Â鶹¹ú²ú

This program - not offered at any other Australian University – equips you with the theory and skills required to undertake a scientific study of the past and present of humanity using Archaeology and/or Biological Anthropology perspectives. Students can tailor the program to their own training objectives, through hands-on experience with a variety of world-leading supervising specialists, materials, and fieldwork and laboratory resources. The Archaeological Science stream offers professionally-oriented training and the opportunity to focus on tailored independent research projects. By taking Biological Anthropology courses you will study humans and non-human primates as varied and dynamically changing biological organisms. You will explore primate evolution, ecology, behaviour and conservation; human evolution and behaviour; palaeopathology, bioarchaeology, and forensic archaeology/anthropology.

Learning Outcomes

• Clearly understand evolutionary processes as they relate to biological anthropology, and/or understand the theories, methods and practice of archaeological science;
• Apply scientific method in archaeological science and/or to paleontological and bioarchaeological specimens, morphological materials and/or primate behaviour and ecology;
• Understand how scientific techniques can be applied to archaeological and/or biological anthropological problems in the field, laboratory and written form;
• Critically analyse data and literature within the discipline of archaeological science or biological anthropology to reach independent conclusions; and
• Effectively communicate to others their knowledge of humankind’s place in nature and/or our past.

Specialisation: Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology
This is a Biological Anthropology specialisation which focuses on the study of skeletal biology in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology/ archaeology. Students will gain skills, knowledge, and training in: reconstructing ancient human lifeways, behaviour, health, and disease using human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts; and identifying recent human remains and estimating time-since and manner of death. This specialisation focuses heavily on skeletal anatomy, structure, variation, and metabolic processes involved in skeletal growth and function in humans and animal models. Students are offered a broad grounding in theory and techniques needed to pursue original research and/ or gain relevant professional skills in areas of bioarchaeology and/or forensic anthropology/archaeology.