Master of Science in Archaeology

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

Study ancient history and history to learn about global perspectives on ancient, medieval and modern history. You'll be based in a thriving research environment at Southampton, and spend your third year abroad at a partner university. This degree will give you a solid foundation for further study, or for a career in teaching, media, museums or galleries.

You'll look at the different ways historians have approached the past, and study different periods in history. You'll cover the development of historical debates, ways of imagining the past, and topics ranging from ancient history to the war on terror.

Study ancient history and history abroad when you spend your third year at a university in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia.

As part of this degree you can:

• Choose from over 100 modules
• Leading from experts in the ancient world and history (archaeology, ancient and modern languages and literatures, and film)
• Learn Latin and Ancient Greek
• Access document collections, including the Wellington, Palmerston and Mountbatten papers, and the Parkes archive, one of the largest Jewish documentation centres in Europe

The course combines lectures with small group seminars. You’ll learn how to structure an argument, interrogate and contextualise evidence and evaluate historical controversies.

Become fluent in 2 languages that play a vital role on the world stage and understand the cultures, histories and linguistics of French and German-speaking nations. Your language expertise will present many travel and work opportunities across the world. French and German are spoken officially in countries throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.

Following our unique system of language development, you’ll start at a level that matches your ability on this French and German linguistics degree. This means we can personalise your learning so you make the best progress. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton also has everything you need.

As well as studying French and German, you’ll develop advanced analytical skills. A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad in year 3.

You can spend your year abroad in countries such as:

• France
• Germany
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

We have partner universities in the Erasmus exchange programme across France, Germany and Switzerland.

You’ll also have the opportunity to prepare a final year dissertation with guidance from a supervisor.

Explore postcolonialism and world literature with a master’s degree at the University of Southampton.

Our course gives you the chance to specialise in postcolonial and world literary culture, covering topics such as:

• Legacies of colonialism and imperialism
• Aftermath of decolonisation
• Relationship between gender and nationalism
• Fault lines in postcolonial national narratives

On completion of the course, you’ll be ready for a career in teaching, librarianship, museums and galleries, publishing or heritage.

You’ll get the chance to carry out advanced research and independent critical thinking, and to make effective use of archives, manuscripts, and research libraries.

This pathway is linked to the Southampton Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies. This group brings together academics, writers and research students to explore the practices, experiences and legacies of imperial power in a global setting, from the early-modern period to the present. The centre also hosts events including seminars, workshops and conferences.

We offer a flexible module structure which is designed to give you an advanced understanding of cultural analysis, textual interpretation and theoretical method.

You’ll explore the interrelations of text, theory and culture across the field of English literary and cultural studies. We’ll work with you to:

• develop your knowledge of critical and research methods
• raise your awareness of the historical and critical reception of literature in various periods
• explore the role of literature in a contested cultural framework

Learn about the ancient world and find ways to understand the foundations of how we live today. You'll develop specialist knowledge in your chosen areas of study and learn in an engaging and supportive research environment. You can also choose to spend time at a university abroad.

On this UK ancient history degree you'll study the ancient world in depth and we will help you to develop your career interests and discover ancient history degree jobs.

Ancient history is an interdisciplinary field, so you can study topics that you’re already passionate about, or choose to try something new.

Our wide range of topics cover ancient Egypt to the rise of Islam in the Middle East. You can also explore what happened during the conquests of Alexander the Great, and at the end of the Roman Empire.

Why study ancient history with us:

• Learn ancient history from experts on the ancient world (including history, archaeology, ancient and modern languages and literatures, philosophy and film)
• Gain experience of archaeological fieldwork and take part in study tours
• Develop your research and dissertation skills
• Challenge yourself by learning Latin and Ancient Greek
• Spend time at a university abroad in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia

Discover the cultural heritage industry on this master’s degree at the University of Southampton. Gain the knowledge and skills to specialise in an area relevant to your interests. You’ll graduate from this MA with the expertise for a successful career in the sector, or for further study at PhD level.

This UK master’s degree in cultural heritage studies will give you key knowledge of both land-based and maritime heritage. It covers everything from art, film and literature to the built environment and archaeological remains.

You’ll gain essential experience through field trips, meeting industry practitioners, and the chance to apply for a work placement with one of our heritage partners.

When you apply we'll ask you to choose one of the following pathways:

• cultural heritage: study the main issues and debates around the subject, including legal and ethical issues, and how heritage is managed and presented
• heritage and museums: gain a behind-the-scenes insight into how museums communicate the past, drawing on our links with museum and heritage partners
• heritage and public history: gain a specialist insight into the ways history is presented to non-academic audiences
• heritage and the arts: develop specialist practical skills in communicating in different genres and platforms in publishing, broadcasting, heritage management, and arts curation

The course content will vary depending on the pathway you study, but modules covering essential aspects of the subject are common to all pathways.  

There is plenty of flexibility within the pathways themselves, allowing you to build the skillset that best suits your chosen career path.

With this bachelor's degree in German and Spanish linguistics, you'll become proficient in both German and Spanish, and study contemporary culture, society, politics, history, literature and cinema. You'll specialise in Linguistics and explore the structure, use and psychology of both languages. You'll also spend a year abroad in a German- or Spanish-speaking country.

Following our unique system of language development, you’ll start at a level that matches your ability in both German and Spanish. This means we can personalise your learning and you'll make the most rapid progress at each stage of the course.

In Linguistics, you'll study the nature of speech, the structure of language, phonetics, how languages are learnt and their social context.

You’ll also have all the resources you need to support you in our Centre for Language Study.

The third year is spent in a Spanish- or German-speaking country, giving you the opportunity to enhance your linguistic and cultural proficiency. You could choose to spend a year in Spanish-speaking Latin America, Spain, Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

Is there a god? What is morality? What does it mean to be human? On this joint BA Philosophy and English degree you’ll examine concepts like these from philosophical and literary perspectives. You’ll broaden your knowledge and understanding with a placement year at a university abroad.

You’ll have the freedom to pursue your own interests in subjects as varied as scriptwriting and Islamic philosophy.

In your degree you can:

• Learn about philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Explore philosophy and literature through diverse times and places, from Viking to Victorian eras, from Eastern to African settings
• Study themes like the Islamic Golden Age, classical Indian philosophy, and holocaust literature
• Study abroad at one of our partner institutions
• Explore contested narratives, for example, race and culture in American literature

At Southampton you’ll learn in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. You'll benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules.

At Southampton, English is an interdisciplinary course. You’ll see how literature connects with areas such as film, science, performance and politics. You can study everything from medieval travellers’ tales to modern fictions of globalisation.

With our advice, you can shape your BA English degree to suit your own development. For example, you can:

• Write avant-garde poetry
• Study Victorian sensation fiction
• Take a range of modules on women writers

Your studies will include critical analysis, presentations and group work. These will help you develop your conceptual thinking, communication and research skills.

As part of this course you can:

• Join one of 40 student-led performing arts groups
• Take part in writing workshops at Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Use a unique collection of rare books at the Chawton House Library
• Learn a modern language at any level
• Explore experimental writing with our Entropics events
• Get one-to-one tutorials on writing from our Royal Literary Fund Fellows

You’ll have the opportunity to study abroad, spending a semester, a summer or even a full year at one of our global partner universities.

From the Aztecs and Mayans to Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire and the medieval world, you'll study the story of human activity and the origins of civilisation. A BA in archaeology explores how human societies came into being, how and why they changed over time, and the underlying reasons for human diversity today.

Archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains. Our archaeology bachelor degree teaches you transferable skills through exploring questions about people in the past and in the present. You'll learn in the laboratory, the library or in the field and develop the skills needed to explore contested narratives.

You'll have the opportunity to experience fieldwork, including at least 3 weeks as part of an active research project. This is usually done during the summer period, and may be in the UK or overseas, preparing you for a career as an archaeologist.

BA Archaeology covers a wide range of world archaeology. You can study topics such as:

• Excavation and field survey techniques
• Underwater archaeology
• Artefacts analysis
• Medieval archaeology
• Museums, heritage and public archaeology

Archaeology combines the humanities and the sciences, working with historical texts and artefacts. You'll develop a range of transferable skills, including:

• Evidence-based reasoning
• Problem-solving
• Project management

This archaeology BA degree gives you the opportunity to study a minor subject alongside your main programme.

We’re also offering up to 10 bursaries of £1000 each to incoming students (subject to criteria). These are from the Terry Mason Bursary and the University of Southampton Archaeology Bursary Fund.

Develop your passion for reading and your talent for languages. Discover new ways to think about literature from around the world. At Southampton, you'll study German language and culture, and English literature together to improve how you understand them. You can examine the linked histories, influences and works of German and English writers. You'll also get to experience a new culture with a year abroad.

This dynamic English and German degree course shows you the connections between literature, language and culture. Our English modules cover writing from around the world and its connection to politics, the arts, identity and more.

In your German studies, you can take modules that feed your love of history and culture, or you may choose to focus on linguistics. You can shape your degree to suit your interests or career aspirations.

You'll spend your year abroad at one of our partner universities in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, among others.

As part of this course you can:

• Use our Centre for Language Study, including a German resources room
• Join one of 40 student-led performing arts groups
• Take part in writing workshops at Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Use a unique collection of rare books at the Chawton House Library
• Explore experimental writing with our Entropics events
• Get one-to-one tutorials on writing from our Royal Literary Fund Fellows