MPhil in Human Evolutionary Studies

Students who come to Cambridge to do the MPhil in Human Evolutionary Studies are interested in learning the broad and interdisciplinary field of evolutionary anthropology in depth, and to carry out a research project on a topic within the discipline at postgraduate level. Because the programme includes both a taught and a research component, its scope is ideal for students who have a background in biological anthropology, evolutionary biology, zoology, archaeology, psychology, and medical and veterinary sciences. This is a demanding interdisciplinary programme of study and research that enables students to obtain in-depth knowledge across human evolutionary studies and specialist research training in an area within this field over a relatively short time frame. Students who do this course come to Cambridge from the UK and abroad.
 The aims of the course are to:  
provide students with the opportunity to study substantive issues and debates in human evolutionary studies; 
give students the opportunity to learn aspects of current research in human evolutionary studies through lectures, seminars and discussions from an international team of researchers with expertise and strengths in these areas; 
enable students to acquire the critical thinking and intellectual skills necessary for undertaking independent research in some aspect of human evolutionary studies; 
to create an intellectual environment and platform that encourages students to learn from each other, particularly in seminar discussions, and one in which students benefit from the lived and learnt experiences and knowledge from peers from across the world; 
prepare students for research at doctoral level and equip them to be future leaders in evolutionary approaches to the understanding of humans today.