Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology MSc

About the course

The University of Oxford's School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography offers a one-year MSc in Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology. The degree programme explores human and non-human primate evolution and behaviour, bringing together paleoanthropological, psychological, developmental and cross-cultural approaches.

As a species humans possess remarkable capacities for culture and sociality, reflected in the technologies we use and share, the ways we think and learn from each other and the social groups we form and live in. What are the evolutionary foundations for these characteristics? Are humans as unique as we might believe; what is it about our evolution that distinguishes us from other living primates? How might an understanding of human evolution help to address pressing modern challenges facing individuals and societies?

The MSc in Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology explores the current state of the art thinking on these questions, drawing together relevant advances from a broad range of research fields across the evolutionary, biological, psychological and social sciences, eg evolutionary biology, human behavioural ecology, palaeoanthropology, primatology, psychology and cultural evolution.

Assessment

You will be assessed by coursework and three three-hour written examinations in the third term.

The MSc concludes with a 15,000-word research dissertation to be completed over the summer months, which is submitted and examined at the end of August.

Graduate destinations

Many graduates enter teaching and research, though this often requires a doctorate. There is some recruitment to public bodies, the larger private companies, development agencies, NGOs etc.