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Ancient History & Archaeology MA (Hons) 2021 entry

The MA (Hons) in Ancient History & Archaeology explores the civilisations of the ancient Mediterranean through the evidence of their material remains. The course ranges across the whole of the ancient Mediterranean and focuses on the period stretching from the early first millennium BCE to Late Antiquity. The Greeks and Romans are the main focus of the course, but there are opportunities to study the lives of their neighbours too, including peoples such as the Persians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Etruscans. This degree will take you to the heart of key debates on all areas of life in the ancient Mediterranean, including urbanism, religion, trade, warfare, colonisation, ecology and cultural identity.

Applications for 2021 entry for this course have now closed. See which courses are available for the upcoming academic year.

Key information

UCAS code

VV14

Course type

Master of Arts (single Honours degree)

Course duration

Four years full time

  • Start date: 6 September 2021
  • End date: 30 June 2025

Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Entry requirements

These grades are the overall standards required to consider you for entry. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

    • Standard entry grades: AAAB
    • Minimum entry grades: AABB
    • Gateway entry grades: BBBB

    • Standard entry grades: AAA
    • Minimum entry grades: ABB

    • Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5)
    • Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5)

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes, please see our entry requirements for more information.

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject specific entrance requirements as outlined on their pages.

International applicants

If English is not your first language you will need an overall IELTS score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking), or an equivalent English language qualification.

How to apply

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

You do not need previous knowledge of archaeology or ancient history to apply.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

  • SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:

    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computing science
    • Geography
    • Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology.

  • GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:

    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computing Science
    • Geography
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology.

Other qualifications

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Reputation

The School of Classics at St Andrews has an international reputation for the diversity of teaching programmes offered. The School has expertise in history and archaeology from the archaic Greek period, through the Roman Republic and Empire, to Late Antiquity, and in Greek and Latin literature from archaic Greece to the Later Roman Empire. The School also has expertise in the reception of Classics, that is, the study of later engagements with Greek and Roman culture and history from the Renaissance to the modern day.

The School of Classics was ranked first in Scotland by the Guardian University Guide 2021 and first in Scotland by the Complete University Guide 2021 for overall student satisfaction and quality of teaching and research.

The University of St Andrews as a whole was voted top in the UK for student academic experience in The National Student Survey 2020 as 92.7% of St Andrews final-year students gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience.

The University has secured a TEF Gold Award for the quality of teaching and the undergraduate experience.

The School was ranked best in Scotland and second in the UK in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) for the quality and impact of its research.

Find out more about studying archaeology at St Andrews.

Course information

The MA (Hons) in Ancient History & Archaeology is a four-year course run by the School of Classics. The course focuses on the broad applications of archaeology to the history and culture of the ancient Mediterranean, and is closely integrated with other degree programmes in the School of Classics.

During your first two years of study, you will typically take the modules offered by the Ancient History MA single Honours degree. These explore Greek history from the emergence of Greek urban settlement in the eighth century BCE to the time of Alexander the Great, and Roman history from the earliest beginnings of Rome to the growth of its empire and its disintegration in Late Antiquity. The study of archaeology and material culture is deeply integrated into these sub-honours modules. Some modules feature specific archaeological segments and topics and offer the choice to conduct assessed work on archaeological themes. In other modules, archaeology shapes and informs all the topics you will study. In the second year, practical sessions using items from the University’s museum collections are introduced, and there is an increased emphasis on archaeological methodology. The emphasis during this time is on learning to use archaeological and historical sources together and on understanding the impact of archaeological research, including both excavation and survey, on the modern understanding of the ancient Mediterranean.

In the first year of your studies, you will be required to study three subjects. In the second year you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.

At Honours level, you will undertake advanced training in archaeological principles and analysis and choose from a wide range of modules that are largely or entirely archaeological in content.

The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.

Fieldwork

Staff within the University occasionally conduct active fieldwork programmes. When these programmes are running, students are encouraged to apply for placement. If they are not running, every effort is made to help students find a place on an archaeological project.

Find out more about studying archaeology at St Andrews.

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), archaeology is taught in two ways: as an integral part of understanding ancient societies, in modules shared with the ancient history programme, and in a specialised module that introduces the key archaeological concepts, methodologies, and techniques. Find out more about the modular Scottish degree system.

Students will take the following compulsory first-year modules:

  • The Greeks in a Wider World: surveys Greek history from the origins of the Greek city-states in the Archaic period (ca. 800 BCE), through the heyday of Athens’ empire and democracy in the fifth century and the struggle for supremacy among the Greek cities in the fourth, to Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire. Alongside political and military history, the module tackles topics such as religious belief, slavery, and Greek interactions with other peoples of the ancient Mediterranean world. 
  • Rome and the Mediterranean: traces Rome’s trajectory from a small settlement in central Italy to the centre of a Mediterranean empire. The module examines a wide range of topics, including politics, the family, religion, slavery, poverty and the economy. It exposes the links between the growth of Rome’s power abroad and the transformation and eventual collapse of its Republican government at home.

You will take the following second-year ancient history modules, but may take second-year Classical Studies modules instead:

  • The Roman Empire: explores the complex history of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Late Antiquity, an empire which, for the first and last time, united the whole Mediterranean and its diverse hinterlands. The history and archaeology of the empire are studied through the themes such as power, society, cultures, the army and the frontiers, cities, economies, and religions. How did an ever-changing imperial monarchy oversee a relatively stable, slave-owning domain? What powers of coercion and persuasion did Rome exert? How was Rome and its empire culturally transformed over the centuries?
  • Mediterranean Communities: examines the history and archaeology of human settlement in the Mediterranean world throughout the whole of classical antiquity. In the course of the first millennium BCE and the first half of the first millennium CE (ca. 1000 BCE to 500 CE), the Mediterranean was transformed from a world of tiny peasant and tribal communities to a world of complexly connected cities, states and empires. This module brings together themes of ecology, economy, urbanism, networks and the state to ask big questions about how and why classical civilisation emerged when and where it did.

You can also take this interdisciplinary second-year module:

  • Introduction to Archaeology: provides a grounding in the main concepts, methodologies, and techniques of investigating the past through material evidence and physical environments. Topics will include methods of identifying and investigating archaeological sites and materials, and how archaeologists and cultural heritage practitioners disseminate, preserve, and curate the past for professional and public audiences.

If you decide to take ancient history and archaeology in your third and fourth years, you will take the following compulsory third-year module:

  • Principles and Techniques in Archaeology: provides an advanced induction to the practical conduct of archaeology and how it affects the results of excavations and surveys, and an in-depth introduction to key archaeological topics and theories.

You will then choose from a variety of advanced options which incorporate archaeology into the study of ancient civilisations and cultures, focusing on topics such as cities and urbanisation, networks, ancient art and sculpture, and the Bronze Age civilisations of the Aegean.

Here is a sample of Honours modules which have been offered in previous years:

  • Art of the Roman Empire
  • Cities and Urban Life in Late Antiquity (300-700 CE)
  • From Pompeii to Aquileia: The Archaeology of Roman Italy (50 BCE – 300 CE)
  • Greek Painted Pottery
  • In the Footsteps of the Ancients: Exploring the Archaeology and Topography of Greece
  • The Arcaheology of Minoan Crete
  • The Archaeology of Roman Britain
  • The Ancient City of Rome
  • The Roman Army.

In fourth year, students have the option of undertaking a dissertation of about 10,000 words on an approved topic in Archaeology. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.


The compulsory modules listed here must be taken in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above. A full list of all modules appropriate to the programme for the current academic year can be found in the programme requirements.

Teaching

Teaching format

Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through lectures (70 to 120 students) and small group tutorials (8 to 12 students). Tutorials are an opportunity for students to discuss and develop their thinking in a small and friendly atmosphere, guided by an expert tutor. 

At Honours level, all teaching is delivered through seminars (10 to 20 students), with a strong emphasis on students’ own contributions in informal class discussion and in group or individual presentations.

In addition to lectures and tutorials, students are expected to undertake substantial independent, but guided, work outside of the classroom. Typically, this will involve:

  • reading ancient source material in translation
  • reading journal articles and books
  • working on individual projects
  • undertaking research in the library
  • preparing coursework assignments and presentations
  • preparing for examinations.

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team with expertise and knowledge of ancient history and archaeology. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars and workshops under the supervision of the module co-ordinator.

You can find contact information for all staff in the School of Classics on the School of Classics website.

In addition to your studies in the School of Classics, optional academic support is available through practical study skills courses and workshops hosted within the University. 

The University’s student services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.

Assessment

Most modules in ancient history and Archaeology are assessed by 50% coursework and 50% examination. However, some modules are assessed solely or mainly on coursework, and others include practical assessment. Coursework can include:

  • research essays
  • source analysis
  • analysis of ancient sites and material evidence
  • learning diaries
  • oral presentations.

Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.

The School aims to provide feedback on every assessment within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. Please note that some Schools offer qualified entry to Honours, and this will be clearly specified in the programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale web.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2021 entry

Home-funded £1,820
Rest of the UK £9,250
EU and overseas £25,100

For overseas students, tuition fees will be fixed at this level for the duration of your programme.

More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.

Accommodation fees 

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation. 

Additional compulsory charges

The optional Honours modules 'In the Footsteps of the Ancients' and ‘From Pagan to Christian Rome, AD 300-900’, which are not offered every year, include compulsory field-trips in Greece and Italy respectively. Students must pay for accommodation, flights to and from Greece or Italy, travel during the field-trip, site entry permits, travel and health insurance, and meals other than breakfast. Some financial help may be available.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

The School of Classics offers bursaries for travel (including internships) to archaeological sites, summer schools, museums, and other institutions like the British Schools in Athens and Rome. 

Degree options

You can take Ancient History & Archaeology alongside the following subject:

In taking a joint degree, you are required to take core modules in all of your subjects. Find out more about joint degrees.

Your future

Careers

Archaeology courses at St Andrews do not provide the full training in British archaeology appropriate for someone set on working in professional or commercial archaeology in the UK. Nevertheless, recent graduates have gone on to work as professional archaeologists while others have taken professional qualifications in museum studies.

Popular career areas for students who have taken ancient history and archaeology include:

  • academia
  • journalism
  • libraries and information
  • museums and heritage
  • teaching
  • publishing.

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Study abroad

Archaeology students may participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.

Student life

From the outset, the University of St Andrews offers an array of events and opportunities which result in a truly unique student experience. Students participate in a range of traditions, notably, the red academic gown and the academic family, where older students adopt first year students as ‘children’ and help guide them in a system of mentoring. These traditions and the choice of over 150 sports clubs and student societies to choose from ensures a community feel amongst students from first year onwards.

Students of archaeology may be interested in joining the following societies:

The School of Classics is housed in Swallowgate, an attractive building which overlooks the sea and is close to the University Library and St Salvator's Quadrangle. Students will typically attend tutorials, seminars and meetings with tutors in this building, while larger lectures are held nearby in St Salvator’s.

The Swallowgate building also houses the School of Classics’ class library. The class library contains books that supplement the extensive holdings in the main Library and closely support the School’s undergraduate programmes. It is a lovely additional study space for students in the School. 

The town of St Andrews itself has lots to offer. As University buildings are located throughout the town, walking around you encounter ancient and modern buildings, parks and beaches, providing a rich, beautiful backdrop to learning. Find out more about the town of St Andrews.

Find out more about student life at the University of St Andrews.

Contact

School of Classics
University of St Andrews
Swallowgate
Butts Wynd
St Andrews
KY16 9AL

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2600
Email: classics@st-andrews.ac.uk 

School of Classics website

Policies

Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.

Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Curriculum development

As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.

Tuition fees

The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.

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