Programme description

The MSc (by Research) in Archaeology supports your interest in this field to an advanced academic and professional in independent research.

The MScR in Archaeology provides a unique experience in graduate education and research. This one-year degree (or 2 years part-time) provides a solid grounding in the methods and techniques of research, while enabling you to pursue your own project and complete an extended thesis with the guidance of supervisors who are experts in the field.

We welcome applications from anyone keen to work in areas or on topics in which we have expertise. These include:

  • aspects of Science-based archaeology
  • Osteoarchaeology
  • costal and marine heritage
  • megalithic monuments
  • early civilisations and urban societies in the Mediterranean and Europe
  • Near Eastern Archaeology and Egyptology
  • later European prehistory
  • the archaeology of Scotland
  • the Byzantine world

Breadth of expertise

We have a  wide range of expertise covering different areas, time periods and themes, including

  • Bioarchaeology and isotope studies
  • Egyptology
  • Roman and ‘Celtic’ archaeology
  • The Byzantine World and Late Antiquity  
  • Megalithic monuments
  • Prehistory of Europe, the Mediterranean and North-East Africa
  • Early civilisations and urban societies
  • The archaeology of Scotland
  • Cultural heritage and sustainability
  • Digital heritage and heritage policy
  • Archaeomaterials analysis  
  • Human evolution
  • Conflict archaeology
  • Medieval archaeology
  • Computational archaeology
  • Marine and coastal archaeology
  • Buildings archaeology
  • Archaeological survey-Landscape Archaeology

Focal areas of research include:

  • Bioarchaeology/ Human Osteoarchaeology/ Biological Anthropology
  • Human–environment interactions
  • The transition from hunter-gatherer to farming communities
  • The development of complex societies
  • Cultural heritage perspectives on the past, present, and future

To find out more about our research strengths, and the research groups and centres based in the School, consult our research pages:

You can identify potential supervisors by looking at the School of History Classics and Archaeology’s Staff Profiles, which give details of staff research interests and publications, and email addresses. You are encouraged to contact the programme director or a potential supervisor to discuss a possible topic or research project before making a formal application.

International reputation

Studying in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology you will benefit from small-group individual supervision from nationally- and internationally-renowned archaeologists.

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