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MA Roman Archaeology

Explore the rich legacy of Roman Europe

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

Length

1 year full-time,
2 years part-time,
3 years part-time

Start date

September 2024 (semester dates)

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Learn about the Roman past and use your skills in archaeology, science, digital archaeology, or heritage to help change how we look at the Roman world!

This course is meant for people looking to deepen their knowledge on the Roman past from a diverse and critical angle, or want to apply their skills in other fields to the context of the Roman world. You do not require a background in Roman studies, you need affiliation to the topic and enthusiasm to catch up on the latest debates and developments in the field.

We will discuss a range of exciting topics, work with objects, and uncover new fields of investigation, from new scientific and digital methods to discussions about cultural diversity, slavery, religion, or contemporary heritage. We will cover the entirety of the Empire and its interactions: from Egypt, the Levant, North Africa, to Europe and Britain. And York is one of the best places to go, as it was once the capital of Roman North Brittanica! There is much more to add to the knowledge and the ways we communicate Roman heritage.

Your project will add to an active field of study, will have practical components in material analysis, or can be done in collaboration with our many local heritage partners.

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Beautiful surroundings

York is the UK's archaeological capital. You'll study in King's Manor, a beautiful Medieval building in the centre of the historic city.

Feel at home

Informality is one of our distinctive qualities - the atmosphere in our department is friendly, supportive and enthusiastic. We want you to develop your potential and thrive at York.

Course content

You will study 180 credits over the duration of your course: 

  • Semester 1 - one core and two option modules
  • Semester 2 - one core and one option module and an 80 credit dissertation
  • Summer Semester - 80 credit dissertation continued

Modules

Core modules

Option modules

You'll also study three option modules. Examples from previous years have included:

You'll also have the opportunity to choose options from our full module catalogue. Examples may include:

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.

Dissertation

You'll complete a 15,000-word dissertation and assessed lecture on your research.

We welcome every topic concerning the Roman past that a student wants to design into a research project. Dissertation topics on the following subjects fall within the range of expertise of the director of studies:

  • Archaeology of Italy
  • Archaeological theory, politics, and ethics
  • Critical heritage
  • Digital approaches
  • Egypt in the Roman world
  • Museum studies and curating
  • Religion and mythology
  • Roman slavery
  • Roman art and visual culture
  • Urbanism and household archaeology: Pompeii and Rome

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an applied, systematic, in-depth understanding of essential disciplinary knowledge of the field of Roman archaeology, and awareness of its breadth and its relevant academic, professional and socio-economic contexts.

  • Engage critically with current debates and advanced scholarship in local and international research and field practice in order to evaluate archaeological work on Roman Europe.

  • Inform decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations by assessing and applying advanced, professional-level theories and methodologies relating to Roman archaeology to diverse problems or forms of data.

  • Confidently synthesise research findings and key scholarly debates and communicate (through a variety of forms and media) to peers, public or professional audiences in such a way that demonstrates an ability to consider and adapt to their respective needs.

  • Demonstrate originality in rigorous and imaginative independent inquiry, using advanced research skills

  • In conjunction with archaeological data, critically assess the scholarship and evidence generated by other related disciplines - including anthropology, ancient history and art history - in order to shed light on themes and questions in Roman archaeology.

  • Apply theoretical interpretations and critical skills to the analysis of artefacts, landscapes and buildings in order to develop better understandings of Roman Europe

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2024/25

Study modeUK (home)International and EU
Full-time (1 year) £10,590£23,900
Part-time (2 years)
This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation.
£5,295£11,950
Part-time (3 years)
This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation.
£3,530£7,967

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.

  • UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
  • International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

Additional costs

We don't anticipate there being any additional fees associated with this course. All books and resources you need will be available in the library or online and it isn't mandatory that you buy your own copies. You may wish to set aside a small budget for photocopying, depending on how you like to work.

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2024/25 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.

Funding opportunities

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

You'll be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and site visits.

Teaching location

The Department of Archaeology is based in King's Manor, in York city centre. Your teaching will take place across King's Manor and Campus West, depending on your chosen option modules.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

You will be assessed by a variety of methods. Depending on which modules you opt to take, these could include:

  • Essays
  • Oral presentations
  • Report writing
  • Dissertation
  • Alternative assessment methods such as film-making, blogging or posters
King's Manor
Statue of Constantine the Great at York Minster. Credit: York Minster. (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Careers and skills

Roman Europe is a defining archaeological period. With your knowledge and laboratory and/or field-based skills you will be well placed for a career in the archaeological and heritage sectors.

Your skills in analysis, communication and problem solving will be valuable across a range of career opportunities.

Career opportunities

  • Archaeologist
  • Archaeologist consultant
  • Museum/gallery exhibitions officer
  • Archivist
  • Higher education lecturer
  • Records manager

Transferable skills

  • Time management
  • The ability to investigate topics in depth
  • Research skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Independent working
  • Written and verbal communication skills
  • Presentation skills

Entry requirements

Typical offer
Undergraduate degree 2:1 or equivalent in a relevant subject such as Archaeology, Anthropology, Classics, Classical Studies, History, Art History
Other qualifications and experience If you don’t have conventional qualifications, but do have appropriate, relevant experience, you are encouraged to apply. We carefully consider each application on its merits.
Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic and Indicator) 6.5, minimum 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in all other components
Cambridge CEFR B2 First: 176, with a minimum of 176 in Writing and no less than 169 in all other components
Oxford ELLT 7, minimum of 7 in writing and no less than 6 in all other components
Duolingo 120, minimum 120 in production and 105 in all other components
LanguageCert SELT B2 with 33/50 in each component
LanguageCert Academic 70 with a minimum of 70 in Writing and no less than 65 in all other components
KITE 459-494, with 459-494 in writing and 426-458 in all other components
Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Merit in writing and Pass with Merit in all other components
PTE Academic 61, minimum 61 in Writing and 55 in all other components
TOEFL 87, minimum 23 in Writing and 21 in all other components
Trinity ISE III Merit in all components

For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

You can apply and send all your documentation online. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start it, save it and finish it later.

Apply for this course

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Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

Postgraduate Student Services Team
Eva Mol, Course Director

Learn more

Department of Archaeology

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