Master of Science in Archaeology Palaeoanthropology

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

On this joint BA honours course you’ll explore the major events and ideas that have shaped the world around us. You’ll consider some of the biggest questions of Western philosophy: Is there a god? What is morality? In History you'll learn to develop your own interpretations of disputed narratives. You'll get to study both philosophy and history abroad during a placement year.

You’ll learn in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. You'll benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

Compulsory modules will give you a strong grounding in both subjects. Optional module choices will give you the freedom to pursue your own interests in topics as varied as metaphysics, Reagan’s America, and witchcraft in 17th century England.

You can broaden your knowledge by taking modules from other disciplines. These include topics such as social enterprise, risk management, and living and working on the web. You can also study a language.

You'll improve your employability and learning experience further by spending your third year studying abroad at one of our partner institutions.

In your degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Learn about different approaches to history and gain access to a wonderful collection of primary evidence
• Explore how political motives and other forms of bias shape the way we think about the past
• Study areas of history rarely taught in most other UK universities, for example:  East and Central European history, South East Asian history and Jewish history

Gain in-depth knowledge and develop your research interests on this MA philosophy degree. Whether you’re planning to take your research to a higher level, or want to build on your undergraduate studies, this UK course will meet your needs. You’ll study the central issues in philosophy, and follow your own interests through a range of optional modules.

Philosophy at the University of Southampton is renowned for its research excellence in areas such as aesthetics, normativity and the history of philosophy. 

On this Philosophy MA you’ll gain a thorough training in research skills as you study key works of the discipline. 

Compulsory topics cover ideas such as such as mind, knowledge and reality, and the philosophy of value. 

You’ll also have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of options covering particular areas and philosophers, from Wittgenstein to classical Indian philosophy. 

During your studies you’ll learn how to research, analyse, and present key transferable skills that will be invaluable to your future career.

Discover how human civilisations evolved, and why people and societies have changed over time. Through the latest techniques and technologies, you'll investigate how our ancestors lived, from the earliest human origins, to Neolithic Britain and Ancient Egypt. On BSc Archaeology you could look into climate change at the end of the last ice age or what the chemical composition of human bones can tell us about diet during the medieval period.

Archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains, such as:

• Buildings
• Monuments
• Artefacts
• Biological remains
• Written sources
• Landscape

Whether in the laboratory or on a dig, you'll develop transferable skills by exploring questions about people in the past and in the present.

On this archaeology BSc, you'll focus on scientific methods and techniques, with options including:

• Studying human and animal bones     
• Physics and chemistry of archaeological material
• Laboratory techniques for dating
• Maritime archaeology

You'll learn through research-led projects and practical field experience. You'll do a minimum of 3 weeks’ fieldwork as part of an active research project. This could include:

• Excavating archaeological sites
• Recording a standing building
• Conducting geophysical surveys
• Collecting archaeological material from ploughed fields

We have a purpose-built archaeology building, equipped with the latest science-based laboratories. Here, you'll gain hands-on experience with archaeological artefacts and materials, and receive the practical training needed for a career in archaeology.

We’re also offering up to 10 bursaries of £1000 each to incoming students (subject to criteria). These are from the Terry Mason Bursary and the University of Southampton Archaeology Bursary Fund.

What is freedom? What makes a state legitimate? You’ll explore questions that have challenged philosophers and political theorists throughout history on this BA Philosophy and Politics degree. Compulsory modules give a grounding in both subjects, while optional modules include topics like international relations, 21st century crises and Ancient Greek philosophy.

This degree will give you an excellent education in philosophy and politics. In your degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Explore fundamental and far-reaching issues about human welfare and social justice, political ideals and political realities
• Take core modules on democracy and the modern state
• Learn about subfields of political theory, comparative politics and international relations
• Conduct research and write your dissertation in one or both subjects

You’ll learn in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. Our academic staff's research feeds into the course content.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules.

Develop the knowledge and skills you’ll need to become an entrepreneur in the global music industry on our MA International Music Management master's degree. On this UK course you'll learn about all aspects of the music business, from live performance and streaming to advertising and video games. Industry professionals will help you discover the careers you can go into. We were number 1 for music research in the most recent UK Research Excellence Framework (REF).

This International Music Management master’s course will prepare you for a management career in the global music business.  

You’ll develop critical understanding of the legal, economic, social and cultural frameworks that support the music industry.

And you'll gain key business skills through exposure to local music venues such as Turner Sims, touring musicians, and masterclasses with industry partners like Sony, Universal, Google and YouTube.  

On this practical programme, you'll also learn about:

• How the music publishing industry makes its money
• Copyright and licensing
• Music event planning
• Adding music to a video game or tv show  
• The costs involved in making an album
• How music festivals and opera companies work

You'll learn from expert academics with plenty of music industry experience and connections. They'll teach you to the practical skills you need to work in a wide range of music management roles.

Learn 2 major international languages and study abroad for a year to get complete proficiency with our French and Portuguese degree. You’ll complement your language learning with modules covering the history, society, culture and linguistics for French and Portuguese-speaking countries.

You’ll start at a level that matches your ability in spoken and written French and Portuguese, which will help you to progress quickly. You’ll also have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

You can study Portuguese in accelerated mode, letting you reach graduate level competence over 4 years.

A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad in year 3. You can spend the year in countries such as:

• France
• Germany
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

We have partner universities in the Erasmus exchange programme across France, Germany and Switzerland.

You’ll also have the opportunity to prepare a final year dissertation with guidance from a supervisor.

Become fluent in a major international language, deepen your understanding of Linguistics and spend a year in a French-speaking country. You can complement your language learning with modules on History, Contemporary Society, Literature and Film.

What you learn on this French and Linguistics degree will prepare you for work across the world. French is native to France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and the French Caribbean, and it’s an official language in much of Africa and Asia.

You’ll start at a level that matches your ability in spoken and written French, which helps ensure rapid progress. You’ll also have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

A module in year 2 prepares you for the following year abroad. You can spend the year in countries such as:

• France
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

We have partner universities in the Erasmus exchange programme across France and Switzerland.

Develop your passion for reading and your talent for languages. Discover new ways to think about literature from around the world. At Southampton, you'll study German language and culture, and English literature together to improve how you understand them. You can examine the linked histories, influences and works of German and English writers. You'll also get to experience a new culture with a year abroad.

This dynamic English and German degree course shows you the connections between literature, language and culture. Our English modules cover writing from around the world and its connection to politics, the arts, identity and more.

In your German studies, you can take modules that feed your love of history and culture, or you may choose to focus on linguistics. You can shape your degree to suit your interests or career aspirations.

You'll spend your year abroad at one of our partner universities in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, among others.

As part of this course you can:

• Use our Centre for Language Study, including a German resources room
• Join one of 40 student-led performing arts groups
• Take part in writing workshops at Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Use a unique collection of rare books at the Chawton House Library
• Explore experimental writing with our Entropics events
• Get one-to-one tutorials on writing from our Royal Literary Fund Fellows

Become fluent in German and gain a global perspective on past societies with this degree. You’ll improve your language skills and boost your employability by spending a year in a German-speaking country. In History, you'll have a wide choice of module options covering the Ancient World to the present day.

During your year abroad you’ll become proficient in German. You'll complement your studies with modules on political systems and German history.

You’ll start your language studies at the right level based on your existing ability in spoken and written German. You’ll have excellent resources to support you at the Centre for Language Study.

As well as studying German and History, you’ll develop advanced analytical skills.

A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad in year 3. Your location options include:

• Germany
• Austria
• Switzerland

Learn how to uncover the secrets of past lives through the study of human and animal skeletons. With this specialist master’s in bioarchaeology, you’ll gain expertise in human anatomy, with unlimited access to our large skeletal collection. You’ll also develop skills in faunal analysis; we have one of the largest reference collections of mammals, birds and fish in the UK.

We’re ranked Top 30 in the world for archaeology (QS World University Rankings, 2019).

Your specialist bioarcheology learning will cover:

• analysing human bones to understand age, sex, diet, health and migration
• identifying mammals, birds and fish through skeletal remains
• understanding fossilisation and bone modification
• interpreting archaeology from collections of remains

Beyond your specialist modules you can personalise this MSc bioarchaeology degree to your areas of interest through a range of optional modules.

This archaeological science master's is a very practical degree, but you don’t need prior knowledge of biology or anatomy. You’ll spend a lot of time in our dedicated archaeology laboratories and you’ll have access to specialist isotope labs and a scanning, imaging and micro-CT suite.

You’ll work closely with experts in our Centre for Learning Anatomical Sciences and benefit from opportunities to apply your learning in real-world settings.

There's an opportunity to apply your learning on a 4-week placement, where you’ll gain valuable real-world experience of the archaeology sector and heritage industry. Previous placements have included Historic England, Wessex Archaeology and The Nautical Archaeology Society.

We bring expertise together from across the University, including Medicine, Humanities, the National Oceanography Centre, Engineering and Winchester School of Art, to enable you to gain both scientific skills and cultural understanding.

This bioarchaeology master's offers a balance between vocational and research skills. During your dissertation you’ll be able to embed with one of our research groups to do original research on a topic that you choose. There is the possibility that this work will be published.

Southampton is close to the World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury and we have research projects engaged with both sites, as well as a range of other archaeological projects across the Globe.