Masters Degrees (Viking)

The Masters in Celtic & Viking Archaeology provides an introduction to both theory and practice in approaches to early medieval archaeology, based on our particular research strengths in the settlements and material culture of Celtic, Pictish and Viking peoples, and in the archaeology of kingship and political development.

Why this programme

◾If you want to further your career in archaeology, our new approaches to early medieval studies bring fresh insights into the life and ideas of the period and provide you with a stimulating environment, learning from internationally-renowned scholars
◾You will have the opportunity to take fieldtrips to a number of sites relevant to your studies.
◾Our programme has strong links with the University's Hunterian Museum, and Glasgow Life giving you access to primary source material, including objects and archives.

Programme structure

You will take two core courses and three optional courses. For the MLitt you will produce a dissertation on a specialist topic agreed with the course convenor.

The core courses provides you with a theoretical background to the study of early medieval archaeology, examining themes such as burial, settlement, material culture, religion through a series of case studies. You will also get training and support in a wide variety of research methods including library skills, humanities computing, writing and presenting papers.

Core courses

◾Approaches to Celtic and Viking Archaeology
◾Research Skills

Optional courses

Three optional courses must be selected, two of which from the following
◾Themes in Early Medieval Scottish archaeology
◾Early Christian monuments of Scotland
◾Early Medieval artefacts
◾Viking and late Norse artefacts
◾Norse in the North Atlantic, AD 800–1500
◾Viking and late Norse British Isles.

You may also choose one of the following options
◾Thematic studies: any one of the thematic courses offered via other MLitt programmes, by agreement with the course convener. These may include courses available via other Masters programmes within the University (most relevant are those offered as part of Celtic Studies and Scottish Medieval Studies)
◾Independent study on a topic agreed with the course convenor.
◾Artefact studies: any one of the specialist courses offered in the MLitt Material Culture & Artefact Studies
◾Multimedia analysis and design or 2D digitisation.

Career prospects

Graduates have gone on to work for various heritage bodies such as the National Museum of Scotland, and for UK-based commercial archaeology firms.

The programme provides an excellent platform for you to move onto PhD studies and an academic career. The wide variety of specialist optional courses allow you to tailor your particular programme experience towards a direction that best suits your future plans upon completion.

Positions held by recent graduates include Field Archaeologist, Open Learning Tutor, University lectureships and research managers.

Read less

The Vikings have been incredibly influential in world history and culture. The Centre for Nordic Studies' team will be using their recognised expertise in this area to create this unique and exciting course on offer to students all over the world and to re-evaluate the Vikings past, present, and future.

Students will be able to critically evaluate key historical, economic, and social developments in the Viking world and analyse the significance and legacy of the cultural history of the Vikings both in isolation and in a wider context temporally and geographically. We'll look at Viking iconography in text and film, the role of women, and the significance of runes among other fascinating topics.

As part of the degree, students will study a set of core modules and also have the opportunity to choose from a range of optional modules, bringing the study of the Viking period into a wider perspective

Special Features

• Loans for tuition fees are available from the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for eligible Scotland domiciled and EU students, and loans for living costs for eligible Scottish students.
• Unique course content not available anywhere else
• You are taught by international experts in the field
• We use video conferencing and a virtual learning environment to deliver the course so you can study from anywhere in the world
• Small class sizes
• You can also choose unique options in palaeography, creative writing and the North Atlantic World
• You can study individual modules for personal or professional development, or work towards the PgCert, PgDip, or full Masters degree

This course has been approved for in-country international delivery. It may also be studied by international students based within the UK.
You will study this course through a combination of video conferenced seminars and learning through the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors and student advisor.
Students, including international students, can study at Orkney College UHI and Lews Castle College UHI in Stornoway, or from their own locations, studying online and by video conference, in real-time or recordings.
An online induction will be offered at the start of your course.

Modules

PgCert

Core modules are: Vikings in the Scottish Islands and the Irish Sea region; Gender in Viking Society; Runology and Old Norse

PgDip

Core module is: Visualising the Vikings: the Vikings in Popular Culture

You will also choose two option modules which may include: The North Atlantic World; Early Scottish and Norse Literature; The Orkney and Shetland Tongues; Orkney and Shetland Literature; Introduction to Screenwriting; Exploring Creative Writing; Celts and Vikings in the North Atlantic; Picts: Revealing the painted past.

MLitt

To achieve the award of MLitt Viking Studies you must complete a research dissertation.

Locations

This course is available online with support from
Lews Castle College UHI, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS2 0XR
Orkney College UHI, East Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1LX

Funding

From 2017, eligible Scotland domiciled students studying full time can access loans up to 10,000 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).This comprises a tuition fee loan up to £5,500 and a non-income assessed living cost loan of £4,500. EU students studying full time can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £5500.

Part-time students undertaking any taught postgraduate course over two years up to Masters level who meet the residency eligibility can apply for a for a tuition fee loan up to £2,750 per year.

See Scholarships tab below for full details

Top reasons to study at UHI

1. Do something different: our reputation is built on our innovative approach to learning and our distinctive research and curriculum which often reflects the unique environment and culture of our region and closely links to vocational skills required by a range of sectors.
2. Choice of campuses – we have campuses across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Each campus is different from rich cultural life of the islands; the spectacular coasts and mountains; to the bright lights of our city locations.
3. Small class sizes mean that you have a more personal experience of university and receive all the support you need from our expert staff
4. The affordable option - if you already live in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland you don't have to leave home and incur huge debts to go to university; we're right here on your doorstep

How to apply

If you want to apply for this postgraduate programme click on the ‘visit website’ button below which will take you to the relevant course page on our website, from there select the Apply tab to complete our online application.
If you still have any questions please get in touch with our information line by email using the links below or call on 0845 272 3600.

International Students

If you would like to study in a country of outstanding natural beauty, friendly communities, and cities buzzing with social life and activities, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland should be your first choice. We have campuses across the region each one with its own special characteristics from the rich cultural life of the islands to the bright city lights of Perth and Inverness. Some courses are available in one location only, for others you will have a choice; we also have courses that can be studied online from your own home country. http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international

English Language Requirements

Our programmes are taught and examined in English. To make the most of your studies, you must be able to communicate fluently and accurately in spoken and written English and provide certified proof of your competence before starting your course. Please note that English language tests need to have been taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course. The standard English Language criteria to study at the University of the Highlands and Islands are detailed on our English language requirements page http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international/how-to-apply-to-uhi/english-language-requirements

Read less

This unique programme introduces you to a variety of approaches to the early Medieval period in England and Scandinavia, with particular emphasis on languages, scripts and texts.

The course is excellent preparation for postgraduate research in the subject area, but is also suitable for those planning a career in the heritage industry, or with a more general interest.

The course offers you the basic linguistic, textual and analytical skills for early medieval studies, within a broader comparative and thematic context.

In addition to language and literature, Nottingham is also particularly renowned for its specialisation in Name-Studies and in Runology, and the MA programme has close links with related work in other disciplines, such as Archaeology and History.

Key facts

Nottingham is renowned for its work in Runology, Name Studies, Norse and Viking Studies and staff in the School of English and the Institute of Medieval Studies have received international acclaim for their research in these areas
We encourage an interdisciplinary approach to Viking and Anglo-Saxon Studies, and you will be able to participate in joint events and field trips with the School of History and the Department of Archaeology
This course is informed by work carried out in the University’s Institute for Name-Studies and the Centre for the Study of the Viking Age
The School was ranked 7th for English in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015 and 9th in the UK for 'research power' (REF 2014).

Read less

Your programme of study

If you are interested in understanding the Old Norse language this programme will provide an answer to questions like what did the early Scandinavians read and write, what was society like, what language did they speak, and how did they live?  You will rapidly become somewhat of an expert in this niche area which probably affected the lives of people across the UK and Europe at one time or another. You will become fluent in all things Scandinavian to provide that knowledge either to future generations in terms of teaching at all levels, in heritage attractions and you can use the essential skills you pick up within many other areas of work. You are taught by internationally renowned experts within Scandinavian Studies at one of the largest research institutes in the UK.

Apart from the strong ties of Aberdeen and the rest of the UK and influences from the Vikings both past and present you are also a ferry ride away from Orkney and Shetland.  Orkney is famed for its Viking archaeology and myths and both Orkney and Shetland was part of Scandinavia for many years until 1468 when Denmark mortgaged the islands to Scotland. Many Norse events still take place throughout the year in Aberdeenshire and the islands.

The MLitt will appeal to students interested in the history, language and culture of the Scandinavian-speaking peoples, and particularly to those who wish to gain an interdisciplinary insight to this field of research. The programme offers training and thematic courses as well as specialist supervision for a 15,000 word dissertation of the students' own choice. It is suited for students seeking to continue with postgraduate study as well as those simply interested to learn more.

Courses listed for the programme

Semester 1

Old Norse 1: Language, Literature and Culture

Optional

Palaeography

Special Subject

Semester 2

Old Norse 2 Language, Runes and Place Names

Research Preparation in Historical Studies

Semester 3

Dissertation in Historical Studies

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/290/scandinavian-studies-viking-and-medieval-studies/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• The Centre for Scandinavian Studies is the largest Scandinavian research institution in the UK
• You have a wide choice of careers either within the area of Scandinavian expertise or other areas of work.
• You study in beautiful old Aberdeen which is situated next to the sea and a ferry ride from Orkney and Shetland

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen
• Full Time or Part Time
• 12 Months or 24 Months
• September start

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

• Your Accommodation
• Campus Facilities
• Aberdeen City
• Student Support
• Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

Read less

UCL's Scandinavian Studies MA offers an intellectually exciting and flexible range of options focusing on Nordic culture in a global context. No prior knowledge of a Nordic language is required, though students can opt to consolidate their language or translation skills, or to start Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian or Swedish from scratch.

Degree information

Option modules include advanced translation skills, Nordic cinema, Nordic literature in global perspective, the transnational politics of the region, and material cultures as well as modules on Viking and medieval Scandinavia. Assessed modules are supplemented with workshops and a summer school providing opportunities for networking and career development in publishing, translation, filmmaking, and the heritage and creative sectors.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme offers two pathways: taught and research. Taught: one core module (30 credits), three optional modules (90 credits), dissertation (60 credits). Research: one core module (30 credits), two taught modules (60 credits), dissertation (90 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma, one core module (30 credits), three optional modules (90 credits) full-time nine months or part-time two years, is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate, one core module (30 credits), one optional module (30 credits) full-time three months, part-time six months, is offered.

Core module - Language, Culture and History. This core module permits research into two areas of major contemporary interest; for example, topics explored during the current year include the following: Trauma; Memory; Visual Culture; Queer(y)ing Sexuality

Optional modules - students take a choice of optional modules on topics such as the following:
-Advanced Scandinavian Translation
-Nordic Cinema: Contextualising Dreyer, Bergman and Dogme 95
-Introduction to Old Norse
-Crime and Small Communities in Nordic Literature
-Advanced Old Icelandic Literature
-Sources for the Viking Age

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a substantial dissertation.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures and reading and language classes. Student performance is assessed through written examination, coursework, and the dissertation.

Careers

An MA in Scandinavian Studies offers prospects for employment in the private as well as in the public sector, whether in Scandinavia or in the English-speaking world. Former graduate students in the department are to be found in a range of challenging careers, which include work in IT and management, museums and university teaching.

Employability
In the UK and abroad, the Nordic countries are increasingly recognised for the success of their political and social model, and for their film, literature, food and design. Our MA graduates bring their deep understanding of Scandinavian culture to careers in which knowledge of the region is key: publishing, the arts, commerce and information management. Expertise in Nordic languages is rare in the UK, and employer demand is accordingly high. Our MA allows students to hone their Nordic language skills or to try a new language. Many of our graduates launch careers with translation companies and as freelancers.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Scandinavian Studies is the largest independent Scandinavian department in the UK. Our research and teaching encompasses the languages, literatures, cultures, histories and politics of the entire Nordic region, ranging from the Viking Middle Ages to the present day.

Facilities are excellent: UCL boasts possibly the best Scandinavian Studies library outside Scandinavia, and students also have the outstanding collections of the British Library close at hand. Excellent links with universities in mainland Scandinavia, Iceland and Finland provide further benefits.

The department is home to the Viking Society for Northern Research, a leading publisher of Old Norse texts and monographs on medieval Scandinavia.

Read less

Your programme of study

This is an interdisciplinary programme which allows you to connect our contemporary world with the past. You can study a great range in terms of courses that make up your programme and you have the ability to really understand ancient kingdoms and civilisations from the past. You may want to study further after this programme or you may be able to advise within heritage tourism, museums and tourist sites. You may also like to get involved in writing and publishing or a wide range of other careers. Aberdeen provides you with a great teaching experience in an even greater setting which is medieval in origin.

The campus and university were initiated in 1495 so there are plenty of architectural wonders and history to interest you whilst you study in 'Old Aberdeen.'  The architecture is truly stunning and totally unexpected as you enter the university from the centre of Aberdeen. As you would expect in a university of this age and rich heritage there are also special collections hosting a variety of cultural artefacts. If you haven't visited University of Aberdeen it is well worth a tour to understand just how much history you get whilst you study. There are obvious connections from the university with many of the periods of medieval and early modern eras you study. 

The courses reflect research interests drawn from various disciplines including History, Church History and Divinity, Celtic, English, French, History of Art, Law, Philosophy and Scottish and Irish Studies and is supported by highly specialised teaching and research staff. The MLitt provides ample opportunity to use the large depository of late medieval and early modern materials in the University's Special Collection, which has new state of the art rooms in the new Library.

Courses listed for the programme

Introduction

You must acquire 180 credits (105 courses, 75 dissertation)

Optional Potential areas for study:

• The Enlightenment in Comparison: Scotland, Ireland and Central Europe 
• The Scottish Wars of Independence
• The Three Kingdoms of The Seventeenth Century
• Crime and Society in Early Modern England and Scotland
• Back in the Viking Homelands
• Jacobites: War, Exile and Politics of Succession in Britain
• Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Manuscript Studies
• Introduction to Old English Language
• Controversy and Drama: Marlowe to Revenge Tragedy
• Art and Society in Eighteenth-Century England
• Seventeenth-Century Netherlandish Art
• Medieval Manuscripts: Illustration of Medieval Thought
• Kant's Critique of Pure Reason
• Scottish Legal history, 14th - 18th century

Optional Courses

• Special Subject
• Engaging with Historiography
• Old Norse1: Language, Literature and Culture
• Palaeography
• Latin 1

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/183/medieval-and-early-modern-studies/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• You develop a strong understanding of culture and history within the UK and Scotland joining a lively research environment
• You are taught by experts in their specialist areas of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, if you specialise in renaissance and early modern periods you can attend seminars from the Centre of Early Modern Studies

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen
• Full Time or Part Time
• 12 Months or 24 Months
• September

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

•            Your Accommodation

•            Campus Facilities

•            Aberdeen City

•            Student Support

•            Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

Read less

Enhance your understanding of Archaeology by region and period, through a combination of taught modules and individual research in this flexible programme.

Renowned for our particular expertise in the British Isles, Europe and the Mediterranean area, our experts teach from the Neolithic through to the Celtic, Roman and Viking periods.

You will be able to critically assess the work of others and of your own, to engage effectively in debate at an advanced level, to plan, design and carry out a coherent research strategy, and to produce detailed and coherent reports and presentations. The wide-range of transferable skills acquired are a particular strength for the pursuit of careers outside of archaeology and the heritage sector.

In addition to our general MA Archaeology programme we offer three pathways to shape your studies. You can choose the pathway that best suits you. The pathway you choose will determine the modules you go on to study.

The three pathways are:

• European Neolithic
• Prehistoric Britain
• Early Medieval Society and Culture

Structure

This course can be completed in one year with full-time study or in 3 years by part-time study.

Taught Stage:

You will take two core modules (40 credits) and four optional modules (80 credits). The options you take will depend on the pathway you choose.

Dissertation Stage:

On successful completion of the taught course element you will go on to complete your dissertation (60 credits). This takes the form of an individual research project, resulting in a dissertation of around 20,000 words.

Core modules:

Postgraduate Skills in Archaeology and Conservation
Skills and Methods for Postgraduate Study
MA Archaeology Dissertation

For a list of the optional modules for the FULL-TIME route, please see website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/archaeology-ma

For a list of the optional modules for the PART-TIME route, please see website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/archaeology-ma-part-time

Teaching

You will be taught through a mix of seminars, lectures, tutorials and practicals in the archaeology laboratories.

As part of the programme, you will deliver presentations to your fellow MA students within our supportive community.

Assessment

Taught stage assessment is via essays, presentation and coursework.

On successful completion of the taught elements of the programme you progress to a dissertation of up to 20,000 words on a topic or theme of your choice (subject to the approval of your supervisor).

This self-regulated year of study is ideal preparation for progression to PhD.

Career prospects

Graduates of this and similar degree programmes have embarked on careers in a range of professions from academia, the heritage sector, journalism and law to media research (media, commercial, academic), teaching and publishing. A significant number choose to continue studies at PhD level.

Recent destinations include: CADW, Church in Wales, Council for British Archaeology, Glamorgan Archives, Heritage Lottery Fund, National Trust, Tate Gallery, Welsh Assembly Government and a range of universities in the UK and overseas.

Read less

• Develop and enhance your knowledge of archaeology through a selection of specialist modules that suit your chronological, geographical and thematic interests
• A flexible degree that prepares you for a career in research, the commercial sector or heritage management
• Become part of a world-leading Department with an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research
• Take thematic and skills-based options that integrate social and scientific techniques
• Benefit from dedicated laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities

What will you study?

Conmpulsory modules include: 

• Dissertation 
• Research Skills and Career Learning

Optional Modules include:

Theory 

• Theoretical Approaches in Archaeology 
• Issues and Debates in Medieval Archaeology 
• Issues and Debates in Bioarchaeology 
• Quantitative Methods 

Old World Archaeology 

• Our Closest Cousins? Archaeology of the Neanderthals 
• Interpreting Neolithic and Bronze Age Britain 
• Themes and Approaches in the Study of Mesopotamia 
• Climate Change and Human Societies
• Material Cultures and Identities in the Roman Empire
• The Archaeology of Money: Coins, Power and Society 

Medieval Archaeology

• Viking Interactions in the West 
• Colonisation and Cultural Transformation: the archaeology of crusading
• The Medieval Landscape 
• Analysing the Medieval Townscape 

Bioarchaeology 

• Human Bioarchaeology 
• Food and Culture 
• Zooarchaeology 
• Coastal and Maritime Geoarchaeology 
• Applications of Micromorphological Analysis 
• Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 
• Climate Change and Human Communities

Placement and Career Options

• Archaeological Graphics 
• Research and Enterprise Placement
• Research and Enterprise Micro-Placement 
• Management of Heritage Assets

Please see our modules outline for further information.

Please note that all modules are subject to change. Please see our modules disclaimer for more information.

What career can you have?

Our graduates go on to full-time employment within archaeology and related consultancies or units, museums and government agencies. Up to one third continue their academic career through doctoral research. In recent years, graduates have been successful in obtaining appointments with heritage agencies (Historic England, National Trust) and universities, including Bristol, Cardiff, Durham, Exeter and Newcastle.

Read less

• Choose from a diverse range of options covering the full extent of the Middle Ages (AD 400-1600)
• Learn to integrate social and scientific techniques
• Prepare for a career in research, the commercial sector or heritage management
• Become part of a Department with one of the world’s largest groups of medieval archaeologists
• Benefit from state-of-the-art facilities

What will you study?

Compulsory modules include:

• Dissertation
• Issues and Debates in Medieval Archaeology
• Research Skills and Career Learning

Optional modules include:

The Social World of Medieval Archaeology 

• Viking Interactions in the West
• Colonisation and Cultural Transformation: the archaeology of crusading 
• The Medieval Landscape
• ONE Language option with the IWLP 
• Medieval Latin and Palaeography 
• Theoretical Approaches to archaeology 

Bioarchaeology

• Human Bioarchaeology 
• Food and Culture 
• Zooarchaeology 
• Applications of Micromorphological Analysis 
• Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 
• Climate Change and Human Communities 

Placement and Career 

• Archaeological Graphics 
• Research and Enterprise Placement
• Research and Enterprise Micro-Placement 
• Management of Heritage Assets 
• Quantitative Methods 

You may also select Old World or Environmental Archaeology modules.

Please see our modules outline for further information.

Please note that all modules are subject to change. Please see our modules disclaimer for more information.

What career can you have?

Our graduates go on to full-time employment within archaeology and related consultancies or units, museums and government agencies. Up to one third continue their academic career through doctoral research. In recent years, graduates have been successful in obtaining appointments with heritage agencies (Historic England, National Trust) and universities, including Bristol, Cardiff, Durham, Exeter and Newcastle.

Read less

Material culture and artefact studies combines the archaeological recovery and specialist examination of an object with its presentation, management and understanding within a cultural context.

Why this programme

◾This MLitt in Material Culture & Artefact Studies will prepare you to participate at both a practical and theoretical level within the field of specialist artefactual analysis.
◾You will be able to undertake a work placement to gain valuable work experience in a museum, archaeological unit or other cultural institution.
◾You will benefit from the involvement of staff from Glasgow Museums, National Museums Scotland and other institutions within Scotland, and will have the opportunity to work with collections from local museums, including the University’s own Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery.

Programme structure

The taught component consists of core courses and optional courses, running over two semesters.

Assessment is normally focused on written performance, but oral presentation skills and other modes of assessment allow you to develop your writing skills in a number of formats. This is in addition to the practical emphasis on developing your ability to interpret and analyse artefacts.

For the MLitt you can opt to do either a dissertation or an extended work placement (assessed by work placement eportfolio and either a research report or a student exhibition design).

Core courses
◾Material culture in context
◾The process of artefact studies.

Optional courses include modules such as:
◾Lithic analysis
◾Independent study
◾Critical themes in the display and reception of objects
◾Early medieval artefacts
◾Viking and late Norse artefacts (AD 750-1350).
◾Optional courses drawn from Archaeology or from other programmes across the University can be taken by agreement with the programme convener.

Career prospects

The two strands to the degree enable you to prepare for further doctoral research whilst also providing opportunities for valuable vocational experience in a commercial environment.

The wealth of experience and knowledge provided by the interdisciplinary nature and focus of the degree and the networks and relationships developed during their time here, has stood past graduates in good stead upon graduation. They have found full-time positions with Historic Scotland, Headland Archaeology Ltd, Guard Archaeology Ltd. While others are working with various heritage organisations and some are continuing with their postgraduate studies.

Several of our international graduates have found employment working at the Smithsonian, Washington D.C and at the Pink Palace Museum, Memphis Tennessee. Others continue to work in the Cultural Resource Management sector. Several students have gone on to further doctoral research at Glasgow University and beyond, on prehistoric stone tools, Shetland lace knitting, Bronze Age ceramics and medieval settlement..

Read less

Durham's MA in Medieval History is a broad-ranging Master's programme which seeks to equip students with historical research techniques and approaches, advanced skills in critical analysis and independent study, as well as strong and effective communication skills. The MA programme is designed to enable students with different career ambitions to succeed in their chosen area, and it caters for students of different backgrounds, previous training, and areas of specialisation. The breadth of research interests of the medievalists at Durham allows the department to offer supervision in topics about the medieval world from Late Antiquity through to the sixteenth century. The programme seeks to enable students to build an awareness of the contemporary boundaries of medieval scholarship, to master advanced understanding of historical concepts and methods, and ultimately to make their own contributions to the field.

Durham's History Department is an international centre for the study of the Middle Ages, and is situated in the historic setting of the World Heritage Site, which includes Durham Cathedral, Durham Castle and the surrounding area. Students of medieval history at Durham benefit from the rich archival and manuscript resources in the collections of the University (at Palace Green Library and at Ushaw College) and in the Cathedral Library, while the wider regional resources for study of the period are also highly significant: these include the landscape of Viking invasion, of Bede, of high medieval monasticism, of centuries of border warfare with their rich and distinctive legacy of castles, and of early industry and proto-capitalism.

Course Structure

The MA in Medieval History is a one-year full-time programme (or two-years part-time). All students are allocated a supervisor at the beginning of the first term, and s/he guides each student through the year. The programme is structured as follows:
Michaelmas Term (October-December)
-Archives and Sources (15 credits)
-Issues in Medieval History (30 credits)
-*Skill module (30 credits) - taken over Michaelmas and Epiphany Terms

Epiphany Term (January-March)
-Critical Practice (15 credits)
-Option module (30 credits)

Option modules allow students the opportunity to learn about a particular topic or issue in medieval history in depth, and to consider different historical approaches to this topic over a full term's study. In previous years, options for medieval history included The Anglo-Saxon World, AD 400-1100, Power and Society in the Late Middle Ages, and The Wealth of Nations. Option modules are taught in weekly two-hour seminars for a full term's study.

Easter Term (April-June), and the summer vacation (until early September)
-Dissertation (90 credits, or 60 credits if taking a *Skill module)

Students meet with their supervisors on an individual basis and will discuss the topic, direction and content of their dissertation, as well as the relevant medieval evidence and scholarship which they should explore. The dissertation is a substantial, independent piece of research: the 90-credit dissertation is 20,000 words, while the 60-credit dissertation is 15,000 words. You are not required to write your dissertation on a topic which is in the same period and area as your optional modules, but it is recommended that students discuss their individual programmes of work with their supervisors and/or with the Director of Taught Postgraduate Programmes.

The formal requirements and structure of the programme can be found at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/courses/info/?id=9187&title=Medieval+History&code=V1K107&type=MA&year=2016#essentials a full list of optional modules is available at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/history/postgraduate/ma_degrees/optionalmodules/

The MA can be taken part-time, over two years. In the first year the module combination consists of Archives and Sources, Critical Practice, Issues and in addition a Skills module OR Optional module. In the second year your work will consist of either a 90 credit, 20,000 word dissertation (if you took an Optional module in the first year) OR a 60 credit, 15,000 word dissertation, AND an Optional module (if you took a Skills module in the first year).

Additional courses can be taken on an audit-basis (not for credit), and can include language modules as well as optional modules. You will need to ask and receive the permission of the module leader before auditing a class. If the class is outside the department you will also need to inform the Director of Taught Postgraduates.

Learning and Teaching

The programme is delivered primarily through small group seminar teaching with some larger classes, and lecture-style sessions. Termly division of contact hours between terms depends on student choice. Issues in Medieval History has 16 contact hours, all classroom-based; this module is team-taught and exposes students to a wide variety of staff support and expertise. Archives and Sources has 8 contact hours, split between lectures, classes and seminars. Skills modules are taught through seminars or classes and are usually more contact-hour-intensive. In previous years, optional modules were taught in seminars and provided a total of 16 contact hours. Critical Practice involves lectures, a drama workshop, and oral presentation to a group (at a 'mini-conference'). Dissertation supervision involves 8 hours of directed supervision, individually with a dedicated supervisor.

Read less

The M.Phil. course in Medieval History is designed to provide students with a rigorous grounding in medieval history and to prepare high-calibre graduates, from any Arts or Social Science background, for doctoral study or for employment outside of academia. The course is taught by specialists not only from the Department of History but also by medievalists in other disciplines, including archaeology, art history, classics, gender studies, literature and musicology. Aside from a thorough training in key skills, the course offers students the possibility of focusing on particular geographical areas (Ireland or elsewhere in Europe) and on themes crucial to the shaping of the medieval world, between c.500 and c.1550.

In a variety of modules students are trained in the analysis and presentation of their research findings. They are also introduced to the methodological challenges of advanced study and research at postgraduate level. The course includes a rigorous training in Latin (catering both for beginners and those with an existing qualification) and in Palaeography – the study and transcription of medieval handwriting. Study of other languages is also possible. A suite of term-long electives is available on substantive themes or topics, varying from year to year. Recently offered modules include: The Archaeology of Ancient and Early Medieval Rome; Viking Ireland; Regnum and Sacerdotium in Narrative Sources and Letters of the Eleventh Century; Saints and Sanctity in the Medieval World; Kingship in Medieval England; Renaissance Kingship, c.1488-1542; Gender Theories; Public Archaeology; and Classics and the European Identity. The weekly James Lydon Research Seminar provides an opportunity for invited medievalists from Ireland and across the world to discuss their work with graduate students. There is also a dedicated M.Phil. Research Seminar, in which Masters students present their research to fellow students and staff. The course culminates with a 20,000-word dissertation, written on an agreed topic and individually supervised by a member of staff.

Read less

Your programme of study

In recent years Archaeology has become very well recognised on the television with Time Team and programmes about Orkney, Pompeii, hidden cities in Italy and many more. As a discipline it pieces together our hidden and sometimes lost past, helps us understand history, migration, our ancestry and it also helps us to understand just how sophisticated many previous civilisations were and the constant struggle for survival and cultural creation. There are a great many famous international sites which are often world heritage status which bring our past to tourists but the real interest lies in finding items and piecing together settlements, harbours, and how people lived on actual sites. We can then take all of this knowledge to help us understand how far reaching ancient civilisations were. Archaeology is a fascinating subject area and there are a wealth of very important sites within this region of Scotland to really enjoy whilst you are studying.

You are equipped with research skills to investigate the material culture and heritage of the far northern hemisphere, a region that includes Scotland, the North Atlantic, Scandinavia and Baltic Europe, northern Russia and the circumpolar region through Siberia, the North Pacific and high-latitude North America.

Courses listed for the programme

Semester 1

Theory and Method Research

Optional

Northern Worlds

Viking Archeology

GIS Tools and Techniques

The Museum Idea

Semester 2

Northern Peoples and Cultures

GIS Tools and Techniques

Fundamentals of GIS and Spatial Analysis

Reading Environmental Ethnography

Developing a Theory of Practice: Learning and Museums

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/17/archaeology/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• We are ideally situated to see some world famous sites in Orkney, Aberdeenshire and Highlands

• You are taught by dedicated professionals and researchers

• You could volunteer to be part of sites threatened by rising sea levels and be part of a research team set up to investigate this

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

• Your Accommodation

• Campus Facilities

• Aberdeen City

• Student Support

• Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

Read less

About the course

This programme offers a series of closely integrated core modules addressing key issues in medieval archaeology, enabling you to develop your experience and understanding of method and theory whilst developing your intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, problem solving and independent judgement. You will be encouraged to explore your own particular interests with a range of modules allowing you to focus on Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian and later medieval, and Tudor archaeology in Europe.

Your future

Each of our masters courses is designed to equip you with valuable employment skills and prepare you for your future career. If you’re seeking to move into an archaeology-related field from a different academic or employment background, our courses and supportive staff will help you to realise your ambitions and develop professionally.

Graduates from our MA and MSc courses successfully compete for some of the most sought-after archaeological posts in the world. Our courses help students to develop essential transferable skills, and upon graduation they are also in demand by a wide variety of employers outside of the sector.Many of our graduates decide to continue their studies, carrying out doctoral research in their chosen specialist field, equipped with a solid theoretical and practical grounding from which to develop their research.

World-leading expertise

The character and strength of research carried out by Sheffield’s Archaeology department is captured under the following broad themes. These reflect the range of our research and its cross-disciplinary, embedded nature:

Funerary Archaeology
Landscape Archaeology
Bioarchaeology
Medieval Archaeology
Cultural Materials
Mediterranean Archaeology

Specialist facilities

The Archaeology department is situated on the edge of the main campus, near to Sheffield’s city centre. The department houses world-class reference collections and facilities to support teaching, learning and research in a range of archaeological disciplines. Facilities include specialist lab space dedicated to teaching and research, dedicated study spaces, and a student common room.

Fieldwork opportunities

We offer you the opportunity to get involved in our research projects in the UK, Europe and further afield.

How we will teach and assess you

Our students come from all around the world and the content of our courses reflects this. You can expect a balanced timetable of lectures, seminars and practicals. Many of our masters courses also include a fieldwork or project work component. Our teaching staff are leading scholars in their field. Through their research and field projects they are active in generating new knowledge that feeds directly into their teaching.

Funding, scholarships and bursaries

If you accept a place on one of our courses, you may be eligible to apply for WRoCAH and University of Sheffield studentships. There are also a number of departmental and programme-specific scholarships available each year. See our website for details.

Core modules

Heritage, Museum and Field: Archaeology in Practice; Ethnicity and Identity in the Early Middle Ages; Society and Culture in the Later Middle Ages; Reinventing Archaeology; Research Design: Planning, Execution and Presentation; Dissertation.

Indicative optional modules

Viking-Age Britain; Wars of the Roses to Elizabeth: The Archaeology of England 1455-1603; Introduction to Human Osteology; Archaeozoology; Two modules from the Department of History.

Read less

This course is unique in its focus on the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. It offers the opportunity to consider wider archaeological concepts and theoretical issues utilising world-class sites in Orkney and the North Atlantic region.

The MLitt Archaeological Studies will enable you to engage critically with current themes and debates in archaeological practice, theory and method.

There are a wide range of module options which draw on the research specialisms of the Archaeology Institute staff and these provide you with the flexibility to combine taught modules and dissertation research.

You can develop chronological specialisms grounded in the archaeology and heritage of the region; for example, in Prehistoric Archaeology or in Celtic through to Viking/Norse and Medieval Archaeology. Or you may choose to combine period-based modules with our professional skills modules to gain a broader knowledge and understanding of the diversity of methods and theory practiced within archaeology.

Special Features

• A limited number of funded places are available for full-time, Scottish or EU fee status students.
• Loans for tuition fees are available from the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for eligible Scotland domiciled and EU students, and loans for living costs for eligible Scottish students.
• Study in the outstanding archaeological landscape of the Orkney Islands
• You will be taught by internationally recognised experts in the field and take advantage of cutting edge research taking place at world renowned sites including the Ness of Brodgar World Heritage site excavations
• You can study individual modules for personal or professional development
• The course offers preparation for specialised research at PhD level

Study Options

The course is available to study full time in September and part time in September and January by self directed study.
You will study this course through a combination video conference seminars and online learning.

Modules

PgCert

Core modules are: Archaeology of the Highlands and Islands; Research and Dissertation Skills
You will also choose one option module listed under the PgDip

PgDip

Option modules, from which you must choose three, may include:
Death and Burial Archaeology; Vikings and Norse in the North Atlantic; Neolithic Studies; From Vikings to VE Day: Scottish Medieval and Later Society; Iron Age Scotland in the Atlantic World; Archaeological & Geophysical Survey; Maritime Archaeological Heritage; Digital Analysis; Sustainability Past and Present; Excavation; Art and Archaeology: Contemporary Theory and Practice

MLitt

To achieve the MLitt award you must complete a research dissertation.

Locations

Inverness College UHI, 1 Inverness Campus, Inverness, IV2 5NA
Lews Castle College UHI, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS2 0XR
Orkney College UHI, East Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1LX
Highland Theological College UHI, High Street, Dingwall, IV15 9HA
Perth College UHI, Crieff Road, Perth, PH1 2NX

Funding

The University of the Highlands and Islands is pleased to offer a limited number of places with full tuition fee support for Scottish-domiciled/EU students, studying full time, on this course starting in September 2017 to help talented students join this key growth sector for the Scottish economy. Fees will be funded by the European Social Fund and Scottish Funding Council as part of Developing Scotland’s Workforce in the Scotland 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Fund Programmes.
See https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/first-steps/how-much-will-it-cost/funding-your-studies/funded-postgraduate-places/

From 2017, eligible Scotland domiciled students studying full time can access loans up to 10,000 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).This comprises a tuition fee loan up to £5,500 and a non-income assessed living cost loan of £4,500. EU students studying full time can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £5500.

Part-time students undertaking any taught postgraduate course over two years up to Masters level who meet the residency eligibility can apply for a for a tuition fee loan up to £2,750 per year.

See Scholarships tab below for full details

Top reasons to study at UHI

1. Do something different: our reputation is built on our innovative approach to learning and our distinctive research and curriculum which often reflects the unique environment and culture of our region and closely links to vocational skills required by a range of sectors.
2. We have campuses across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Each campus is different from rich cultural life of the islands; the spectacular coasts and mountains; to the bright lights of our city locations.
3. Small class sizes mean that you have a more personal experience of university
4. The affordable option - if you already live in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland we're right here on your doorstep

How to apply

If you want to apply for this postgraduate programme click on the ‘visit website’ button below which will take you to the relevant course page on our website, from there select the Apply tab to complete our online application.
If you still have any questions please get in touch with our information line by email using the links beow or call on 0845 272 3600.

International Students

If you would like to study in a country of outstanding natural beauty, friendly communities, and cities buzzing with social life and activities, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland should be your first choice. We have campuses across the region each one with its own special characteristics from the rich cultural life of the islands to the bright city lights of Perth and Inverness. Some courses are available in one location only, for others you will have a choice; we also have courses that can be studied online from your own home country. .http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international

English Language Requirements

Our programmes are taught and examined in English. To make the most of your studies, you must be able to communicate fluently and accurately in spoken and written English and provide certified proof of your competence before starting your course. Please note that English language tests need to have been taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course. The standard English Language criteria to study at the University of the Highlands and Islands are detailed on our English language requirements page http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international/how-to-apply-to-uhi/english-language-requirements

Read less