Students tailor courses and research with top scientists on staff and acquire practical and theoretical knowledge using cutting-edge tools to gain experience in the lab and the field. During the course of their studies, students in the program participate in fieldwork and have access to the numerous facilities (laboratories, collections, etc.) within the Institute. An early integration in ongoing research projects and the development of scientific skills allows students to undertake projects of their choice, in consultation with their advisors, to investigate current questions in a wide range of fields covering the archaeological sciences and human evolution. We expect that all students gain hands-on experience with archaeological and anthropological data and produce an original contribution to the field in the form of a thesis, which is defended at the end of the program.

The study program of the M.Sc. Archaeological Sciences and Human Evolution provides students with advanced research-oriented scientific qualifications and trains students in the application of state-of-the-art methods to research human biocultural evolution. These qualifications, which are lacking in more traditional archaeology programs, make the students highly competitive in the job market. Graduates of the M.Sc. program are ideally qualified for jobs at research institutes, universities, and cultural resource agencies. All students within the M.Sc. program are required to complete field and practical work, providing real-world experience in archaeological excavations and scientific laboratories. Additionally, courses on scientific writing and research design will give students practical knowledge that will be useful in further stages of their careers.