Health and Human Sciences,BSc

Our BSc Health & Human Sciences degree is designed to give you a thorough grounding in the anthropology of health, bringing together perspectives from both social and biological anthropology.

This degree will expand your understanding of health, bringing together biological and evolutionary research into human genetics and physiology with ethnographic approaches to the social, political, ideological and ecological contexts that shape health risks and treatments. Studying the anthropology of health will equip you with the skills to critically debate healthcare from an interdisciplinary perspective that draws together local, regional and international scales of analysis.

In the first year, you will receive a thorough grounding in the theory and practice of anthropology in the broadest sense, including the anthropology of health, social anthropology and biological anthropology.

In your second year, you will begin to specialise in the anthropology of health while still maintaining breadth with optional modules in other areas of anthropology. You will also gain ‘hands-on’ experience of conducting research through a series of local field trips and activities.

In your final year, you will design and carry out your own research project for your dissertation and take part in our residential Field Course module, an intensive 7-day experience at one of several European destinations, or online as part of our Virtual Field Course.

As you move through your degree, you will shift from being a consumer to a generator of knowledge, ready for professional or postgraduate life. You can also apply to add a placement year or a year abroad to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four.

The anthropology of health explores social and biological perspectives on health and disease, from the level of cells to societies. This highly interdisciplinary field overlaps with many applied subjects such as public health and evolutionary medicine.

A level offer – AAB.

Contextual offer – BBC

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – DDD.

IB Diploma score – 36 with 665 in higher level subjects.

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• We also consider other level 3 qualifications, including T-levels.

• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.

• If you do not satisfy our general entry requirements, the Foundation Programme offers multidisciplinary degrees to prepare you for a range of specified degree courses.

• If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take an International Foundation Year pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

• We are pleased to consider applications for deferred entry.

Alternative qualifications

• Other UK qualifications

• EU qualifications

• International qualifications

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.

English language requirements

Country specific information

With a degree in Anthropology, you will be equipped with a diverse and practical knowledge base, including highly transferable skills in research and communication. Employers worldwide value this skill set, particularly where creativity, curiosity and the ability to understand human diversity are at a premium.

Our graduates apply their knowledge directly in fields as diverse as health, community work, conservation, education, international development, culture, and heritage. Many progress into careers that require a broad understanding of human society and behaviour as well as the interpersonal, organisational, problem solving and independent thinking skills that come with the discipline. Such careers include advertising, publishing, journalism, teaching, human resource management, law, consultancy and marketing.

A significant number of graduates progress onto higher level study with many pursuing further research in anthropology or other fields.

Of those students who graduated in 2020-21:

• 93% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes

Of those in employment:

• 78% are in high skilled employment
• With an average salary of £25,000.

(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)