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 A farmer tills a field with his tractor

Major

Forensic Archaeology

Bachelor of Science

Discover how buried evidence of past human activity and crime scenes can help uncover what happened.

You'll combine archaeological methods with forensic investigation techniques, learning how the ethical recovery and analysis of burial evidence can contribute to criminal, humanitarian and cultural heritage investigations.

Learn to recover and treat human remains in a culturally appropriate and ethical way, and to record the circumstances of their burial with precision. You'll develop the evidence recovery and recording skills needed for court and other proceedings.

Study burial practice, forensic recovery and excavation, and how to reconstruct burial histories through analysis of human, plant, animal and chemical evidence.

Along the way, you'll build skills in culturally responsive, community-aware practice, learning directly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Graduate with a deep understanding of the respectful treatment of ancestral remains, and the role forensic archaeology plays in truth-telling, repatriation, disaster response and historical investigation.

Highlights

1 in Queensland for archaeology

QS World University Rankings 2026

38 in the world for archaeology

QS World University Rankings 2026

Career possibilities

Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Historical archaeology consultant
  • Archaeologist
  • Cultural heritage consultant
  • Field officer
  • Forensic analyst
  • Heritage conservation officer
  • Aboriginal land council consultant
  • Government heritage officer

Average annual salary range

Forensic Scientist

$75K–$80K

seek.com.au

Average annual salary range

Archaeologist

$80K–$100K

seek.com.au

Next steps after graduation

You’ll graduate with cross-disciplinary investigative, analytical and field skills that can open opportunities for further study or careers in areas such as:

  • archaeology consulting
  • disaster response
  • forensic science
  • government agencies
  • heritage
  • medico-legal work
  • non-government organisations (NGOs).

Find out more about careers that started in science

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Online study
  • Research experience
  • Laboratory work
  • Fieldwork
  • Peer-assisted study sessions
  • Seminars
  • Workshops

What you'll study

At UQ, subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study:

  • Discovering Archaeology [Core course]
  • Forensics: The Archaeology of Death & Crime Scenes [Core course]
  • Managing Cultural Heritage: Ethics, History and Practice [Core course]
  • Human Evolution [Core course]
  • Archaeological Excavation [Core course]
  • Sedimentology & Ancient Environments [Elective]

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