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Master program - Curriculum

Program overview

The curriculum consists of one compulsory module and several optional modules, as well as practice- and research-oriented modules in the third semester. As students have different backgrounds, everyone is required to take the Evolutionary Anthropology module in the first semester, where they are introduced to the essential theoretical foundations of the discipline. The other modules in the first and second semesters teach specific foundational knowledge in the fields of paleoanthropology, archaeogenetics and comparative cognition.  

Program structure

The Master's program is worth 120 credits, 30 of which are for the Master's thesis. Students typically earn 30 credits each academic year.

In the first semester, alongside the compulsory module Evolutionary Anthropology, students can enrol on various optional modules (e.g. Evolutionary Genomics, Virtual Anthropology and Biomechanics, Comparative Cultural Psychology), as they can in the second semester. During the third semester's theoretical course, students learn how to systematically plan a research project. The laboratory practicum enables students to learn the specific methods required for their master's thesis, which they undertake in the fourth semester.

  • The program is based on close collaboration between Leipzig University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, also located in Leipzig.
  • It is a research-oriented, interdisciplinary program.
  • Due to the small, selective cohort, students benefit from close supervision.
  • Mentoring is also provided to support student development.

Schedule winter semester 2026/27

The following modules will be offered during the winter semester 2026/27

Module 11-BIO-212 - Primate Behavioural Ecology

Module 11-BIO-230 - Evolutionary Anthropology

Module 11-BIO-231 - Fossil and Archaeological Record of Human Origins

Module 11-BIO-232 - Molecular Anthropology

Module 11-BIO-233 - Comparative Cultural Psychology

A detailed schedule on the individual lectures and events is available here (Vorlesungsverzeichnis) and here (Excel overview).