Palaeobiology applies frontier imaging and analytical techniques to the fossil record to decipher the evolution, ancestry and ecology of organisms throughout the history of life. Palaeobiology places modern biodiversity into the context of geological time, and provides a means for monitoring and predicting future trajectories of the biosphere. 

This specialisation will provide you with a ‘deep time’ perspective on the evolution of life. By studying the fossil record, you’ll explore the early evolution and phylogeny of microbes, animals and plants; the timing and correlation of important events in deep time; and fundamental questions about fluctuating ecological and environmental parameters through time. You’ll identify morphological and anatomical features; study evolutionary processes; use frontier scientific methods and techniques to reconstruct past environments, climates and behaviours; and use fossils as tools to solve important biological, ecological, environmental, geological and zooarchaeological problems.

Key Features

• This specialisation is available in the Bachelor of Archaeology – the only degree of its kind in New South Wales that gives you in-depth knowledge and skills in archaeology, and allows you to choose an area to specialise in. 
• Macquarie is the only university in Sydney offering undergraduate students a full specialisation in palaeobiology. 
• Macquarie is the only university in New South Wales with an on-campus simulated archaeological site, so you can regularly undertake field activities using the latest technology to enhance your understanding of biological forces and their interplay with archaeology. 
• You’ll work in modern biology labs designed to foster collaboration and cutting-edge scientific research. 
• You’ll have the opportunity to participate in international archaeological excavations and surveys in Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and Turkey, and to see how biological forces interact in real life. 
• Macquarie is ranked number one in Sydney for teaching quality and overall graduate satisfaction in science (QILT, 2017).

• Archaeological field director 
• Archaeological field technician 
• Archaeological lab technician 
• Archaeological surveyor 
• Collections manager 
• Computer specialist in archaeology 
• Cultural heritage consultant 
• Cultural resource specialist 
• Mining company consultant 
• Palaeontologist 
• Scientific researcher
• Conservation agencies 
• Construction companies 
• Consultancies 
• Cultural heritage management companies 
• Educational organisations 
• Government agencies 
• International organisations, eg, UNESCO 
• Museums and art galleries 
• Scientific research organisations, eg, CSIRO 
• Tourism operators