External summary

Knowledge and understanding of the human past are central to our graduate programmes in Archaeology. Within the taught MSc we help you to acquire the necessary archaeological skills in order to investigate and study major developments in human history, and help you to research themes, topics or periods in which you have a particular interest. The courses also reflect wider contemporary research themes and staff research projects, while helping students to identify potential subjects for further research (PhD), and provide a solid foundation for future participation in excavation, survey or lab work.

Teaching and research in archaeology have a distinguished tradition in the University of Edinburgh, where there are several clusters of specialist research areas, including: late hunter-gatherers and early farmers; megalithic monuments; ancient Cyprus and early civilisations of the Near East; western Mediterranean prehistory and early Italy; Iron Age Europe; the archaeology of Scotland; Byzantine and early Medieval Archaeology; the Roman world; bioarchaeology; forensic anthropology; experimental archaeology.

Within the University, Archaeology has excellent facilities including dedicated study space, specialist archaeological and computing labs, teaching and reference materials. The city of Edinburgh provides an excellent environment in which to study archaeology, thanks also to the presence of numerous museums, heritage agencies and professional archaeologists living and working in the city.

Educational aims of programme

The MSc in Archaeology provides students with the opportunity to study archaeology at an advanced level. It is designed for graduates in Archaeology who wish to enhance and extend their skills and knowledge, but also for graduates in other disciplines, with little or no prior archaeological training (the difference between these two groups will be reflected in the course options) . Participants join a graduate community in Archaeology, which also includes students enrolled on other postgraduate programmes (MScR, PhD).

The degree offers a tailored programme aiming to develop understanding of:

• Current methods and theories in archaeology

• Specific periods and regions

• Current research and research controversies

• Research tools and strategies, with relevant transferable skills for students contemplating doctoral research or professional employment

• Practical archaeology through study of applied methods and practices

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding

Students are expected to acquire knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• the history and intellectual development of archaeology as a discipline

• the contributions of historical and scientific disciplines to archaeology

• methodological and theoretical approaches characteristic of contemporary archaeology

• links between different aspects of archaeological research through intensive study of regions and themes

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry

The programme is designed to develop a student’s ability to:

• process and critically assess information derived from archaeological research, utilising relevant archaeological skills, methods and theory.

• provide clear written and oral analyses based on archaeological research.

• construct and develop coherent arguments and ideas based on study of primary and secondary source material.

• formulate and test hypotheses.

• locate ideas and arguments within their broader intellectual context and assess their implications accordingly.

• formulate and implement a plan of research.

• conceive and pursue to its conclusion a coherent argument founded on evidence provided by the sources at the student's disposal.

• undertake a sustained independent research project, and complete it within a strict time limit.

• write clearly and concisely.
• undertake study and research conforming to the highest ethical standards.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy

The programme is designed to develop the student’s ability to: 

• analyse, assimilate and deploy critically a range of secondary data or literature relevant and essential to the student's individual research subject.

• identify and utilise critically relevant primary data.

• formulate hypotheses relating to a chosen research subject and subject them to rigorous analysis and evaluation.

• reflect critically on the processes and methods used in their own research and writing.

• reflect critically on the role of the individual in achieving their own personal and intellectual ambitions and goals.

• give presentations on their research to peers.
• undertake self-directed learning exercises using resources such as library, Internet, national archives, and museums.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication

The programme is designed to develop the student’s ability to:

• assimilate, process and communicate a wide range of information from a variety of sources, including material and visual sources.

• formulate and implement a plan of verbal communication through tutorial participation.

• write clear, accurate, precise and concise prose in different formats.

• participate effectively and inter-actively in seminar discussions, group work, and question-and-answer sessions in class.
• give formal oral presentations or illustrated talks to a group.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness

The programme is designed to contribute to the development of personal effectiveness in both academic and broader life contexts including future employment, with special respect to the following:

• goal setting as a route to personal effectiveness and happiness.

• time management and the most effective use of time with reference to small and large tasks and available resources.

• team working skills.

• respect for the opinions, ambitions and aims of others.

• participating in and directing effective meetings through tutorial sessions and exercises.
• understanding conventions, rules and boundaries.

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

The programme will expose students to an awareness of and opportunities to develop technical and practical skills in the following areas.

• practical skills in navigating and using book and journal based library resources.

• practical skills in accessing and handling primary data, including material and visual sources.
• practical skills in laboratory work, graphics work (illustration, design, mapping) and computer work.
• Practical skills in survey work or excavation through participation in fieldwork sessions

Programme structure and features

Structure and SCQF credit values

Students are required to complete six courses over the two teaching semesters (September-March), equivalent to 20 credits each (normally 22 hours contact time each). Part-time students complete these courses over four semesters in two consecutive years. These comprise three core courses and three optional courses:

Core courses (20 credits each, all level 11 MSc courses):

Frontiers in Archaeology: Research Seminars (semester 1)(in cases where an exemption to this is granted another 20-credit course must be chosen)

Research Resources and Strategies in Archaeology (semester 2)

Theoretical Perspectives in Archaeology (semester 1)

Optional courses that may be available (all 20 credits, level 11 MSc courses):

Archaeological Illustration

Archaeology of Gender

Archaic States of the Near East

Bronze Age Civilisations of the Near East and Greece

Byzantine Archaeology: The archaeology of the Byzantine empire and its neighbours AD 500-850

Conceptualising the Neolithic

Constantinople and the Cities of Asia Minor 

Etruscan Italy, 1000-300 BC

Experimental Archaeology and Ancient Technology

From Foraging to farming, the Beginnings of Agriculture in the Mediterranean and Europe

Gallia from the Third Century BC to Augustus

Human Evolution

The Hittites: the archaeology of an ancient Near Eastern civilisation

Island Worlds: prehistoric societies in the Mediterranean Sea

Isotopes and Archaeology

Ritual and Monumentality in Atlantic Europe, mid-6th to mid-3rd Millennium BC

Ritual and Monumentality in North-West Europe, mid-6th to mid-3rd Millennium BC

The Scottish Lowlands: Archaeology and Landscape before the Normans

The range of specialist option modules available may vary according to staffing arrangements. Further to discussion with the programme director a student may also choose an option from the suite of courses offered by the School or another subject area in the University.  Information on courses can be found at

http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk

The final stage of the MSc programme is a dissertation of about 15,000 words (60 credits) which students complete during the summer months. This is an independent, primary source-based research project supervised by one or more members of the academic staff. Students have considerable freedom to define their own dissertation project—so long as it is viable within the time available and on a subject which one or more staff members have the expertise to supervise.

Due to the time constraints of a one year degree, fieldwork is not specifically offered as part of this programme of study. However, students are encouraged, if their studies permit, to participate in an excavation or other type of fieldwork during the vacation.

Progression requirements

Following the coursework stage (teaching semester courses), the Board of Examiners (May meeting) is responsible for deciding whether students have satisfied the requirements of the Diploma stage of the programme and whether they can progress to the dissertation stage of the Masters (MSc) programme.

In order to progress to the Masters dissertation, candidates must

• attain at least 80 credits with a pass at Masters level or more in each of the separate elements and

• be awarded an aggregate pass at Masters level for the 120 credits of study in semesters one and two

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Practices

The programme's outcomes, detailed below, are assessed by means of six assignments, each of 3,000 words and, in a few cases, by means of an oral presentation (counting for a proportion of the course mark). The assignments arise from the mixture of core and option courses taken by each student.  Additionally, outcomes are measured by the dissertation.

Modes of Study

The programme may be taken full time over twelve months or part-time over twenty four months.

Exit Awards

Requirements for the Award of the Diploma

In order to be awarded the diploma candidates must:

• attain at least 80 credits with a pass at diploma level or more in each of the separate elements and

• be awarded an aggregate pass at diploma level for the 120 credits of study examined for the diploma

Requirements for the Award of the MSc

In order to be awarded a masters degree candidates must:

• have satisfied the requirements for progression, as laid out above, and

• attain 60 credits, by achieving a pass at masters level for the dissertation

Requirements of the Award of the MSc with Distinction

The Masters degree may be awarded with distinction. To achieve a distinction, a student must have been awarded at least 70% on the University’s Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme for the dissertation and must also have been awarded a mark of at least 69% for the coursework element.

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

Teaching and Learning strategies employed at the University of Edinburgh consist of a variety of different methods appropriate to the programme aims. The graduate attributes listed above are met through a teaching and learning framework (detailed below) which is appropriate to the level and content of the course.

Teaching and Learning Activities

Specific activities will vary with course options taken, but will include lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods and strategies

Assessment

Courses can be assessed by a diverse range of methods and often takes the form of formative work which provides the student with on-going feedback as well as summative assessment which is submitted for credit. 

Various assessment methods are used dependent on course options taken, but may include:

• Essays

• Dissertation

• Power point presentation

• Poster presentation

Career opportunities

Archaeologists can acquire a good deal of useful practical as well as academic experience in their training. Thanks to close links between Archaeology and the Humanities (or Arts) and the Sciences (and Social Sciences) archaeologists are generally very good at collaborating and working as part of a team. They often acquire and develop special knowledge or analytical skills (using computers, mapping, or through lab work) and are able to work in a variety of contexts.

Career options

Examples of career options and employment for archaeology graduates (although some may require additional training) include:

• universities

• cultural resource/heritage management agencies (museums, local government, trusts)

• applied archaeological companies and consultancies

• schools (if combined with another teaching subject)

• tourist/travel industry

• broadcasting

• police

An archaeology degree does not, of course, restrict you to a career in archaeology. Some individuals develop their own career pathway in unusual ways or branch into related fields, while maintaining a lifelong interest and involvement in archaeological work and research.

Other items

The Programme Director is responsible for monitoring and reporting on students’ overall academic progress, as well as offering pastoral support. Graduate Officers in the relevant subject area will offer additional academic and pastoral advice and support to each student.  The Graduate School Director will ensure that two supervisors are appointed to guide students through the process of completing the dissertation.

Access is provided to a networked wireless graduate study room with 38 desktop PCs, as well as two further graduate study rooms containing book collections, wireless networking and study space. These are maintained by Information Services via an e-Learning and Web Development Officer. Information Services also offer students access to training courses in a range of computing applications. 

MSc students are also encouraged to engage with and attend the various research seminar programmes organised by the School so as to familiarise themselves with current research issues and to develop their discursive skills.