This is a Biological Anthropology specialisation which focuses on the study of the fossil record over the past 7-8 million years in the context of palaeoanthropology and primate/human evolutionary biology. Students will gain skills, knowledge and training in understanding the behaviour of our extinct hominin relatives through examining skeletal and dental morphology of extinct hominins and extant primates based on fossil evidence. This specialisation also focuses on studying the context in which hominins and non-human primates evolved. Students are offered a broad grounding in the theory and techniques needed to pursue original research and/or gain relevant professional skills in areas of palaeoanthropology, primate evolutionary biology and human evolution.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- understand the origins of, and the fossil evidence for, our extinct hominin ancestors over the last 7-8 million years;
- understand the theories, methods and practice of palaeoanthropology;
- develop a critical perspective about the limitations of the fossil record in reconstructing behaviour; and
- undertake a research project in palaeoanthropology.
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This specialisation requires the completion of 24 units from the following list:
6 units from completion of BIAN6013 Human Evolution
18 units from the following courses
ARCH8037 Masterclass in Archaeological and Evolutionary Science
BIAN6119 Nutrition, Disease and the Environment
BIAN6120 Culture, Biology & Population Dynamics
BIAN6124 Evolution and Human Behaviour
BIAN6510 Scientific Dating in Archaeology and Palaeoenvironmental Studies
BIAN6513 Primate Evolutionary Biology
BIAN8003 Topics in Primatology/Palaeoanthropology
BIAN8009 Stable Isotopes in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology
BIAN8011 Topics in hominid palaeobiology
BIOL6109 Ecological and Evolutionary Developmental Biology
BIOL6114 Evolution
BIOL6206 Evolution of Biodiversity
ENVS6529 Palaeo-Environmental Reconstruction
