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Biological anthropology examines the evolution and adaptation of humans and their living and fossil primate relatives. As a Biological Anthropology student at Kent, you study human evolution, osteology (bones & skeletons), primate behaviour (including great apes) and forensics with one of the UK’s leading biological anthropology research groups.
Overview
The study of biological anthropology includes many sub-disciplines, such as skeletal biology, human evolution, forensic anthropology, human behavioural ecology and primatology. Typical questions you may explore include: What disease existed in ancient populations? How did humans evolve? Why are symmetrical faces more attractive? Do monkeys have language?
This programme appeals to those with an academic background or interest in Biology, Human Biology, Medicine, Psychology or Zoology (among others) or those working towards a career in science journalism, museum work, conservation (especially primate conservation), forensic science (for example Scotland Yard), health care, archaeology and academic research.
The School of Anthropology and Conservation offers a friendly and cosmopolitan learning community with students from over 70 different nationalities and 45% of staff from outside the UK. You are taught by enthusiastic academics at the forefront of their fields, including published primatologists and a team who excel in paleoanthropology.
Our degree programme
In your first year, you take modules that give you a broad background in the subject. The programme begins with an introduction to the history of anthropology, the foundations of biological anthropology, skills for anthropologists and an introduction to social anthropology.
In your second and final years, you take compulsory modules that develop your specialised knowledge and skills. You can also choose further modules from a wide range of options.
Modules expand across the full range of our research expertise for example: human osteology; primate communication; sex, evolution and human hehaviour; palaeoanthropology; palaeopathology; forensic science in criminal trails and forensic archaeology.
Field trips
A number of our modules include opportunities for learning and experiences outside of the classroom through field trips. Potential excursions are:
- Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks
- St Leonard's Ossuary
- Powell-Cotton Museum
- Down House (the home of Charles Darwin)
- Paris Underground Ossuary.
These may change from year to year and may incur additional costs. See the funding tab for more information.
Year abroad
A year abroad is a wonderful opportunity, often described by students as life changing and invaluable. A year abroad extends your degree to a four-year programme and typically allows you to spend a year studying at one of our partner institutions in the US or Canada. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent, but certain conditions apply.
Year in professional practice
You can stand out from the crowd by adding a year in professional practice to your degree. You spend a minimum of 24 weeks, between the second and final years, working in professional practice in the UK or abroad. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent, but certain conditions apply.
Study resources
The School of Anthropology and Conservation has excellent teaching resources including dedicated computing facilities. Other resources include:
- climate controlled human osteology lab housing an exceptional collection of Anglo-Saxon and medieval skeletons (>1000) and related radiographs
- a dedicated teaching laboratory with first-rate equipment
- an excellent fossil cast collection with hundreds of casts, including multiple entire skeletons of extant and extinct primates and hominins
- 3D imaging paleoanthropology lab with state-of-the-art equipment and expert academic support
- refurbished computer suite with 32 PCs with HD screens
- an integrated audio-visual system to help provide stimulating lectures
- a visual anthropology room
- an ethnobiology lab for studying human-related plant material
- student social spaces
Extra activities
The Anthropology Society is run by Kent students and is a good way to meet other students on your course in an informal way. There are also many national societies, which are a great way to meet people from around the world and discover more about their countries and cultures.
The School of Anthropology and Conservation puts on many events that you are welcome to attend. We host two public lectures a year, the Stirling Lecture and the DICE Lecture, which bring current ideas in anthropology and conservation to a wider audience. We are delighted that these events attract leading anthropological figures from around the world; in 2017 we hosted paleoanthropologist Professor Lee Berger, one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people.
Each term, there are also seminars and workshops discussing current research in anthropology, conservation and human ecology.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2016, Anthropology at Kent was ranked 7th for overall satisfaction. Anthropology at Kent was ranked 14th in The Complete University Guide 2018 and 9th for teaching quality in The Times Good University Guide 2017.
Anthropology and Conservation students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
Course structure
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Teaching and assessment
In our most recent national Teaching Excellence Framework, teaching at Kent was judged to be Gold rated. Based on the evidence available, the TEF Panel judged that the University of Kent delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the highest quality found in the UK.
Our teaching is research-led as all our staff are active in their fields. Social and biological anthropology staff have been awarded national teaching awards, reflecting the quality of the undergraduate programmes.
Anthropology at Kent uses a stimulating mix of teaching methods, including lectures, small seminar groups, field trips and laboratory sessions. For project work, you are assigned to a supervisor with whom you meet regularly. You also have access to a wide range of learning resources, including the Templeman Library, research laboratories and computer-based learning packages.
Many of the core modules have an end-of-year examination that accounts for 50% to 100% of your final mark for that module. The remaining percentage comes from practical or coursework marks. However, others, such as the Project in Anthropological Science and Human Osteology, are assessed entirely on coursework. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your final degree result.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- develop students’ critical and analytical powers with respect to biological anthropology
- provide the skills to adapt and respond positively to changes in the discipline
- provide a broad range of knowledge in the discipline of anthropology, stressing the need for a biological approach to the subject, and showing how it is closely linked to other academic disciplines such as biology, psychology, archaeology and forensic sciences
- provide a grounding in human and primate biological variation and distinguish the links between biological and sociocultural processes
- ensure that the research by staff informs the design of modules, and their content and delivery in a manner that is efficient, reliable and enjoyable to students
- prepare graduates for employment and/or further study in their chosen careers.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- major aspects of human evolution, including significant fossil evidence and its contextual associations, and behavioural and ecological reconstructions based on these
- the similarities and contrasts between humans and other primates, and their significance for human adaptive success
- selected aspects of primate diversity, behaviour, and acquaintance with relevant concepts of primatology
- aspects of human genetic and/or phenotypic diversity, their evolutionary implications and significance for schemes categorising human variability
- the range and flexibility of individual biological responses, and awareness of the distinction between such adaptability and population adaptation
- biosocial perspectives on human ecology; for example, subsistence and dietary diversity, and comparative study of health, wellbeing and disease across societies and/or over time
- consideration of human life history patterns, reproductive influences, population size and structure, and aspects of applied anthropology, including development studies
- awareness of the nature, complexity and richness of human biological diversity and an appreciation of its social and ethical implications
- an awareness of evolutionary principles relevant to the study of human evolution
- an in-depth understanding of current issues relating to biological anthropology.
Intellectual skills
You gain the following intellectual abilities:
- learning and study skills
- the capacity to express one's own ideas in writing, to summarise the arguments of others, and to distinguish between the two
- independence of thought and analytical, critical and synoptic skills
- scholarly skills such as the ability to make a structured argument, reference the works of others and assess historical evidence.
Subject-specific skills
You gain specific skills in the following:
- the knowledge and ability to interpret information on aspects of human biological diversity
- the ability to analyse and evaluate relevant qualitative and quantitative data utilising appropriate techniques
- to design and implement a project involving data collection on some aspect(s) of biological anthropology, and to display relevant investigative, analytical and communication skills
- an in-depth understanding of the subject, and qualities of mind associated with intellectual reflection, evaluation and synthesis
- the ability to understand how human beings are shaped by, and interact with, their social and physical environments, and an appreciation of their social and biological diversity
- the ability to formulate, investigate and discuss anthropologically informed questions
- competence in using major theoretical perspectives and concepts in biological anthropology
- the ability to apply anthropological knowledge to a variety of practical situations, personal and professional.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in the following:
- information retrieval skills in relation to primary and secondary sources of information
- communication and presentation skills using oral and written materials and information technology
- time-planning and management skills
- the ability to engage in constructive discussion in group situations and group work skills
- statistical and computing methods.
Careers
Studying biological anthropology gives you an exciting range of career opportunities. We work with you to help direct your module choices to the career paths you are considering. Through your studies, you learn how to work independently, to analyse complex data and to present your work with clarity and flair.
Graduate destinations
Our recent graduates have gone into areas such as:
- professional biological anthropology
- science journalism
- curating
- forensic science
- rescue archaeology
- primate conservation
- work with non-government organisations
- work with development agencies such as the World Health Organisation
- business
- civil service
- further research in biological anthropology.
Help finding a job
The School offers an employability programme aimed at helping you develop the skills you'll need to look for a job. This includes workshops, mentoring and an online blog featuring tips, advice from employers, job adverts, internship information and volunteering opportunities.
The University’s friendly Careers and Employability Service offers advice on how to:
- apply for jobs
- write a good CV
- perform well in interviews.
Career-enhancing skills
Through your studies you learn how to work independently, analyse complex data and present your work with clarity and flair. Alongside such specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers look for, including the ability to:
- think critically
- communicate your ideas and opinions
- work independently and as part of a team.
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
Independent rankings
Anthropology and Conservation students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
According to Which? University (2017), the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £17,300.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB including Biology (preferred) or Psychology, Human Biology, Chemistry or Mathematics |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade C |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 points at HL including mathematics 4 at HL or SL, and science 5 at HL or 6 at SL |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | ||
| Part-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
UK/EU fee paying students
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.