Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Anatomy

Anatomy is the study of the structure of living bodies, from cells and tissues to organs and whole organisms, and of how that structure relates to function in health and disease. Human anatomy is the branch most students mean: it is one of the foundations of medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy and sports science. Veterinary and comparative anatomy apply the same methods to animals.

The subject is usually divided into gross anatomy (what can be seen with the naked eye, traditionally learned through dissection), microscopic anatomy or histology, embryology (how the body develops before birth) and neuroanatomy. The Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology of McGill University, for example, teaches undergraduate courses in cell biology, histology, embryology, neuroanatomy and gross human anatomy. Laboratory work is central to the subject.

Qualifications and levels

Anatomy can be studied as a degree of its own in some countries. In many others it is a core subject inside a health degree and becomes a specialisation only at postgraduate level.

  • Bachelor's degrees. McGill University offers three undergraduate programmes in Anatomy and Cell Biology with different levels of specialisation: Honours, Major and Liberal. The Major has 67 credits, and the Honours programme includes a research project of 9 credits.
  • As part of a health degree. Spanish universities teach anatomy within health degrees such as Medicine rather than as a bachelor's degree of its own. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits, except those that must have 300 or 360 under specific or European Union rules. Medicine is one of these: at the Universidad de Alcalá it has 360 ECTS credits over six years and is taught in Spanish. University anatomy departments, such as the Departamento de Anatomía Humana y Psicobiología of the Universidad de Murcia, teach in several bachelor's and master's degrees.
  • Master's degrees. Wright State University awards a Master of Science in Anatomy through a thesis option or a course option. In both, the core courses are microanatomy, gross anatomy, embryology and neurobiology, plus three seminars. University College Cork runs an MSc Human Anatomy, and its Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience also offers undergraduate teaching and professional development courses.
  • Doctorates and medical postgraduate degrees. Saint Louis University School of Medicine offers a master's degree and a doctoral degree in anatomy through its Center for Anatomical Science and Education. In Nepal, Kathmandu University lists Anatomy among its MD/MS programmes in basic medical sciences, open to holders of an MBBS or equivalent degree and to dentistry graduates who have completed a bridge course.

Admission to a master's degree normally requires a first degree with a strong science component. Wright State University asks for a B.A., B.S. or equivalent degree and requires international students to take the TOEFL.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 41 active schools for anatomy. The United States has 13, Spain 7 and the United Kingdom 4; Canada, India, Ireland and Mexico have 2 each, and countries such as Nigeria, Nepal, Denmark, Ethiopia and Iraq have one.

In Spain the list includes the Universidad de Cádiz, the Universidad de Alcalá, the Universidad de Murcia, the Universidad de Extremadura in Badajoz and the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera in Alfara del Patriarca, where anatomy is taught mainly in Spanish as part of health degrees. In English-speaking countries it includes McGill University and the University of Calgary in Canada, The University of Manchester, University College Cork, and Wright State University, Drexel University, Temple University, Wayne State University and Saint Louis University in the United States. Other entries are the University of Copenhagen, Kathmandu University, the University of Delhi, the University of Madras, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Nigeria and the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in Mexico.

Before applying, check whether the programme is a degree in anatomy or a health degree that contains anatomy, which language it is taught in and how much laboratory and dissection time it includes.

Careers

Anatomy graduates work in teaching, research and laboratory roles, and many use the degree as a step towards a health profession. McGill University describes its bachelor's degree as preparation for technical and administrative positions in university laboratories, research institutions, hospitals and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and as a background for graduate studies or professional training in medicine and the health sciences. Saint Louis University states that its master's and doctoral programmes prepare students for careers in teaching, research and health care.

Research careers usually require a doctorate. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical scientists typically have a Ph.D., usually in biology or a related life science, and their employment is projected to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035. This figure covers all medical scientists, not anatomists alone.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study anatomy as a degree in Spain?

Spanish universities teach anatomy inside health degrees such as Medicine, which has 360 ECTS credits and takes six years at the Universidad de Alcalá. Specialisation in anatomy comes later, through master's and doctoral studies.

Do I need a medical degree to study anatomy at master's level?

It depends on the programme. Wright State University admits applicants with a B.A., B.S. or equivalent degree, while the MD/MS in Anatomy of Kathmandu University requires an MBBS or equivalent degree, or a dentistry degree plus a bridge course.

Is a degree in anatomy a route into medicine?

It can be a preparation, but it is not a medical qualification. McGill University says its undergraduate programmes form a sound background for professional training in areas such as medicine; admission to medical school is a separate process with its own requirements.