Science

Master of Science in Human Evolutionary Biology

The Master of Science in Human Evolutionary Biology is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in paleoanthropology, human evolution, evolutionary biology, and archaeological science. The programme combines evolutionary theory with practical field work, fossil analysis, and research application in the Turkana Basin.

Core areas include human evolution, paleoanthropology, archaeology, geology, vertebrate paleontology, fossil primates, ecology, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, field methods training, and research at sites throughout the Turkana Basin.

The programme is offered by Turkana University College as MSc in Human Evolutionary Biology in collaboration with the Turkana Basin Institute. TUC is a constituent college of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, offering the programme over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes.

Students develop competencies in paleoanthropological analysis, archaeological field methods, geological interpretation, and evolutionary biology research. The programme features course modules taught by established experts from collaborating institutions worldwide, with hands-on field training at sites throughout the Turkana Basin.

Turkana University College charges KES 162,750 for Year 1 and KES 138,500 for Year 2 (KES 301,250 total). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in Biological Sciences, Geology, Archaeology, or Anthropology from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as paleoanthropologists, evolutionary biologists, archaeological researchers, museum curators, heritage managers, and lecturers in evolutionary biology across research institutions, museums, universities, conservation organisations, and government heritage agencies.

Skills Required

Paleoanthropology and Fossil Analysis
Human Evolution and Evolutionary Biology
Archaeological Field Methods and Excavation
Geological and Stratigraphic Analysis
Vertebrate Paleontology and Fossil Identification
Primate Evolution and Comparative Anatomy
Ecological and Environmental Analysis
Statistical Methods in Evolutionary Biology
Research Methods in Paleoanthropology
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Paleoanthropology and Fossil Analysis
Human Evolution and Evolutionary Biology
Archaeological Field Methods and Excavation
Geological and Stratigraphic Analysis
Vertebrate Paleontology and Fossil Identification
Primate Evolution and Comparative Anatomy
Ecological and Environmental Analysis
Statistical Methods in Evolutionary Biology
Research Methods in Paleoanthropology
Thesis Research

Certifications

NMK Heritage Management Certification
Paleoanthropology Society Membership

Specializations

Paleoanthropology

Focuses on paleoanthropology, covering fossils, hominins, evolution, morphology, and managing paleoanthropological research.

Archaeology

Examines archaeology, covering stone tools, excavation, sites, cultural evolution, and managing archaeological research.

Vertebrate Paleontology

Covers vertebrate paleontology, covering fossils, evolution, taxonomy, morphology, and managing paleontological research.

Geological Sciences

Focuses on geology, covering stratigraphy, dating, sediments, environments, and managing geological analysis.

Primate Evolution

Examines primate evolution, covering fossils, primates, morphology, behaviour, and managing primate research.

Ecology and Environment

Covers ecology, covering ecosystems, adaptation, climate, environments, and managing ecological analysis.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 163,000
Job market: Low

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 10 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Paleoanthropology and Fossil Analysis
Human Evolution and Evolutionary Biology
Archaeological Field Methods and Excavation
Geological and Stratigraphic Analysis
Vertebrate Paleontology and Fossil Identification
Primate Evolution and Comparative Anatomy
Ecological and Environmental Analysis
Statistical Methods in Evolutionary Biology
Research Methods in Paleoanthropology
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Human Evolution
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines hominins, evolution, morphology, phylogenetics, bipedalism, and managing human evolution research.
Archaeology and Stone Tools
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers stone tools, excavation, sites, cultural evolution, Oldowan, Acheulean, and managing archaeological research.
Geology of the Turkana Basin
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines stratigraphy, dating, sediments, environments, Cenozoic, and managing geological analysis.
Vertebrate Paleontology
Year 1Semester 24 creditsCore
Covers fossils, evolution, taxonomy, morphology, mammals, and managing paleontological research.
Fossil Primates
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines fossil primates, evolution, morphology, behaviour, comparative, and managing primate research.
Ecology and Field Methods
Year 1Semester 24 creditsCore
Covers ecosystems, adaptation, climate, environments, field ecology, and managing ecological analysis.
Research Methods and Statistics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, R programming, statistics, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Scientific Writing and Communication
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines writing, publications, proposals, presentations, communication, and managing scientific writing.
Advanced Topics in Human Evolution
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers current topics, debates, controversies, developments, literature, and managing advanced evolutionary biology.
Museum and Heritage Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines museums, collections, heritage, conservation, policy, and managing palaeontological heritage.
Thesis Proposal Development
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers proposal, design, methods, literature, ethics, and developing thesis proposals.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a human evolutionary biology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and evolutionary biology knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Paleoanthropology
Focuses on paleoanthropology, covering fossils, hominins, evolution, morphology, and managing paleoanthropological research.
Archaeology
Examines archaeology, covering stone tools, excavation, sites, cultural evolution, and managing archaeological research.
Vertebrate Paleontology
Covers vertebrate paleontology, covering fossils, evolution, taxonomy, morphology, and managing paleontological research.
Geological Sciences
Focuses on geology, covering stratigraphy, dating, sediments, environments, and managing geological analysis.
Primate Evolution
Examines primate evolution, covering fossils, primates, morphology, behaviour, and managing primate research.
Ecology and Environment
Covers ecology, covering ecosystems, adaptation, climate, environments, and managing ecological analysis.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Human Evolutionary Biology programme combines lectures, field methods training, laboratory work, seminars, and independent study at the TBI Turkwel facility. Sessions cover human evolution, paleoanthropology, archaeology, geology, and vertebrate paleontology. Human evolution sessions examine hominins, evolution, morphology, phylogenetics, and managing human evolution research. Paleoanthropology sessions cover fossils, discovery, analysis, interpretation, and managing paleoanthropological research. Archaeology sessions cover stone tools, excavation, sites, cultural evolution, and managing archaeological research. Geology sessions cover stratigraphy, dating, sediments, environments, and managing geological analysis. Vertebrate paleontology sessions cover fossils, evolution, taxonomy, morphology, and managing paleontological research. Primate evolution sessions cover fossils, primates, morphology, behaviour, and managing primate research. Ecology sessions cover ecosystems, adaptation, climate, environments, and managing ecological analysis. Statistical methods sessions cover R programming, statistics, analysis, and managing biological data. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Field methods training provides hands-on experience with geological surveys, archaeological excavation, and fossil collection at sites throughout the Turkana Basin. An intensive writing clinic helps students develop academic writing skills before thesis proposal drafting. Guest lectures from established experts from collaborating institutions worldwide provide cutting-edge insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a human evolutionary biology topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme is uniquely located in the Turkana Basin, one of the world's most important fossil-bearing regions.
Course modules taught by established international experts from collaborating institutions worldwide.
TBI provides full funding for enrolled students including tuition, accommodation, and research costs.
Programme combines theoretical lectures with extensive hands-on field training at world-renowned fossil sites.

Against it

Low job market demand with limited positions in paleoanthropology and evolutionary biology.
Only one institution (TUC, public) confirmed offering this programme in Kenya.
Programme requires Biological Sciences, Geology, Archaeology, or Anthropology background.
Remote location in Turkana may pose logistical challenges for some students.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 243 science courses

Public163k to 163k

163k at Turkana University College163k at Turkana University College

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

TUC ~163K/yr (tuc.ac.ke prospectus). Private: unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. TBI provides full funding for enrolled students including tuition, accommodation, and research costs. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs provides grant funding for MHEB scholarships. Some research grants may be available through collaborating institutions.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
TBI Scholarship
French Ministry Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
TBI Full Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 400,000Kenyan
Turkana Basin Institute provides full funding for enrolled MHEB students including tuition, accommodation, and research costs.
French Ministry Grant
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs provides grant funding for MHEB scholarships through the Consolidating the Future project.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: TUC requires Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in Biological Sciences, Geology, Archaeology, or Anthropology from a recognised university, or Lower Second Division with two years of relevant working experience. Contact the university for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, field reports, laboratory reports, seminar presentations, writing assignments, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination60% of the mark
Written examinations covering human evolution, paleoanthropology, archaeology, geology, and vertebrate paleontology.
Field Methods Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Practical assessment through field methods training, excavation, fossil collection, geological surveys, and demonstrating field skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a human evolutionary biology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and evolutionary biology knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Turkana University College (constituent college of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, public) offers MSc in Human Evolutionary Biology in collaboration with the Turkana Basin Institute. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in human evolutionary biology. Graduates are eligible for NMK heritage management certification and Paleoanthropology Society membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Turkana University College (constituent college of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, public) offers MSc in Human Evolutionary Biology in collaboration with the Turkana Basin Institute. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in human evolutionary biology. Graduates are eligible for NMK heritage management certification and Paleoanthropology Society membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Paleoanthropologist
Low demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts paleoanthropological research, overseeing fossil analysis, excavation, publications, and managing paleoanthropological research.
Evolutionary Biologist
Low demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Conducts evolutionary biology research, overseeing analysis, modelling, publications, and managing evolutionary research.
Archaeological Researcher
Low demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 350,000
Conducts archaeological research, overseeing excavation, analysis, interpretation, and managing archaeological research.
Museum Curator
Low demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages museum collections, overseeing specimens, conservation, display, education, and managing palaeontological collections.
Heritage Manager
Low demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages heritage sites, overseeing conservation, policy, education, tourism, and managing heritage.
Evolutionary Biology Lecturer
Low demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches evolutionary biology at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

R Studio
SoftwarePrimary
R Studio for statistical analysis, covering statistics, modelling, data, and managing biological research data.
GIS Software
Software
GIS software for spatial analysis, covering mapping, sites, geology, and managing spatial data.
Microscopy Software
Software
Microscopy software for fossil analysis, covering imaging, measurement, comparison, and managing fossil data.
Reference Manager
Software
Reference management software for academic writing, covering citations, bibliography, literature, and managing references.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Human evolutionary biology is just about old bones.
Human evolutionary biology covers comprehensive evolution, morphology, genetics, ecology, behaviour, and environment beyond just old bones.
This programme is only for archaeologists.
Human evolutionary biology skills are valuable for biologists, geologists, anthropologists, museum professionals, and educators beyond just archaeologists.
Paleoanthropology is a dead science with nothing new to discover.
The Turkana Basin continues to yield new fossil discoveries, and the field evolves with new methods, technologies, and analytical approaches.
This programme has no practical application.
The programme develops skills in field methods, statistical analysis, scientific writing, and research applicable across multiple careers.
Evolutionary biology is just about theory.
The programme combines theoretical lectures with extensive hands-on field training at world-renowned fossil sites in the Turkana Basin.
This programme can only be studied in Western countries.
TUC offers this programme in Kenya, at the heart of one of the world's most important fossil-bearing regions, with instruction from international experts.