MA Archaeology - Archaeological Excavation

at University College Cork

The MA is designed to achieve a desirable balance between classroom teaching and field training, covering both academic and technical areas of archaeological excavation. The course includes five taught modules, a four-week training excavation and the submission of a research dissertation.
 

Modules (90 credits):

• AR6004 Excavation Planning and Research Design (5 credits)
• AR6005 Excavation Strategy and Practice (5 credits)
• AR6006 Post-excavation Analysis and Interpretation (5 credits)
• AR6007 Case-studies in Archaeological Excavation (10 credits)
• AR6013 Archaeological Survey and Remote Sensing (5 credits)
• AR6008 Training Excavation (15 credits)
• AR6001 Dissertation (45 credits)
   

Course Practicalities
Lectures take place over six months (October to March), with an average of six hours per week. You will attend additional computer lab practicals in October and November, a two-day field survey exercise in October, as well as a number of one-day excursions in the following months. There is also mandatory attendance on a one-week training excavation in April and a five-week training excavation in May.
 

The taught courses are examined by continuous assessment, with a combination of essays, projects, class presentations and fieldwork exercises. The training excavation is assessed by project work, while a research dissertation must be submitted at the end of the year.

You will have honours primary degree in archaeology or anthropology to second honours level from a recognized university or third-level institution, or a higher diploma in archaeology to 2H1 honours level, and set a formal interview to establish motivation, work experience and relevant expertise.
 

The Additional/Supplementary Statement Questions MUST also be completed during the online application. 
 

References are required from applicants who have not graduated from UCC in the last two years. Please supply two letters of reference, one of which should be a previous employer or supervisor of studies. Sealed letters of references should be sent directly to the Course Director: Professor William O’Brien, Department of Archaeology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
 

Places to be offered based on a combination of academic qualifications, relevant experience and expertise and interview performance.
 

Minimum Requirements and Accepted English Language Tests & Examinations The minimum English language entry requirements for admission onto a postgraduate programme at UCC are outlined below. These requirements are for postgraduate applicants whose first language is not English. If Gaeilge (Irish) is your first language these requirements do not apply to you.There are a small number of programmes with a higher minimum English language entry requirement and we list these below under Programmes with a Higher Minimum English Language Requirement.IELTS*  
 

• 6.5 Overall
• 6.0 Individual Skills (academic version)
   

TOEFL iBT  

• 90 Overall
• Listening 20
• Reading 19
• Speaking 21
• Writing 20

The EU fee for this course is €6,430.
 

The Non-EU fee for this course is €16,400.
 

Deposits

If your course required a deposit, that figure will be deducted from your second semester fee payment in January.
 

EU student fee payment

Fees for EU students are payable in two equal instalments. First payment at registration in August and the second in January.
 

International student fee payment

International Students can pay in two equal instalments once they have paid the appropriate deposit. The initial payment is due on registration and the balance usually by the end of January.

On completion of this course, you will be able to:
 

• Apply for excavation licences in Ireland
• Carry out historical research & cartographic analysis in advance of archaeological excavation
• Survey archaeological sites in advance of excavation, including both surface mapping & geophysical prospection
• Identify & organise the resources required to conduct an archaeological excavation
• Design excavation strategies appropriate to different types of archaeological site & different excavation circumstance
• Develop the basic skills required to carry out an archaeological excavation
• Work effectively as part of an excavation team, & acquire management skills
• Identify & assess the range of research carried out at the post-excavation stage
• Write preliminary & final excavation reports, as well as related specialist reports
• Acquire specialist skills in computing & information technology relevant to archaeological excavation
• Compile excavation archives
• Communicate the results of archaeological excavation to a specialist & non-specialist audience
• Design & implement conservation works connected to public presentation & long-term preservation of archaeological sites
• Transfer a range of critical learning & writing skills, as well as IT training & practical experience, to other employment areas