The course has given me the confidence to progress into a new role where I can make use of the skills and knowledge that I acquired during the MSc
Why did you decide to study a Sheffield MSc degree programme?
World-renowned reputation of the Department of Archaeology, teachers and staff, course content and skeletal reference collection.
What did you enjoy most about your course and the subject you were studying?
I really enjoyed the mix of science and humanities, understanding the historical context of the skeletal remains and subjects that we were studying. I also loved the time spent in the lab working with the human and animal assemblages provided.
What attracted you to the University of Sheffield?
World-renowned reputation of the Department of Archaeology, teachers and staff, course content and skeletal reference collection.
What is it like to be a postgraduate student in the Department of Archaeology?
The teachers and staff along with other students in the department were all really welcoming, friendly and fascinating to learn from and work with. The course is intensive, especially during the pandemic, but support and encouragement is always there.
What are you doing now?
I am now Curator at the Mary Rose Trust, working with the C16th collection of artefacts recovered from the wreck, the remains of the ship itself, and of course the large human skeletal assemblage of men who drowned onboard when the Mary Rose sank in 1545.
Following graduation, teachers, staff and fellow students have been incredibly supportive and encouraging and I appreciate continuing to be a part of the Department of Archaeology worldwide community.
Hannah Matthews
MSc Osteoarchaeology
How has the department and/or University helped you to work towards reaching your goals after graduation?
The Department has given me the confidence to progress into a new role where I can make use of the osteoarchaeological skills and knowledge that I acquired during the MSc. Following graduation, teachers, staff and fellow students have been incredibly supportive and encouraging and I appreciate continuing to be a part of the Department of Archaeology worldwide community.
For my work placement during my MSc, I secured an opportunity at the Mary Rose Trust to work on the C16th human skeletal remains recovered from the 1545 wreck of the ship in the 1970s-80s. This led to me assessing the assemblage in its entirety – the first time since the original post-excavation analysis – to help me analysis scales of commingling, deck distribution patterns of skeletal elements, and to apply quantitative methods such as Grand Minimum Total and Most Likely Number of Individuals.
Do you have any advice for students from your home country thinking about studying a postgraduate course in archaeology at Sheffield?
Advice for any students – would always recommend studying a postgraduate course in archaeology at Sheffield, if possible!