Archaeology and Heritage MA

Course description

This degree explores approaches to the archaeological heritage in general, landscape archaeology, archaeology and education, and the archaeology of standing buildings. These fields are explored within a global framework, encouraging both critical intellectual engagement with more advanced academic research while developing skills and understandings in relation to with practical applications. The course materials have been developed for an international student body and are designed to be both relevant to your specific concerns and backgrounds, while seeking to extend horizons globally in new and exciting directions.

The four modules of this MA encourage you to develop new understandings, skills and interests at different scales, from the study of individual standing buildings to that of the largest landscapes. You will also explore in a critical way how archaeologists and others may engage with and interpret archaeological monuments, sites and landscapes to various audiences within ‘public archaeology’, engaging with a range of heritage discourses from Europe, North America, and beyond. The role and value of archaeology in education and society, in the broadest sense, is critically examined, exploring its educational roles in fundamental debates concerning the human condition and who we are, as well as the nature of the archaeological record and the past. How do we approach different kinds of archaeology? Why do we do it? Why do we do it as we do? Might there be other ways?

This MA provides you with an excellent and wide-ranging course of advanced study and is particularly suitable for those already engaged with archaeology and the heritage sector, or with shared professional interests. The course offers opportunities to build on existing skills and knowledge, while developing intellectual rigour. Students of this long-established and successful MA are commonly working within the heritage sector or related disciplines, while graduates from this course have gone on to work for English Heritage/Historic England, the National and State Parks Services, Parks Canada, and similar organisations, while many within the private sector.

Distance learning offers you the opportunity to study flexibly, while still benefiting from full support of our expert academic staff. The course also gives you the option to defer studies if external demands require.

Careers and employability

Archaeology courses are designed to enable you to develop your skills and knowledge, whether to enhance your career prospects, proceed to further study, or for general interest.

There are opportunities to develop your practical skills, and employability skills are embedded throughout our curriculum. Consequently, our courses are highly valued by employers who will recognise the key transferable and subject-specific skills gained.

Students need to have: a good second class (2:1, or equivalent) honours degree in Archaeology (or Anthropology in North America) or a closely related subject. If you have a degree in a less-relevant subject, you may be able to apply for this degree after completing specific conversion modules to an appropriate standard, by prior agreement with the Course Director. If you have extensive relevant professional experience (5 years or more) the Course Director may consider this, on an individual basis.