Program Overview

Medieval History and Archaeology MA (Honours) 2025 entry

Overview

The MA (Hons) in Medieval History and Archaeology blends aspects of archaeology and material culture with a wide variety of medieval historical issues and geographic locations to suit different interests, whether that be in early Islamic Iran, the Britons and Saxons, medieval political thought, or queenship.

Entry Requirements

Standard Entry Grades

• SQA Highers: AAAAB, including A in History
• GCE A-Levels: AAA, including A in History
• IB points: 38 (HL 6,6,6), including HL6 in History

Minimum Entry Grades

• SQA Highers: AABB, including B in History
• GCE A-Levels: ABB, including B in History
• IB points: 36 (HL 6,5,5,5), including HL5 in History

Gateway Entry Grades

Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

General Entry Requirements

• SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing science
  • Geography
  • Applications of Mathematics
  • 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

Course Details

The MA (Hons) in Medieval History and Archaeology is a four-year course run primarily by the School of History, though training in archaeological principles and analysis is primarily given by archaeologists working in the School of Classics.

Modules

• First year:
  • The Fall of Rome and the Origins of Europe
  • The Kingdom of the Scots, c.
• Second year:
  • Medieval Europe (11th - 15th c.)
  • History as a Discipline: Development and Key Concepts
  • Introduction to Middle Eastern History
  • Narratives of antiquity
  • Scotland, Britain and Empire (c.)
  • Introduction to Archaeology
• Honours:
  • Archaeological Methods
  • Principles and Techniques in Archaeology
  • Art of the Roman Empire
  • Early English Society, c.600-850
  • In the Footsteps of the Ancients: Exploring the Archaeology and Topography of Greece
  • Legal Cultures in Late Antiquity
  • The Ancient City of Rome
  • The History and Archaeology of Medieval Monasticism
  • The Roman Army

Teaching

Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through lectures (120 to 200 students) and small group tutorials (6 to 9 students). Teaching at Honours level moves away from large group lecturing, with students meeting in groups of about 10 to 16 students for longer classes.

Assessment

Assessment is by a combination of coursework and examinations. Coursework includes research essays, class presentations, and source analyses.

Fees

• Scotland: £1,820
• England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man: £9,535
• EU and overseas: £31,670

Careers

Popular career areas for students who have taken Medieval History & Archaeology include academia, journalism, libraries and information, museums and galleries, and publishing.