Year 1

In the first year, you will take two courses:

• The archaeology of Scotland: which provides an understanding of the cultural evolution of Scotland from the end of the last Ice Age until the modern era, material which will enrich your understanding of other aspects of the history and culture of Scotland, and an introduction to the key archaeological methods and techniques.
• Archaeology in the modern world: which will help you understand the relevance of archaeology to contemporary society, the issues involved in the preservation and interpretation of the past, and how archaeology has been used as a tool for creating communities, identities and legitimacy.

Year 2

The courses you take in second year depend on whether you are studying for an MA or a BSc degree.

If you are studying for an MA you will take three courses:

• Archaeology of Europe and the Mediterranean
• Field archaeology in theory and practice
• Interpreting archaeology.

If you are studying for a BSc degree, you will take a course in Analytical archaeology in place of Interpreting archaeology.

Years 3 and 4

If you successfully complete the courses in first and second year, you may progress to Honours (years three and four).

You will have a wide variety of taught courses to choose from at Honours level, but everyone has to take two core courses on archaeological theory and principles in their third year. You will also take other courses from a list that can include

• Mediterranean archaeology
• Early medieval Britain
• Viking studies
• Prehistoric Europe
• Roman archaeology
• Ceramic studies
• Landscape studies
• Computing applications
• The archaeology of religion.

You also have to complete a dissertation based on an original piece of research. Lastly, you will prepare a portfolio of practical work based on your fieldwork and the field course.

Throughout the programme we emphasise that you should gain practical experience in field archaeology, for example on our dedicated residential fieldschool. We provide a three-week-long course on excavation training for students entering Honours. You will also be able to take part in excavations and other fieldwork during the vacation periods. You can get some of this experience in laboratory or museum environments, and particular opportunities are available from the University’s Hunterian Museum and the city’s museums such as the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum.

Our students have studied for a year at universities in Ireland, Sweden and Australia: it’s a great opportunity to experience another country. You can also undertake your fieldwork abroad – recent students have worked in Cyprus, Greece, France and Iceland.

You will also have opportunities to work on field projects in Europe and the Mediterranean.

The wide range of transferable skills covered in our courses is valued by many employers, and our graduates enter a wide range of occupations, from marketing and the civil service to the media.

Our stress on the practical elements of archaeology means that many of our graduates find employment as professional archaeologists.

Recent graduates have positions in

• Historic Scotland
• The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
• Local authority planning departments
• Museums, including the National Museum of Scotland
• Heritage organisations such as the National Trust.