Archaeology (MSc)

at University of Edinburgh

Our wide-ranging programme encompasses theory, methodology and practice. You will undertake a varied schedule of learning, including:

• lectures
• seminars
• practicals
• individual supervisions

You will complete two compulsory courses and select a further four options from a wide range on offer. We will help you to develop your research interests and choose a suitable dissertation topic.

The compulsory courses are:

• Research Sources and Strategies in Archaeology
• Theoretical Archaeology

Option courses previously offered include those listed below. Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list:

• Archaeological Illustration
• Bronze Age Civilisations of the Near East and Greece
• Byzantine Archaeology: The archaeology of the Byzantine Empire and its neighbours AD 500-850.
• Principles of GIS for Archaeologists
• Archaeology of the Roman Economy
• Etruscan Italy, 1000 - 300 BC
• From Foraging to Farming: the Beginnings of Agriculture in the Mediterranean and Europe
• Archaeology of 'Celtic' Europe: Communities and Interactions
• The Hittites
• Human Evolution
• Island Worlds: Prehistoric societies in the Mediterranean Sea
• Ritual and Monumentality in North-West Europe: Mid-6th to Mid-3rd Millennium BC
• Conflict archaeology: materialities of violence
• Constantinople: The History of a Medieval Megalopolis from Constantine the Great to Suleyman the Magnificent.
• Biomolecular Archaeology: the appliance of science

These entry requirements are for the 2022/23 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2023/24 academic year will be published on 3 October 2022.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, a minimum US 3.25 GPA or international equivalent, in a subject related to this programme, preferably Archaeology or Classical Archaeology, or another degree in which Archaeology figures prominently (such as Anthropology in the case of applicants from the USA).

We will also consider an undergraduate degree in some other subjects such as History, Classics, Ancient History, and Geography if your personal statement demonstrates how you are equipped to undertake the programme.

Relevant experience, or professional or other qualifications will also be considered.

English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified*:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Archaeology graduates can follow a variety of career options. The programme equips you to go on to advanced study, and also provides a solid foundation for a career. You will gain practical as well as academic experience, team working and analytical skills, and will be able to work in a variety of contexts.

Examples of career paths available to archaeology graduates (although some may require additional training) include:

• higher education
• heritage management and agencies
• commercial archaeology
• teaching
• tourism industry
• broadcasting
• police