Archaeology 1A: The Archaeology of Scotland ARCH1001
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Humanities
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
- Typically Offered: Semester 1
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course provides an introduction to Scotland's past from the earliest human habitation to the Modern era. The course places Scotland's history into a global context from the arrival of Scotland's first people to the end of the British Empire. While tracing Scotland's cultural evolution through this period, we will introduce you to a range of archaeological methods and principles and will see how archaeology contributes to contemporary society. It is organised chronologically into a sequence of themes, which are linked into the main course texts.
Timetable
10 1-hr lectures over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus;
9 1-hr seminars over 9 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.
One-day field trip on a Saturday.
11 1-hr blended learning content per week over 11 weeks.
Requirements of Entry
None
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
The standard assessments for this course are:
■ Online worksheet 1 (500 words): 20%
■ Online worksheet 2 (500 words): 20%
■ 90-minute exam (2000 words): 60%
(The worksheets have a substantial number of pictorial and numerical exercises, hence their lower word count but proportionally higher weighting)
If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:
■ There is no alternative to the worksheets, but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).
■ There is no alternative to the exam, but extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustment.
Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.
Main Assessment In: December
Course Aims
This course aims to:
■ explain Scotland's archaeology from the earliest human habitation until the modern era
■ introduce students to a range of methodologies and principles which underpin archaeological knowledge in Scotland and beyond
■ provide a foundation in archaeological thought and practice
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
■ apply archaeological evidence to a range of periods from Scottish prehistory and history through the experience of working with primary data during fieldtrips
■ identify the main characteristics of Scotland's material heritage
■ use archaeological evidence to interpret Scotland's cultural development and its contacts with the wider world
■ explain key archaeological methods and techniques