Course summary

Archaeology is the study of how people in the past interacted with their world, through a detailed study of their objects, sites, monuments and landscapes. History of art seeks to understand how and why paintings, sculptures, buildings and works of design in a variety of media come to look the way they do. Why study this course at the University of Glasgow? You will have the opportunity to gain practical fieldwork skills in the UK and abroad. Recent students have worked on excavation projects across Europe and the Near East, including the Baltic states, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, and on high-profile projects within Scotland. Throughout the programme we emphasise that you should gain practical heritage work experience including archaeological fieldwork techniques and developing the social benefits of archaeology. We provide day and residential fieldtrips for our students to archaeological sites, landscapes, museums and other heritage venues. You will also be able to take part in current staff research projects including survey and excavation, as well as working in archaeological archives and collection-based projects. You can gain work experience in various heritage and museum organisations through our network of placement providers. We can also help students get onto excavation teams across Europe. You will benefit from the extensive resources of the University Library and Archives, and The Hunterian, the University’s museum and art gallery, which feature the world-famous Hunter, Whistler and Mackintosh collections. You will also have access to Kelvin Hall, the University and city’s innovative collections-access centre. In your third-year vacation you will receive a grant to assist you to visit museums, galleries and buildings relevant to your studies. Career Prospects? Employers, from banking and law to business and tourism, value the transferable skills that an archaeology degree offers such as teamworking, practical problem-solving, working with the public and critical analysis. Many graduates are employed in vocational archaeological and heritage roles working for government agencies, the charitable sector and other heritage organisations in Scotland and beyond. These include the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Archaeology Scotland, the British Museum, National Museums of Scotland and Glasgow Life, as well as various companies offering commercial archaeological services in the UK and abroad. This degree can lead to careers in publishing, journalism, teaching and librarianship, museums, galleries, the heritage sector and art dealing & auction houses. Examples of graduate destinations include a Getty Collections Management Internship in the USA, and curatorial or administrative posts at Dulwich Picture Gallery, Handel House and the Design & Artists Collecting Society.