Program Overview

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Archaeology and Art History, MA

Overview

The MA Archaeology and Art History programme at the University of Aberdeen is a four-year undergraduate degree that combines the study of archaeology and art history. The programme is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the past, from the earliest human societies to the present day.

Study Information

Learning Mode

• On Campus Learning

Degree Qualification

• MA

Duration

• 48 months

Study Mode

• Full Time

Start Month

• September

UCAS Code

• FV43

Pathway Programme Available

• Undergraduate Foundation Programme

What You'll Study

The programme is divided into four years, with each year consisting of a combination of compulsory and optional courses.

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
  • Archaeology in Action (AY1003)
  • Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art (AH1503)
  • Fashion: History and Theory (AH1504)
  • Introduction to Art History (AH1005)
  • Encountering Art: Museums Through History (AH1002)
• Optional Courses:
  • Plus 60 credit points from courses of choice.

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Prehistoric Britain: from Boxgrove to Bede (AY2009)
  • Test Tubes and Trowels: an Introduction to Archaeological Science (AY2006)
  • Past Lives (AY2508)
  • The Archaeology of The North: Lifeways & Cultural Change (AY2505)
  • What is Art? (AH2001)
  • Art Matters: Materials and Techniques (AH2503)
• Optional Courses:
  • Plus 60 credit points from courses of choice.

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Professional Archaeology i: Field Methods (AY3010)
  • Professional Archaeology II: Post - Excavation Analysis and Employment (AY3514)
• Optional Courses:
  • Plus one of the following:
    • AH 3501 Curation: Theory and Practice
    • AH 3515 Women Writing Art History, c. 1850 - 1970
    • AH 3517 Painting in Tudor and Early Stuart England
  • Plus one of the following:
    • AH 3012 Surrealism and its Legacies in Contemporary Art
    • AH 3014 Architecture and Power
  • Plus further credit points from level 3 course(s) in Archaeology to gain a total of 60 credits in the discipline.

Year 4

• Optional Courses:
  • One of the following:
    • AH 4011 Art and the City
    • AH 4012 Surrealism and its Legacies in Contemporary Art
    • AH 4014 Architecture and Power
  • PLUS EITHER:
    • AY 4510 Current Issues in Archaeology
    • AH 4518 History of Art Dissertation
  • OR:
    • AY 4002 Archaeological Research Project Part II (with AY3512 as pre-requisite)
  • Plus further credit points from level 4 course(s) in Archaeology and History of Art to gain a total of 60 credits in each discipline.

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• SQA Highers: AABB (or better) or BBB (or better) with good performance in additional Highers/Advanced Highers
• A LEVELS: BBB (or better) or BBC (or better) with good performance in additional A-levels
• International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3

English Language Requirements

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and Funding

• Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year:
  • England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
  • EU / International students: £20,800
  • Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme
  • Home Students: £1,820

Careers

• Archaeology and Art History graduates can pursue careers in:
  • Arts management
  • Civil service
  • Curation
  • Heritage management
  • Museum research
  • Social research

Why Study Archaeology and Art History?

• Study at a nationally and internationally renowned university for Archaeology
• Archaeology at Aberdeen has a northern focus unique in the UK
• Aberdeen is at the heart of a region that is among the richest in the UK in terms of sites of outstanding archaeological interest
• Aberdeen is ranked 1st in the UK for Overall Student Satisfaction in Art History
• Field trips to galleries, museums and heritage collections at every level of study
• Fourth-year students have the opportunity to study and visit a major European city, with recent destinations including Florence and Berlin

Useful Fact about this Degree

• Aberdeen is ranked 3rd in the UK for Anthropology and Archaeology (Guardian University Guide 2025) and in the Global Top 100 for Archaeology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)