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Course summary

Archaeology is the study of the entirety of our human past from the origins of humans several million years ago up to recent times within living memory. While historians are primarily concerned with oral, written and transcribed accounts of the past, archaeologists study surviving material or physical remains to reconstruct the lives, societies and cultures of past peoples. What the programme covers This programme:

  • covers current thinking on some of the best known and most spectacular archaeological sites
  • considers the most pressing questions in archaeological research
  • provides an introduction to the tools and skills archaeologists require to reconstruct the past
Our teaching is multidisciplinary, reflecting the broad range of disciplines (drawn from the arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences) that underpin archaeological method and theory. You can study a broad range of time periods and different approaches to reconstructing the past. These include:
  • human evolution
  • later hunter-gatherers
  • the first farmers
  • the later prehistoric societies of the Iron Age
Our geographical scope reaches from the north of Scotland over central and southern Europe, the western and eastern Mediterranean to Egypt and the Near East. We also specialise in osteology, the study of the skeletal remains of humans and animals. In Years 3 and 4 you can choose to specialise in a specific time period, geographic area or culture. Practical skills and fieldwork We emphasise the importance of training in practical archaeological skills. You will have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience of artefact identification and analysis in practical sessions using artefacts from our own Vere Gordon Childe collection. You will complete three weeks of archaeological fieldwork at the end of Year 1 and have the option to undertake further fieldwork. You will also take part in projects in heritage management and public engagement, and the lab-based analysis of archaeological remains, in later years of study.


How to apply

This course is not accepting applications at this time. Please contact the provider to find out more.

Application codes

Course code:
V400
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification Requirements

Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/2023/degrees

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Please click the following link to find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course

https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/2023/degrees


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5Total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.
TOEFL (iBT)92Total 92 with at least 20 in each component (including Home Edition). We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English AdvancedTotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English ProficiencyTotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components
PTE Academic62Total 62 with at least 54 in each component.

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence. For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher: SQA National 5 at C; SQA Standard Grade at 3; GCSE at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate at C or IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests. English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language


Unistats information

Operated by the Office for Students
85%
Student satisfaction
40%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
70%
Go onto work and study

The student satisfaction data is from students surveyed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands £9250* Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9250* Year 1
Scotland £1820* Year 1
England £9250* Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250* Year 1
Wales £9250* Year 1
EU £24500* Year 1
International £24500* Year 1

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Additional fee information

Scotland (to be confirmed) In 2022-23 the fee level set by the Scottish Government was £1,820. The 2023-24 fee rate is expected to be confirmed by the Scottish Government in early 2023. Students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees. England/Wales/Nothern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed and was £9,250 for 2022 entry. For 2023 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits. Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme. The amount for 2023 entry will be confirmed in Summer 2022.
Archaeology at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS