Archaeology Courses at UNE Introduction Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology is a Division of the School of Human and Environmental Studies, and until 1998 was a separate department. Archaeology is the study of the human past by analysis of the physical remains of human behaviour.
Palaeoanthropology is the study of human evolution and elements of human biology.
Both disciplines are strongly enmeshed with other disciplines, and their study usually involves a degree of interdisciplinary effort. The aim of the Division is the study of Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology as elements of a professional discipline, but also to provide units which, besides being of general interest, will train students in critical thinking, evaluation of evidence in argument, written and oral presentation of their ideas, in short, a liberal tertiary education. We have designed units aimed both at training professional archaeologists and at contributing to the education of students who will not make archaeology their career. Students interested in other historical disciplines should note that many topics in history now study archaeological evidence. In particular many of the themes in HSC Ancient History, now, are about archaeology.