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Archaeology Grad Dip

London, Bloomsbury

Looking to side-step into archaeology? Build a strong foundation in the major aspects of the field on this one-year Graduate Diploma. Joining UCL’s globally respected Institute of Archaeology, you’ll learn in a challenging yet supportive environment – gaining the know-how and skills for Master’s level study. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£10,700
£5,350
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£26,500
£13,250
Duration
1 academic year
2 academic years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
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 non-archaeology 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

The programme gives students, who have not studied archaeology at undergraduate level, the opportunity to take modules at undergraduate level to provide the foundations to go onto further Graduate study in archaeology. 

By the end of this programme, you will have an understanding of how we study and interpret the past. You will have studied societies from a wide cultural, socio-political, economic and environmental context. You can also choose from second and third year undergraduate modules covering a broad range of topics:

  • Archaeological technologies and surveying.
  • Area studies; Egypt, China, Near East etc.
  • Time periods covering Neolithic to modern day.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students with a first degree in a non-archaeology subject, who wish to pursue archaeology at postgraduate level. The degree can be taken as a stand-alone diploma or in preparation for a Master's degree.

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

What this course will give you

UCL Institute of Archaeology is one of the largest centres for archaeology in Britain and ranked 3rd in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2024. It brings archaeology, cultural heritage, and museum studies together under one roof, making it a special and exciting place to study. 

This programme offers you many benefits and opportunities:

  • Learn from leading experts in their fields. 
  • Use of the Institute’s exceptional laboratories, equipment, archives, and teaching collections.
  • Proximity to British Museum and British Library, as well as UCL’s Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Many graduates go on to enrol for Master's degrees in archaeology at UCL. You will also have skills well suited for jobs in sectors such as: 

  • Archaeology within Higher Education, museums, and private companies.
  • Environmental and sustainability sector.
  • Journalism.
  • Civil Service.
  • Tourism and heritage management

“My time at the Institute of Archaeology was invaluable. Being global in focus and nature truly refined my thinking and prepared me well to overcome the challenges that I encountered as part of my professional career.” - Laurence Maidment- Blundell (PhD Student)

Employability

The diploma will give students who do not have an undergraduate degree in archaeology, the necessary theoretical background to proceed onto Graduate study. 

Networking

The institute organises an annual "Careers in Ruins" event. Here students can get career advice from professionals in the Heritage and Archaeology sectors. They can also network with professionals from other sectors such as Business, Law and the Civil Service. Many of our alumni also return as guest lecturers on core modules and seminars.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, museum visits and laboratory classes.

The majority of modules are assessed by coursework. The compulsory module, Interpreting Archaeological Evidence, involves one unseen examination. Any language module that students may choose will also be assessed by examinations.

Contact time takes various forms:

  • Lectures.
  • Seminars.
  • Practical sessions or site/museum visits.
  • Assessment feedback sessions.

The credit value of the module indicates the total learning hours you will spend to achieve its learning outcomes. One credit is often equated to 10 hours of notional learning, which includes all contact time, self-directed study, and assessment.

The contact hours per module are normally around 2-3 hours a week with additional self-directed study time. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

Modules

Teaching takes place in terms 1 and 2. You will take two compulsory modules that provide a grounding in archaeological theory and the interpretation of archaeological data and evidence. You will also select 90 credits of optional modules from the list available to second and third year undergraduate students in the year (or two years if you are part-time) in which you are taking the programme, according to your own particular interests.

Part-time students take four 15-credit modules in Year 1, and four 15-credit modules in Year 2. Part-time students normally take both compulsory modules (Current Issues in Archaeological Theory and Interpreting Archaeological Evidence) in Year 1. Students will select 90 credits of optional modules from the list available to BA/BSc students, spread across the two year part-time programme duration.

Compulsory modules




Optional modules














Maya Civilization

Lithic Technology



The Archaeology of the Levant



Old and Middle Egyptian Texts





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 120 credits. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a Grad Dip in Archaeology.

Fieldwork

There is no compulsory fieldwork element in this programme. However, students will have the opportunity to participate in voluntary activities such as the Institute’s summer field training course.

Accessibility

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

Visit us

All open days and events

Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Social and Historical Sciences

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Join us at our Bloomsbury campus to discover where a postgraduate degree with UCL Social & Historical Sciences will take you. At this in-person event, you'll have the opportunity to learn more about our departments and our wide breadth of degree programmes. You'll have the chance to hear from academic staff and current students, and ask any questions you might have about the department, your chosen course and studying at a world-leading university.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £10,700 £5,350
Tuition fees (2025/26) £26,500 £13,250

Additional costs

Fee deposit information to be confirmed.

Graduate Diploma students have the possibility of taking part in the Institute of Archaeology's summer field training course, held at a site in southern England. This involves extra costs of approximately £500 to cover fieldwork costs. 

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

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

Institute of Archaeology International Masters Student Award

Deadline: 21 March 2025
Value: Up to £26,000 (1yr)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Institute of Archaeology Masters Award

Deadline: 21 March 2025
Value: £10,000 (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

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

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Archaeology at graduate level
  • why you want to study Archaeology at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging academic environment
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

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.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute of Archaeology
Institute of Archaeology

l.daniel@ucl.ac.uk

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