Human Osteoarchaeology MSc

Throughout the programme, you’ll take part in lectures, seminars and practical work with archaeological skeletal assemblages and reference collections.

Drawing on Edinburgh’s long history in the study of the human body, you will also have the opportunity to visit Surgeons’ Hall Museum and the University's anatomy department, which provide unique collections of pathological and anatomical study remains.

Each year students also have the opportunity to participate in a mock training excavation, where they can develop skills in the recovery and recording of human skeletal remains.

Assessment

You will be assessed through:

• reports
• class tests
• oral and poster presentations
• essays

Courses

You will complete six compulsory courses and select one further option.

The compulsory courses on this programme are:

• Human Musculo-Skeletal Anatomy
• Analytical Methods in Human Osteoarchaeology
• Quantitative Methods and Reasoning in Archaeology
• Skeletal Pathology
• Bioarchaeological Analysis and Interpretation
• Research Sources and Strategies in Bioarchaeology

Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list:

• Practical Zooarchaeology
• Archaeological Illustration
• Social Bioarchaeology: Living Conditions, Lifestyles and the Impact of Disease in the Past
• Biomolecular Archaeology: the Appliance of Science
• The Archaeology of Children and Childhood

Dissertation

You will also submit a dissertation on a research topic of your choosing. Past dissertations have ranged from experimental projects on violence in prehistory, to dietary studies of Chalcolithic Turkey and considerations of disease and impairment in post-medieval England.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

On successful completion of the programme, you will be able to:

• identify and interpret human skeletal remains from archaeological sites
• develop hypothesis-testing skills
• carry out relevant scientific analyses, often in cooperation with experts in other disciplines
• engage in theoretical and methodological discussions relevant to osteoarchaeology
• design research strategies based on transferable skills providing a basis for advanced studies (PhD and beyond)

Examples of career paths available to archaeology graduates (although some may require additional training) include:

• higher education
• heritage management and agencies
• commercial archaeology
• research
• consultancy
• tourism industry
• government agencies and institutions
• broadcasting
• laboratory work

An archaeology degree does not, of course, restrict you to a career in archaeology. The programme also equips you for advanced study.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, a minimum US 3.25 GPA or international equivalent, in a relevant subject such as Archaeology, Anthropology, Anatomy, Medical Sciences and related fields. No previous knowledge of human osteology is required. Depending on the number of eligible applicants, we may need to limit the number of students admitted, based on academic merit.

We will also consider relevant experience, or professional or other qualifications.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Additional programme costs

Additional costs may be incurred if your dissertation involves fieldwork or specialist laboratory analysis.

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• UK students: School of History, Classics & Archaeology Masters Scholarships
• International students: School of History, Classics & Archaeology funding schemes

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK government loan schemes.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your residency status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding