An archaeologist undertaking fieldwork
Archaeological fieldwork in Mexico
(Image Credit: Capture the Uncaptureable / Flickr)

MSc in Archaeology

About the course 

The MSc in Archaeology provides an opportunity for students to build on their knowledge from undergraduate studies and to specialise in a particular area of archaeology, while also offering an excellent foundation for those wishing to continue towards research at doctoral level. It also offers transferable skills which are beneficial to a range of professional roles.

During this 11-month taught master's degree you will specialise in a particular area of archaeology, and will follow a subject stream, which will comprise four modules and a dissertation. 

The MSc in Archaeology allows subject specialisation, but also flexibility, by combining core modules with an option module, and topics chosen for your dissertation and summative pre-set essays. If you wish to specialise in the theory and practical applications of science in archaeology, please consider applying to the MSc in Archaeological Science rather than the MSc in Archaeology.

You will choose from one of the following subject streams:

Archaeology of Asia

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Chinese Archaeology I: Neolithic to Bronze Age

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Chinese Archaeology II: Shang to Qin
  • Interdisciplinary Approaches to Chinese Ceramics
  • Early Human Dispersals in Asia and the Pacific 
  • Archaeology of Eurasia
  • The Emergence of Farming in Western Asia

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Environmental Archaeology

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Environmental Archaeology

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Practical Archaeobotany
  • The Emergence of Farming in Western Asia
  • Bio-Archaeology

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Landscape Archaeology

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Landscape Archaeology and Spatial Technology

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Maritime Archaeology

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Maritime Societies

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Maritime Archaeology
  • Methods and Techniques in Maritime Archaeology

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Medieval Archaeology

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Europe in the Early Middle Ages (AD 400 - 900)
  • Archaeology of Later Medieval Europe

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Archaeology of Early Anglo-Saxon England
  • Archaeology of Late Saxon England
  • Body and Adornment: Material Culture of Later Medieval Britain (AD 1200 - 1600)
  • Byzantine Constantinople
  • Archaeology of Lived Religion in Late Antiquity
  • Late Roman and Byzantine Architecture

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Prehistory and Pre-colonial Archaeology

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • European Prehistory from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age
  • Farming and States in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Archaeological Method and Theory

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Archaeology of Southern African Hunter-Gatherers
  • Early Human Dispersals in Asia and the Pacific 

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Social Archaeology

Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory

This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.

Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Archaeological Method and Theory

Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year

  • Archaeology of Colonialism
    Archaeology of the Contemporary World
    Cognitive Archaeology

Option module

The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.

Dissertation

All students will complete a dissertation of 15,000 words on an approved topic relevant to your stream subject, chosen in consultation with a supervisor. Most of the dissertation research and writing takes place in the third term and into the summer. The dissertation allows you to develop a larger piece of research in which you can more fully explore a topic. It will allow you to develop your research skills and undertake self-directed and independent research that is a necessary basis for future doctoral research, and highly desirable in non-academic employment.

Teaching and learning

Teaching of stream modules is mainly through a combination of lectures and tutorials which are normally taught in small- groups. Other teaching methods may also include seminars, museum-based classes, laboratory work or other practicals, depending on your stream and module choices. You will usually prepare formative assignments on a weekly or fortnightly basis for your modules. The core Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory module is taught by lectures and seminars and will include group work; the assignments given in this module will form the basis of an assessed portfolio.

The teaching methods provide you with the opportunity to debate and discuss essays and topics on a regular basis with other students and teachers. Your assignments will also allow you to develop your writing and presentation skills. The seminars, museum-based classes, laboratory work and practicals provide an arena for you to engage with and develop techniques of analysis and evaluation.

You will have an academic advisor in your subject stream who will advise on module choices and monitor overall progress.

The teaching is supplemented by a wide range of lecture courses, seminar series, and the Graduate Archaeology at Oxford skills seminar series available in the School of Archaeology. The degree is a very intensive course, and you will be expected to treat the University vacations as integral parts of your academic work time.

Each member of the academic staff in archaeology normally offers at least one module in his or her areas of specialism over the year, but some modules or streams listed may not be available every year.

Graduate students run their own organisation, Graduate Archaeology at Oxford, which provides further skills seminars, a mentoring programme, social events and a very successful conference series. This provides many opportunities for you to develop your skills, present your research and develop ideas for the next stage of your career.

Attendance

The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.

Resources to support your study

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.

The School of Archaeology provides the following resources for students:

  • computers with specialist GIS and mapping-related software
  • a wide-range of digital facilities, including desktop imaging and manipulation for publication and dissertation/thesis production such as full-colour scanning of slides, negatives, maps and other paper plan originals
  • lecture, seminar and common rooms
  • a small library with a searchable catalogue available online in the Institute of Archaeology.

In addition, the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library, a world-class library for archaeology, is situated between the Institute of Archaeology and the Ashmolean Museum, and is the central facility, providing for most student needs. Students also use the Balfour Library of anthropology and ethnography.

The School of Archaeology has close ties with the Ashmolean Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum, the collections of which may contribute to graduate teaching.

Supervision

Every student will have a general supervisor appointed to them prior to the start of term. You will also be allocated a dissertation supervisor who, during your supervision meetings, will discuss and guide your research. They will usually be one of the teachers in your subject stream.

For this course, the allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the School of Archaeology and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the School of Archaeology.

Assessment

The Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory core module is assessed by a portfolio of work.

Your first subject stream module will be assessed by take-home essays submitted in the second term.

Your second subject stream module and your chosen option module will be assessed by extended essays submitted in the third term.

A stream-specific dissertation of a maximum of 15,000 words will be submitted in late August.

Graduate destinations

It is anticipated that graduates from the MSc in Archaeology will continue to further degree programmes in Archaeology either at Oxford or at leading universities elsewhere. Others may find careers in education, museums, commercial archaeology and the heritage industry.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

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