BSc (Hons) Anthropology

Core units

• Introduction to Archaeology and Anthropology: The unit will introduce you to these two disciplines. Assuming no prior knowledge, the unit addresses the history and emergence of Archaeology and Anthropology (both social anthropology and biological anthropology) as academic disciplines and provide an overview of the key concepts and themes of archaeology and social anthropology. 

• Responsible Research in Archaeology & Anthropology: This unit aims to provide the core knowledge and skills required for your time at university and your future career. You will develop the critical thinking, independent learning, and transferable skills necessary for undergraduate study and life beyond university. Including how to conduct responsible research and ethics of working with cultural and human data. 

• The Human Past: You will find out about the chronological framework that supports archaeological understanding and interpretation and gain an understanding of the different periods spanning the entire duration of our species. The unit also covers current techniques in dating and what methods are appropriate for use with different archaeological materials.

• Material Worlds: In this unit you will learn the theory and practice of materiality and material studies. You will be introduced to a range of materials, their core methods and techniques of recording, measurement, and analysis, and their importance to the interpretation of peoples and societies.

• Introduction to Social Anthropology: During this unit student-centred activities such as discussions and short presentations will enable you to demonstrate your growing knowledge of the historical emergence and development of anthropology and some of the key theoretical and empirical debates within social anthropology. You will also be able to gain insights into social anthropological perspectives and have the knowledge and confidence to debate contemporary world problems and issues.

• Debates in Archaeology and Anthropology: Archaeology and anthropology are all about understanding the lives of people - in the past and in the present. It allows us to understand the practices and processes that shaped past societies, and enable us to explore the relationships human individuals and communities. Archaeology and Anthropology impact the present; not only do perceptions of our history and our place in the world contribute to our sense of identity today, but understanding how people in the past, and how other present-day cultures around the world, responded and continue to respond to crises and challenges can also inform on how we tackle issues critical to everyone right now. In this unit we will immerse you in some of the key arguments and discussions that are taking place in these disciplines.

Core units

• Principles of Biological Anthropology: This unit introduces you to the range of practical skills available to enable biological anthropologists to understand the basic principles of human physiological adaptation to their natural and cultural environments across both past and contemporary contexts.

• Research Skills: Learn how to become an effective researcher, gaining the critical skills needed to design and carry out your L6 Independent Research Project (IRP).

Option units

• Artefact Studies: Gain practical experience of artefact studies, including an understanding of the planning, management, and documentation of artefacts within a post-excavation process.

• Contemporary Theory in Archaeology and Anthropology: You’ll be introduced to the key themes, debates and philosophical/ontological frameworks and positions that underpin contemporary disciplinary practices and perspectives, building upon the historical perspectives examined in L4 Introduction to Archaeology And Anthropology.

• Environmental Archaeology: Gain an overview of how people in the past interacted with their environment and how they exploited environmental resources. You’ll be introduced to a variety of different types of evidence for example, archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological remains, and will gain an understanding of how archaeologists sample, analyse and interpret environmental samples and assemblages. 

• Working with Cultural Heritage: Explore how the past is used in the present, what we choose to take from the past and carry forward into the future, how places and things develop and project cultural values, and how cultural heritage is used and presented in a range of different contexts.

• Open Curriculum Elective: Study a unit from another course under the open curriculum.

• Becoming Human: What makes us (as humans) unique? Where did our species come from? Starting from the divergence of the human lineage from that of other apes, this unit will demonstrate how a wide variety of different lines of evidence can inform the way in which we became human. You will learn how archaeologists and anthropologists interpret the fossil and archaeological evidence to understand the ways in which our ancestors and related species lived and how this changed over time. A key focus throughout will be on the relationship between the biological and social environments for evolution, and how the interaction between them influenced the evolution not only of our distinctive biological life histories, subsistence and foraging patterns but also our social life and culture, in the form of technology, material culture, language and symbolism.

• ​​Environmental & Societal Challenges: This unit will consider the relationships between humanity and the environment and is relevant to any student wanting to further their knowledge of science policy and application. You will be introduced to some of the big challenges faced by society today that stem from the impact of humanity on the earth system and you will gain a critical awareness of your own role and the role of NGOs.

• Understanding Cultures: You will explore classic and contemporary debates about how culture should be understood, theorised and studied. You will examine how far sociological, anthropological and criminological concepts of culture differ from more commonplace understandings, a discrepancy particularly crystallised in cultures considered controversial or ‘deviant’ from an external perspective (e.g. ‘gang cultures’, ‘cultures of violence’ or cultures defining the body, personhood, life and death in ways that are different from our own). You will learn how culture shapes, and is shaped by, social, historical and economic conditions as well as learning how to evaluate how our understanding of different identities and practices across the world can be enhanced by approaching the study of culture in a theoretically and criticially informed way. 

• Growing up & Growing old: This unit explores sociological and anthropological perspectives and theories of childhood, youth and aging. It examines the variety and change in which the different categories of the life course, as well as how the transition from one stage to the next have been imagined, marked and constructed in different cultures and throughout history. It explores what impact such constructions have on people’s experiences of growing up and growing old. Drawing particularly on ethnographic studies from different parts of the world, the unit will explore the diverse experiences of children, young and old people in relation to, for example, economic or social circumstances including class, education and employmen

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

You may choose to complete an optional 30-week minimum work placement which can be carried out anywhere in the world. The placement year offers a chance to gain experience and make contacts for the future. Alternatively you can complete a short 4 week placement and complete your course in three years.

Core units

• Independent Research Project (A&): The Independent Research Project provides you with an opportunity to gain experience of research in a topic of your choice relevant to your degree and to demonstrate your ability to report that research. Such experience is considered essential for those students interested in pursuing academic and/or professional research at a higher level of responsibility and achievement.

Option units (choose four):

• Between Heaven and Earth: the archaeology of landscapes and skyscapes: Receive an introduction to the sister fields of landscape archaeology and skyscape archaeology (formerly known as archaeoastronomy). Learn about a broad range of theoretical approaches and methodological tools to address research questions around issues such as ontology, dwelling, place, wayfinding and orientation.

• Digital Approaches to Archaeology & Anthropology: Gain an understanding of digital approaches and how they can help archaeologists and anthropologists answer specific research questions. You’ll be introduced to fundamental themes in data analysis including what it is, its advantages and limitations, and how it can help make sense of archaeological and anthropological data.

• Fields of Conflict: Violence and warfare in the human past: Human beings’ propensity to engage in violent hostilities and at times in organized group conflict has long been a subject of debate and continues to generate questions that have yet to be resolved. This unit considers the forms of evidence that might lead us to recognise the existence of violence and conflict in the human past.

• People and Nature in Amazonia: This unit provides an introduction to the archaeology and ecology of the Neotropics, centred on the Amazon basin. It will span multiple periods from the initial peopling of the continent to beyond European colonisation.

• People, Production and Place: During this unit, you will gain an understanding of productive crafts and their role in understanding past societies, with a focus on the importance of craft and industry in our understanding of human societies past and present. 

• Open Curriculum Elective: Choose a unit from another programme under the open curriculum.

• International Interventions and Humanitarianism: This unit will help to familiarize you with critical anthropological and multi-disciplinary debates and insights on international intervention policies and practices in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Seekers, Believers & Iconoclasts - Sociology of Thought: This unit explores the concept of science as a sociological phenomenon contextualised within a cultural and social analysis, as well as a philosophical and historical one. Science is considered as a social organisation dedicated to the production of knowledge that is accepted within a corpus of knowledge as conforming to that governing scientific epistemology. This position is contrasted with bodies of knowledge that lie beyond these rules and governance.

• Animals & Society: This unit aims to provide you with a detailed critical understanding of human interactions with animals in Britain from the Palaeolithic through to the early Post-medieval period. These interactions include the exploitation of animals for meat and other products and how animals were incorporated into burial practices and other rituals.

• Food, Culture & Travel: This unit will enable you to understand the issues surrounding food and its role within particular cultures and tourism destinations. You will analyse the socio-cultural, environmental, health, economic, ethical and political issues impacting upon food in a variety of geographical contexts. Case studies will be used to demonstrate how particular food commodities, social networking and behaviours affect commercial tourism and hospitality as well as social and domestic cultures.

• Primate Behavioural Ecology: This unit will provide you with an understanding of how primate behaviour can be interpreted from an evolutionary viewpoint and how human and non-human primates’ behavioural strategies are adapted to the environment (social and ecological) in which they live. The unit will stimulate discussion and the critical analysis of theories by a combination of lectures, directed reading and discussion sessions which will involve the analysis of scientific articles.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

A placement should be a highly rewarding experience for you and the employing company and we do our best to ensure that everyone involved feels that they have got the most that they can from the experience.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

• Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
• Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
• Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
• Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
• Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider
• Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

You can complete an optional 4 week placement as part of your 3 year full-time course, after completion of your second year of study, or a 30 weeks placement during your third year of study if you are opting for the placement year.

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Co-ordinator.  

Through timetabled sessions and one-to-one appointments, they’ll help support you in your placement search including advice on finding a placement, information and advice on all aspects of job searching and job applications, as well as ensuring your proposed placement meets the requirements of your course.  

Our CareersBU service is also available throughout your time at BU, offering services like CV checking and careers fairs to meet employers.  

Placement Development Advisors will support you once you have started your sandwich placement – so you will be able to maintain contact with the university throughout.

Students on this course will have a lively interest in the application of anthropological sciences. We look for innovative thinkers who are interested in understanding the past and present through practical and scientific investigation.

Applicants will have strong analytical problem-solving and communication skills, both written and oral, as you could be working as an individual or as part of a multi-disciplinary team. We seek students with enquiring minds who are comfortable using science, technology and creative thought to apply in their studies and would encourage applicants who are interested in exploring new ideas and concepts and applying knowledge across related disciplines.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application; there are usually no interviews or selection activities needed. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

If you are unable to meet the entry requirements, we may be able to make you an offer through AccessBU if you meet certain criteria e.g. you have been in care or live in an area where fewer people typically progress to Higher Education. If you don't meet our published tariff, we will accept you at least 8 points below if your personal circumstances match our AccessBU criteria. 

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

These courses have compulsory elements involving working with dangerous substances in laboratory conditions and/or undertaking field trips in less accessible environments.  Students must complete a health and safety risk assessment taking part in these activities, for their safety and that of others.  As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely. 

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible.  You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application.  We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need.  Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans. 

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety.  If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

We have three different anthropology courses at BU, which offer a balanced foundation in the discipline at large. The three anthropology courses differ only in the weighing of the archaeological, biological, or social and cultural perspectives on studying human life and human experience in past and present.

When making your choice, we suggest that you consider the following specialisations:

• BSc (Hons) Anthropology: emphasises historical, biological and environmental perspectives
• BA (Hons) Archaeology & Anthropology: emphasises human history and prehistoric perspectives
• BA (Hons) Sociology & Social Anthropology: emphasises contemporary, social and political perspectives.

Want to study an Anthropology course but not sure which pathway to take? Watch this video to hear what students Nura and Alex have to say about the similarities and differences between their two Anthropology courses and why they chose to study them. 

Our graduates go on to a large variety of roles, using their transferrable skills in positions and areas listed below:

• Archaeologist
• Commercial Heritage, museums, conservation trusts and tourism
• Data management and analysis
• Education, higher education, research and academia
• Historical preservation
• Commercial archaeology excavation and consultancy
• Local government services, charities, social research and policy, health and social work, development,
• Law, law enforcement, forensic science, scene of crime and police forces
• Overseas agencies and international organisations

Whilst many of our graduates are working for organisations such as English Heritage, Border Archaeology, National Trust or other local and national museums, collections and archaeology services, we also prepare our graduates for careers in a variety of other sectors, such as media, TV production, journalism, marketing, financial services, science and laboratory work, as well as chartered surveying and the construction industry.

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our Postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master's degrees.

There are lots of exciting careers you can embark on once you've graduated from BU. Below is a list of what some of our graduates are up to now.

Rachel Holmes

Rachael graduated from BU in 2018. She completed a BSc (Hons) Anthropology. Rachael is now a postgraduate researcher on a CENTA DTP scholarship at the University of Leicester, researching past environments by investigating biological changes in the past (such as the introduction of invasive plant species and the resilience of mangrove communities) with the aim to inform future policy decisions.  

Russel Harris

Russel graduated from BU with an undergraduate degree BSc (Hons) Archaeology in 2002 and stayed at BU to complete a MSc degree in Forensic Archaeology which he graduated from in 2004. Russel then went on to be employed by Lincolnshire Police as a Crime Analyst before specialising as an Financial Investigator.

Sasha Houghton

Is a recent BA (Hons) Archaeology & Anthropology graduate who graduated in 2020. She conducted her dissertation project focussing on Zooarchaeology. Sasha now works for Oxford Archaeology which is one of the biggest Commercial archaeology companies in the UK.

Bernice Jones

Bernice is a former undergraduate obtaining a BSc (Hons) Archaeological and Forensic Sciences degree in 2019 and a recent MSc Bioarchaeology degree in 2020. Her MSc dissertation focused on Zooarchaeology. Bernice now works for Oxford Archaeology which is one of the biggest Commercial archaeology companies in the UK.

Sam Walker

Sam is a former BU Archaeology undergraduate and obtained his MSc Osteoarchaeology degree in 2014. Sam was a student member of one of our Zooarchaeology research projects in Russia. Sam also worked for Bournemouth Archaeology on commercial projects before starting his PhD in Norway (some of which he has spent as a visiting PGR here at BU). He specialises in bird bone remains. 

Lawrence Shaw

Lawrence graduated from BU in 2008 with a BSc (Hons) Archaeology degree. He is currently the lead environment advisor for Forestry England and regularly collaborates with departmental staff on research projects. Lawrence works with our Deputy Head of Department Derek Pitman to present podcasts and videos about archaeology. 

David Cranham

Dave graduated from BU in 2009 with a BA (Hons) Archaeology and Prehistory degree. Dave initially worked for Thames Valley Archaeological Services (TVAS) but went on to use the skills he obtained from his degree to manage and run a successful construction company ‘Pear Tree Solutions Limited’ which creates bespoke renovations. Dave runs the company which involves ultilising a wide range of skills including budgeting, communication and correspondence with clients, staffing, as well as the hands-on construction side of the business.

Lizzie Bryant

Lizzie graduated from BU in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) Heritage Conservation degree after completing an Foundation degree in Applied Architectural Stonework at Weymouth College. Previously, Lizzie had worked in the film industry in production and as script editor and producer. After her undergraduate degree at BU she worked in building conservation and heritage education, then pursued a MA in Creative Writing for Children at Winchester University. Lizzie’s career is now embedded in oral storytelling and writing and much of her work is linked with archaeology, cultural astronomy, history, museums and heritage landscapes (e.g. Avebury, Stonehenge, Cranborne Chase ANOB).

Sadie Watson

Sadie graduated from BU in 1995 and went on to work in field archaeology in the City of London for MOLA, directing large multi-phase excavations. During this time Sadie did a PhD in Applied Archaeology at the University of Lampeter and is currently a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow based at MOLA. Her four-year Fellowship is titled ‘Measuring, Maximising and transforming public benefit from UK Government infrastructure investment in archaeology’. The focus of her project is to ensure that public spending on archaeology leads to relevant research and community participation. 

Gabrielle Delbarre

Gabrielle graduated from BU in 2014 with an MSc in Osteoarchaeology. While completing her MSc she worked part-time at the National History Museum in London as a Curation Assistant and Documentation Officer within the Anthropology Collections in the Earth Sciences Department. She went on to work as a Curator and Collection Manager at Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre and Kingfisher Barn Visitor Centre in Bournemouth. Gabrielle has returned to work at BU in the Archaeology & Anthropology Department as a Demonstrator where she manages the Anthropology and Zooarchaeology laboratories, one of the largest collections of human remains and faunal skeletal material in the South of England.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
• Disability and additional learning support
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team
• Loan of lab coats and safety glasses

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website. 
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas). Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office verification changes. 
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
• SportBU membership.

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

Melie graduated at the University of Bordeaux in France, her PhD (awarded in 2015) concerned social consideration to children through the study of funerary practices in Neolithic France – a project that involved applying GIS techniques to funerary sites to enable a deeper understanding to be gained in relation to burial practices at both site and regional levels.

Fiona is an archaeologist whose work focuses on the multidisciplinary study of the evolution of human social life and cognition. She has a BA (Hons) in Archaeology and Anthropology from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Osteoarchaeology and PhD in Palaeolithic Archaeology from the University of Southampton. Fiona is co-Deputy Director of and Director of Research for the Institute for Modelling Socio-Ecological Transitions (IMSET).

Dr Martin Smith is Associate Professor of Biological Anthropology at Bournemouth University, UK. He has over 20 years experience training Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral students to excavate, analyse and interpret human remains from archaeological and forensic contexts. His research has involved analysis of human remains dating from the dawn of agriculture (c.4000 BC), through to the Bronze Age and Iron Ages and Roman through to the post-medieval period. His research focuses on the ways past peoples treated their dead, created social worlds for the living and engaged in conflict, as well as considerations of ethical treatments of human remains. He has authored over 60 publications including two books People of the Long Barrows: Life, Death and Burial in the Earlier Neolithic and Mortal Wounds: the Human Skeleton as Evidence for Conflict in the Past. He also co-edited The Routledge Handbook of the Bioarchaeology of Human Conflict with Christopher Knüsel (University of Bordeaux). He is a member of APABE (Advisory Panel on Burials in England) and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute. He has assisted various police services and HM Coroner in cases involving modern and ancient human remains since 2005 and is a Member of the Chartered Society for Forensic Sciences.

Melie Le Roy is a specialist in biological anthropology with particular interest in the study of funerary practices related to children.

Melie graduated at the University of Bordeaux in France, her PhD (awarded in 2015) concerned social consideration to children through the study of funerary practices in Neolithic France – a project that involved applying GIS techniques to funerary sites to enable a deeper understanding to be gained in relation to burial practices at both site and regional levels.

She is also a field archaeologist and is currently leading two projects in the South of France, involving the excavation of a cave and a dolmen, both of which date to the Late Neolithic. Her research extends beyond France and she is a member of an international team excavating a Roman necropolis in Egypt.

She joined the Archaeology and Anthropology department in April 2022 as a lecturer in biological anthropology.

As a full-time lecturer, Melie will teach biological anthropology at level 5 and 7 and also supervise undergraduate ad master students in osteoarchaeology, funerary practices and childhood archaeology topics.

Gabrielle Delbarre is an osteoarchaeologist and museum curator with interests in prehistoric populations, mortuary practices, Palaeolithic art, experimental archaeology, museum collections, and heritage interpretation. At Bournemouth University Gabrielle manages the Anthropology and Zooarchaeology labs and one of the largest university collections of human remains and faunal skeletal material in the South of England.

The table below indicates any changes to the course content.

The table below indicates any changes to the course content.

The table below indicates any changes to the course content.