Archaeology (Taught)

This Masters will enable you to develop your own holistic approach to the challenges of contemporary archaeological research and practice. The programme combines conceptual learning with independent research and project-based work. A key strength of this programme is its flexibility, which allows you to create a portfolio of courses based on your individual needs and interests.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

We're ranked 37th in the world for Archaeology in the latest QS World Subject Rankings.

• Our staff are engaged in various innovative research projects (in Scotland, other parts of the UK and internationally) and actively involve our students in them.

• You will be supported in developing a range of Graduate Attributes to enhance your employability through professional practice.

• You can develop Digital Archaeology skills through the use and creation of digital collections and archives; digital imaging; gaming and interactive media.

• Our recent £1.2M investment in new archaeological science laboratory facilities and collaborations with Earth Science, Physics, Chemistry, SUERC and others will support you to develop skills in the archaeological sciences, including Environmental Science and Heritage Materials Science.

• We're ranked top 10 in the UK for Archaeology (2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject).

• Read about how our students and staff discovered a coin hoard linked to the 1692 Glencoe Massacre. Archaeology student Lucy Ankers said: "As a first experience of a dig, Glencoe was amazing. The two weeks I spent digging solidified that I want to pursue a career within archaeology."

• Find out more about our researchers exploring the landscapes of Glencoe and Rannoch Moor through archaeological, environmental and creative approaches.

• Read in the Guardian: UofG archaeologists uncover complete Neolithic cursus on the Isle of Arran.

• Listen to our podcast: Stories from Glasgow – Archaeology and the Digital Keys to Unlocking the Past with Dr Gareth Beale.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

This programme allows you to follow a pre-composed theme such as Landscape Archaeology, Digital Archaeology, or Celtic and Viking Archaeology or create your own flexible degree programme by selecting from optional courses across Archaeology and related programmes. This structure encourages interdisciplinary work integrated with core training in archaeological theory and methods, including training in archaeological sciences, and supports practice-based learning through Archaeology’s collections and courses.

Teaching will be delivered through field trips, the Archaeology research seminar series, and through courses in which you develop written work, portfolios, practice-based and practical assignments and oral presentations. An independent research project in the form of a dissertation, undertaken in the summer semester, is an integral part of the programme.

Core Courses
Research and Professional Skills
Archaeology Dissertation

All students participate in the ‘Research and Professional Skills’ course. Students should select five options from the range of courses offered in Archaeology and related subjects in agreement with the MSc Programme convenor.

Optional Courses
British Battlefields: Analysis and Cultural Resource Management
Modern Warfare: 19th and 20th Century Warfare
Geographical Information Systems in Archaeology
Independent Study Project
Cloth and Clothing
Archaeology, Games and Interactive Medi
Landscape Archaeologies
Contemporary and future archaeologies
Kingdoms and societies in northern Britain AD 400-800 Masters
Environmental Archaeology; plants, animals and people
Reassembling the Artefacts
Landscape and Environment in Gaelic Scotland
Heritage Material Science
Pottery Skills: understanding Archaeology's most common material
Decolonising the Heritage of Slavery and Colonialism