Unearth new answers to age-old questions
Year of entry: 2023 (September)
1 year full-time,
2 years part-time,
3 years part-time
September 2023 (semester dates)
Meet us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
See upcoming eventsQS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023
QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023
Material culture tells the story of people and their things: allowing us insights into the significance that objects held for people in the past.
Interweaving practical and theoretical approaches to material culture, this course explores ethnoarchaeological and experimental archaeological approaches to objects, alongside functional analyses of a broad range of artefact types.
You will discover the theories underpinning our understanding of the material world while developing invaluable practical skills: from designing and executing your own experimental archaeology project, the analysis of microscopic wear and residue traces, working with objects from excavations and museum collections, to making a short documentary film for the heritage sector.
Whatever your period of interest is, this course will equip you with the skills and experience you need to begin a career in cultural heritage, academia, or commercial archaeology.
This course is also available as an MA Material Culture and Experimental Archaeology.
What I love about the course is that I have developed an entirely new perspective on the technological production of archaeological materials. I have learned to challenge archaeological questions and hypotheses and develop my own research interests.Shima, Material Culture and Experimental Archaeology student
The York Experimental Archaeological Research (YEAR) centre, where you'll complete much of your practical work, is increasingly being recognised as a world-leader in experimental research. With our (BioArCh) and palaeoecology (PalaeoHub) laboratories located nearby, you'll be able to carry out outdoor experiments then take your work inside for processing and analyses.
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.
You will study 180 credits over the duration of your course. You'll study a variety of modules and then hone your research skills by producing a dissertation and presenting an assessed lecture on your dissertation topic. Your dissertation topic will determine whether you are awarded an MA or an MSc.
You'll also study three option modules. Examples from previous years have included:
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
You'll complete a 10,000-word dissertation and assessed lecture, carrying out a piece of original independent research using appropriate scientific or laboratory (MSc) or disciplinary (MA) skills.
You'll have regular meetings with your supervisor who is there to offer support, guidance and encouragement throughout the dissertation writing process.
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.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £9,990 | £22,250 |
| Part-time (2 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£4,995 | £11,125 |
| Part-time (3 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£3,330 | £7,417 |
Students on a Student Visa (formerly Tier 4 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) 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.
There may be minimal costs associated with the purchase of raw materials for experiments if this forms part of your dissertation.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2023/24 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We have a variety of funding options available within the department.
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.
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.
The core modules involve outdoor practical sessions, field trips, practical labs using microscopes and the handling of reference collections, as well as small seminars, roundtable discussions and lectures.
Facilities for material culture research, including Laboratories for Material Culture and Microwear analysis are located within the Department of Archaeology's new PaleoHub building, located a stone's throw away from our bioarchaeology laboratories (BioArCh) and the outdoor experimental centre (YEAR).
The Department of Archaeology is based in King's Manor, in York city centre. Your teaching will be split between the Department and the BioArCh and YEAR centres on Campus West.
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.
You'll be assessed via a number of methods, including essays, oral presentations, the production of a short documentary, report writing and your dissertation.
Our graduates have gone on to get jobs in the heritage sector, working in museums and as artefact specialists in commercial archaeological companies. Several of our students have gone on to further studies, receiving prestigious PhD funding.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:1 or equivalent in Archaeology, Anthropology or a related field. We also consider applicants who have a 2:2 degree and relevant work experience. |
| Other qualifications and experience | Alternative qualifications and professional experience will also be considered. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
You will need to submit examples of written work with your application. Please see our guidance on submitting written work.
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 |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, minimum 176 in Writing and 169 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 International ESOL | B2 Communicator: Pass with 39/50 in writing and no less than 33/50 in all others |
| PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online | 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.
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.
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