Venues

Foresterhill Campus

Content

This programme combines the study of ancient biomolecules in archaeology with advanced genetic, biomedical and evolutionary research to offer important insights and perspectives on key topics fundamental to human society, such as our evolutionary origins, our rich biological and cultural diversity, ancient health and disease, life history patterns, and past responses to environmental and climate change. It also offers insights to similar questions but for other, non-human organisms such as wild and domestic plants and animals.

Biomolecular Archaeology therefore provides a set of analytical tools important not only for archaeologists, but also for biologists, ecologists, environmental scientists, and biomedical professionals, all of whom benefit greatly from gaining direct insights to past biological diversity.

The principal aim of the MSc in Biomolecular Archaeology is to equip students from a range of different backgrounds with the theoretical and practical skills required for analysing the most commonly preserved ancient biomolecules, with specific emphasis on palaeogenetics, genome sequencing and bioinformatics.

Entry Requirements

2:1 (upper second class) UK Honours degree, or an Honours degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth in archaeology (or a related discipline such as anthropology, earth sciences, or history), biological or medical sciences.

2:2 in archaeology or a related discipline as above, with relevant professional experience.