Palaeontology and Evolution

Palaeontology and evolution is a degree that investigates the history of life on Earth through the study of fossils and the evolutionary processes that have produced the extraordinary diversity of organisms we see today and in the geological record. It is a genuinely interdisciplinary science, drawing on geology, biology, chemistry, and physics to reconstruct how organisms lived, how they changed over time, and what forces drove those changes. The fossil record is the only direct evidence we have of how life has evolved over the 3.5 billion years since it first appeared, and reading that record accurately requires both technical skill and theoretical understanding.

At the University of Bristol, this four-year, full-time degree provides a broad background in palaeobiological science, including state-of-the-art methods and technological advances that are transforming the field. You will develop expertise in geology and biology as complementary foundations, learning to identify and interpret fossil organisms, to understand the geological contexts in which they are preserved, and to apply the evolutionary frameworks that allow palaeontologists to make sense of patterns across deep time. Bristol has exceptional research strengths in palaeontology and evolution, and the degree reflects that depth, giving you access to world-leading expertise and research facilities.

Graduates from palaeontology and evolution degrees work in academic research, museums and natural history collections, geological survey and mapping, environmental consultancy, fossil fuel exploration (where palaeontology remains a core discipline), and science communication. Education, writing, and broadcasting about natural history are also paths for those with strong communication skills. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in palaeontology, evolutionary biology, geology, or related disciplines, pursuing the research careers that the degree's strong scientific training prepares them for.