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
- 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:
ARCH6042 Scientific Dating in Archaeology and Palaeoenvironmental Studies (6 units)
ARCH8037 Masterclass in Archaeological and Evolutionary Science (6 units)
ARCH8044 Stable Isotopes in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology (6 units)
BIAN6119 Nutrition, Disease and the Environment (6 units)
BIAN6124 Evolution and Human Behaviour (6 units)
BIAN8003 Topics in Primatology/Palaeoanthropology (6 units)
BIOL6109 Ecological and Evolutionary Developmental Biology (6 units)
BIOL6114 Evolution (6 units)
BIOL6206 Evolution of Biodiversity (6 units)
ENVS6529 Palaeo-Environmental Reconstruction (6 units)
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