Home

Archaeological Science: Technology and Materials MSc

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

£15,100

£7,550

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)

£31,100

£15,550

Duration

1 calendar year

2 calendar years

Programme starts

September 2024

Applications accepted

Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 28 Jun 2024

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This degree bridges the gap between materials science and archaeology. Students are introduced to critical concepts of both disciplines and learn the foundations of the major instrumental techniques. By the degree's conclusion, students will have the knowledge and experience to independently design, implement, and report archaeologically meaningful materials characterisation studies.

Who this course is for

This programme is designed for graduates in archaeology or related disciplines who are interested in combining laboratory-based materials analysis with archaeological research. It is also suitable for conservators and others concerned with archaeological collections, and for science graduates who have, or are willing to acquire, a good understanding of archaeology. It is best suited to those aiming for a research degree and a career in academia or museum science. It may also be appealing to those seeking to develop skills in line with professional/avocational interests.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The UCL Institute of Archaeology is one of the largest and most diverse departments of archaeology in the UK. Its specialist staff, outstanding library, and teaching/reference collections provide a stimulating environment for postgraduate study in the heart of London.

Excellent in-house laboratory facilities offer direct experience with a wide range of analytical approaches, including geochemistry, metallography, and ceramic petrography under the supervision of some of the world's leading archaeomaterials specialists. Amongst the techniques you will encounter are optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, pXRF, XRD, LIBS, and LA-ICP-MS.

Outstanding teaching/reference collections from around the world (including ceramic, glass, metal, and stone artefacts) are extensively used by MSc students. We also maintain an extensive network of connections to museums and active projects offering diverse research opportunities.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

On completion of the degree, graduates should be as comfortable in a laboratory as in a museum and/or an archaeological site. Many choose to continue on to research degrees while others choose to leverage their training in commercial archaeology or other industries requiring advanced knowledge and experience in materials characterisation.

Employability

Due to an unparalleled breadth of academic expertise and laboratory facilities, our graduates develop an unusual combination of research and transferable skills, including critical thinking, team working, multimedia communication, data analysis and the use of advanced scientific instruments. On completion of the degree, graduates should be as comfortable in a laboratory as in a museum and/or an archaeological site. Many choose to continue on to research degrees while others choose to leverage their training in commercial archaeology or other industries requiring advanced knowledge and experience in materials characterisation.

Networking

It is not uncommon for staff to put students in touch with colleagues in other organisations (both academic and non-academic), especially in the context of dissertation research. Additionally, a range of visiting speakers pass through the Institute of Archaeology every year and there may be opportunities to meet them and discuss further career opportunities and collaborative research. Careers events are provided with contributions from professionals in the field. There are opportunities to meet visiting experts and Institute researchers after seminars and also to talk to Institute PhD students about their experiences. The Archaeo-Materials Research Network (AMRN) provides such opportunities. There is a broad network of MSc Archaeological Science graduates working across the sector (including museums, academia, and national heritage organisations around the world), some of whom return as guest lectures on core modules.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical demonstrations and laboratory work. A popular aspect of this programme is its extensive use of analytical facilities.

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical demonstrations and laboratory work. A popular aspect of this programme is its extensive use of analytical facilities. Assessment is through essays, practicals, projects, laboratory reports and oral presentations depending on the options chosen, and the dissertation.

While week to week schedules will vary, students can expect to spend 25% of their time in lectures, 25% in tutorials or practicals, up to 5% in advisory or supplemental engagement sessions, and about 45% working on independent study and research

Modules

Most formal teaching is carried out in the first two terms. During the second term, you identify a dissertation topic and supervisor. In the third term, you begin the literature review and laboratory components of your dissertation.

By the end of term 3, you will have enough accomplished to provide an oral presentation of your dissertation plans to staff and fellow students for some early feedback. Laboratory bench work, supplementary learning opportunities, and dissertation writing extend across the whole of summer. Research skills sessions provide additional support and guidance throughout the year to help you through all stages of the degree.

Teaching takes place during terms one and two. Those who undertake part-time study will discuss their pathway through the degree with the degree co-ordinator. Typically students will take the compulsory core modules in the first year and select their optional modules in order to spread these out to year two. The dissertation is discussed in year one and completed at the end of year two. We endeavour to be flexible to the needs of part-time students in designing their pathway through the degree over two years.

Compulsory modules

Dissertation

Laboratory and Instrumental Skills in Archaeological Science

Optional modules

Geoarchaeology: Methods and Concepts 1

Archaeometallurgy I: Mining and Extractive Metallurgy

Archaeological Glass and Glazes

Interpreting Pottery

Archaeological Ceramic Analysis

Archaeological Data Science

Technology Within Society

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Archaeological Science: Technology and Materials.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£15,100	£7,550
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£31,100	£15,550

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

UCL Institute of Archaeology International Masters Student Award.Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor the scholarship will enable one Overseas fee paying student to undertake a year of study on an eligible Master's. It will provide support of up to £26,000 for the duration of their degree to cover fees. Further details can be found here. The deadline for applications is 1 March 2024.

Institute of Archaeology Master's Awards: The UCL Institute of Archaeology has one studentship of £10,000 available to support a graduate student who is an ordinarily resident in the UK or Ireland and eligible to pay home fee rate. The deadline for applications is 1st March 2024. For further information and to download an application see here: here

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

: Aziz Foundation Scholarships in Social and Historical Sciences

Value: Full tuition fees (equivalent to 1yr full-time) (1yr)

Criteria Based on financial need

Eligibility: UK

Institute of Archaeology International Masters Student Award

Deadline: 1 March 2024

Value: Up to £26,000 (1yr)

Criteria Based on academic merit

Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

why you want to study Archaeological Science: Technology and Materials at graduate level
what do you consider to be the major challenges in this field today
if you have a strong interest in any particular ancient material or technology
what particularly attracts you to this programme
where you would like to go professionally with your degree
why you want to study Archaeological Science: Technology and Materials at UCL
how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging academic environment

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.