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MSc Professional Human Osteoarchaeology

  • Year of entry
    2023/24 See 2022/23 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  12 months Part Time: 24 months
  • Year of entry
    2023/24 See 2022/23 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  12 months Part Time: 24 months

Our MSc Professional Human Osteoarchaeology course provides advanced instruction on the osteological methods, theories and techniques needed to identify and analyse human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts.  

It highlights training for professional practice in the commercial sector, providing details on report writing, project pitches, health and safety, ethics and the law.

Archaeology at the University of Reading is a thriving and research-orientated department. The University of Reading is ranked 1st in the UK for research quality and research outputs in Archaeology (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021).

You will have the opportunity to learn directly from leading academics in modules that immediately relate to their areas of expertise. Our programme’s teaching staff have established international reputations for research in human osteology and chemical analysis specialising in the study of the life course (infants and children, puberty, old age) and diet.

Modules are designed to provide you with the key skills required for a professional career, following the ‘Osteology Specialist Competence Matrix’ published jointly by the British Association of Biological Anthropologists and Osteoarchaeologists (BABAO) and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA). In addition, academic research and writing skills will enable you to engage with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and Historic England’s Management of Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE).

The Department of Archaeology curates over 800 human skeletons providing an excellent resource for teaching human anatomy, analytical methods, adult and juvenile osteology, and palaeopathology in fully-equipped dedicated laboratories.

This programme has been developed in response to industry need, and in consultation with professional practitioners. You will have the opportunity to engage with professionals through talks and site visits, allowing you to develop vital contacts for your career.

This highly flexible degree is offered both part-time and full-time, and can be used to develop or advance vocational training, or provide a solid foundation for future research. Modules may also be studied on an individual basis as part of your continual professional development (CPD).

 You can also get a feel for the course by checking out a taster session recording, delivered by academics from the Department.

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £12,100

New international students: £25,800

Tuition fee information

The fees listed are for full-time study, unless otherwise stated. Fee information will be confirmed in offer letters sent out to successful applicants. You can find further information, including information for part-time study, through our dedicated fees and funding page.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

 


The demand for trained and skilled archaeologists is set to grow exponentially over the next decade, due to a high number of large scale infrastructure and investment projects planned on a national scale, both in the UK and abroad.

This flexible programme provides the foundation for work within commercial archaeology companies, as curatorial and education staff in the museum sector, or within the University environment. It also prepares you for a PhD in bioarchaeology and related subjects.

As part of your experience, you may be invited to participate in osteology placements, or have the opportunity to produce professional human bone reports on small assemblages, excavated by staff in the department. You may also benefit from opportunities to work abroad on staff projects yielding human remains (e.g. Iran, Spain), and on samples from current research projects (e.g. Grave Goods, Crusades) that require post-excavation analysis, including human bone processing.