, PGCert, PGDip) or research degree (e.g., MPhil, PhD) with us a scholarship towards the cost of their tuition fees. These scholarships are worth 20% of the first year tuition fee for students enrolling on a postgraduate taught or research programme of study in 2025/26. Full details can be found here.

Teaching and Research

Learning and Teaching

We seek to educate students in stimulating ways so as to develop intellectual skills for life and employment in the contemporary world, and provide a sound appreciation of archaeology.

Classes

Most of the formal classes that you attend will be based on a mixture of lectures, seminars, and workshops. The precise mix will vary between modules. These aim to outline the principal issues of the module, to explore some detailed issues, and, where relevant, to give you experience of working with a particular technique or data set.

Engagement

All members of staff are actively engaged in research, both in Britain and abroad, and regularly attend conferences, symposia and workshops. It is through this active engagement in the discipline that we are able to supply top quality teaching by experts in their field and as a result we have a 24/24 grading for our teaching from the Quality Assurance Agency.

Labs

In addition to our established palaeobotany, experimental archaeology, and microscopy laboratories, we have a new bioarchaeology lab dedicated to the study of anatomical variation, palaeopathological conditions, and the funerary context of human and animal remains. The laboratory, accompanied by a designated store for the Department's collection of human remains, provides facilities for use by researchers and students for examining skeletal remains recovered from archaeological sites. Equipment includes anatomical casts and demographic reference standards used to determine the sex, age-at-death, stature and body proportions from human remains.

Assessment

The assessment for the MSc Bioarchaeology is through a combination of class tests, essays, other written reports and projects, oral or electronic presentations, visual presentations, and a dissertation. The dissertation of up to 15,000 words is an original piece of research on a topic of your choice, subject to the approval of your supervisor.

Research Areas

Bioarchaeological research at Exeter combines the study of archaeology with branches of the natural and physical sciences to address questions of health and well-being, diet, ecology, subsistence strategies and natural and human-induced environmental impacts in the past.

Bioarchaeology

Our approach is holistic and inter-disciplinary, drawing its inspiration from both definitions of ‘bioarchaeology’: as a study applied to human remains (human osteoarchaeology) and, as originally defined by Grahame Clark, as related to the integration of environmental archaeology, floral and faunal evidence – archaeobotany and zooarchaeology – in archaeological research.

Field Research

Active field research programmes in North and South America and Eurasia link with extensive laboratory research to address questions of social structure and social organisation, the process of animal and plant domestication, the development of social inequality and power relations, violence and warfare, the rise of élites and craft specialists, and division of labour.

Facilities

As a member of the Archaeology Department and key part of our Postgraduate community you will have full access to our exceptional, modern facilities.

We have dedicated Experimental Archaeology laboratories and workshop spaces.

We have a clean lab with fume cupboards for chemical work.

We have a kiln room, a landscape archaeology project office with a giant scanner for maps and plans, and a microscope room equipped with high specification microscopes and image processing facilities.

We have wet labs for sample processing and we have state of the art surveying equipment which includes resistivity equipment, magnetometers, differential and hand-held GPS, and a total station theodolite.

SHArD 3D Laboratory

The University of Exeter's Science, Heritage and Archaeology Digital 3D (SHArD 3D) Laboratory, is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to digitally replicating and preserving biological and cultural artefacts. Funded by nearly £893,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), SHArD 3D employs advanced scanning and microscopy techniques to create detailed 3D models, enhancing the study of archaeological finds and bio-cultural heritage.

This cutting-edge laboratory offers students unparalleled opportunities to engage with the latest digital preservation technologies, including portable 3D scanning equipment for fieldwork and a microCT scanner for non-destructive imaging of artefacts. Collaborations with institutions like Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum will further enrich the learning experience, providing practical skills in digital archiving and analysis.

By studying Archaeology at the University of Exeter, students will be at the forefront of innovative research methods, preparing them for dynamic careers in heritage preservation and forensic analysis.

Careers

Many of our Archaeology students go on to study at PhD level, and the MSc in Bioarchaeology serves as excellent preparation. Your tutors and the Archaeology academic staff will help you put together applications for funding and develop a research proposal if you should choose to take this path.

Of course, doctoral study is not the only option available to you, you will graduate with a full range of skills that will make you competitive in the job market. You will be encouraged to become a productive, useful and questioning member of society. You will be well placed to go onto work in either commercial archaeology or the wider heritage sector.

Recent Careers

Some of our recent graduates have gone on to work directly in Archaeology or the wider Heritage Sector, with careers such as:

• Archaeological Assistant
• Detective
• Experimental Archaeologist
• Field Archaeologist
• Laboratory Scientist
• Museum Curator
• Police Officer
• Scenes of Crime Officer
• Time Team Archaeologist/Community Archaeologist

Employment Support

While studying at Exeter you can also access a range of activities, advice and practical help to give you the best chance of following your chosen career path. For more information visit our Careers pages.