MSc in Archaeology
About the course
The MSc in Archaeology provides an opportunity for students to build on their knowledge from undergraduate studies and to specialise in a particular area of archaeology, while also offering an excellent foundation for those wishing to continue towards research at doctoral level. It also offers transferable skills which are beneficial to a range of professional roles.
During this 11-month taught master's degree you will specialise in a particular area of archaeology, and will follow a subject stream, which will comprise four modules and a dissertation.
The MSc in Archaeology allows subject specialisation, but also flexibility, by combining core modules with an option module, and topics chosen for your dissertation and summative pre-set essays. If you wish to specialise in the theory and practical applications of science in archaeology, please consider applying to the MSc in Archaeological Science rather than the MSc in Archaeology.
You will choose from one of the following subject streams:
Archaeology of Asia
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Chinese Archaeology I: Neolithic to Bronze Age
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Chinese Archaeology II: Shang to Qin
- Interdisciplinary Approaches to Chinese Ceramics
- Early Human Dispersals in Asia and the Pacific
- Archaeology of Eurasia
- The Emergence of Farming in Western Asia
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Environmental Archaeology
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Environmental Archaeology
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Practical Archaeobotany
- The Emergence of Farming in Western Asia
- Bio-Archaeology
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Landscape Archaeology
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Landscape Archaeology and Spatial Technology
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Maritime Archaeology
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Maritime Societies
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Maritime Archaeology
- Methods and Techniques in Maritime Archaeology
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Medieval Archaeology
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Europe in the Early Middle Ages (AD 400 - 900)
- Archaeology of Later Medieval Europe
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Archaeology of Early Anglo-Saxon England
- Archaeology of Late Saxon England
- Body and Adornment: Material Culture of Later Medieval Britain (AD 1200 - 1600)
- Byzantine Constantinople
- Archaeology of Lived Religion in Late Antiquity
- Late Roman and Byzantine Architecture
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Prehistory and Pre-colonial Archaeology
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- European Prehistory from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age
- Farming and States in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Archaeological Method and Theory
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Archaeology of Southern African Hunter-Gatherers
- Early Human Dispersals in Asia and the Pacific
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Social Archaeology
Core module: Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory
This core module, which all students take in the first term, is designed to prepare you with necessary archaeological knowledge, research and practical skills to support your other modules and dissertation.
Example List A modules - not all modules are offered every year
- Archaeological Method and Theory
Example List B modules - not all modules are offered every year
Archaeology of Colonialism
Archaeology of the Contemporary World
Cognitive Archaeology
Option module
The fourth module is your option module, taught in the second term. This is chosen from all available modules in any stream, or an option from the MSt in Classical Archaeology. In some circumstances a subject taught in the MSc in Archaeological Science may be taken as your option module and is taught over two terms.
Dissertation
All students will complete a dissertation of 15,000 words on an approved topic relevant to your stream subject, chosen in consultation with a supervisor. Most of the dissertation research and writing takes place in the third term and into the summer. The dissertation allows you to develop a larger piece of research in which you can more fully explore a topic. It will allow you to develop your research skills and undertake self-directed and independent research that is a necessary basis for future doctoral research, and highly desirable in non-academic employment.
Teaching and learning
Teaching of stream modules is mainly through a combination of lectures and tutorials which are normally taught in small- groups. Other teaching methods may also include seminars, museum-based classes, laboratory work or other practicals, depending on your stream and module choices. You will usually prepare formative assignments on a weekly or fortnightly basis for your modules. The core Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory module is taught by lectures and seminars and will include group work; the assignments given in this module will form the basis of an assessed portfolio.
The teaching methods provide you with the opportunity to debate and discuss essays and topics on a regular basis with other students and teachers. Your assignments will also allow you to develop your writing and presentation skills. The seminars, museum-based classes, laboratory work and practicals provide an arena for you to engage with and develop techniques of analysis and evaluation.
You will have an academic advisor in your subject stream who will advise on module choices and monitor overall progress.
The teaching is supplemented by a wide range of lecture courses, seminar series, and the Graduate Archaeology at Oxford skills seminar series available in the School of Archaeology. The degree is a very intensive course, and you will be expected to treat the University vacations as integral parts of your academic work time.
Each member of the academic staff in archaeology normally offers at least one module in his or her areas of specialism over the year, but some modules or streams listed may not be available every year.
Graduate students run their own organisation, Graduate Archaeology at Oxford, which provides further skills seminars, a mentoring programme, social events and a very successful conference series. This provides many opportunities for you to develop your skills, present your research and develop ideas for the next stage of your career.
Attendance
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.
The School of Archaeology provides the following resources for students:
- computers with specialist GIS and mapping-related software
- a wide-range of digital facilities, including desktop imaging and manipulation for publication and dissertation/thesis production such as full-colour scanning of slides, negatives, maps and other paper plan originals
- lecture, seminar and common rooms
- a small library with a searchable catalogue available online in the Institute of Archaeology.
In addition, the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library, a world-class library for archaeology, is situated between the Institute of Archaeology and the Ashmolean Museum, and is the central facility, providing for most student needs. Students also use the Balfour Library of anthropology and ethnography.
The School of Archaeology has close ties with the Ashmolean Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum, the collections of which may contribute to graduate teaching.
Supervision
Every student will have a general supervisor appointed to them prior to the start of term. You will also be allocated a dissertation supervisor who, during your supervision meetings, will discuss and guide your research. They will usually be one of the teachers in your subject stream.
For this course, the allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the School of Archaeology and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the School of Archaeology.
Assessment
The Archaeological Principles: Data and Theory core module is assessed by a portfolio of work.
Your first subject stream module will be assessed by take-home essays submitted in the second term.
Your second subject stream module and your chosen option module will be assessed by extended essays submitted in the third term.
A stream-specific dissertation of a maximum of 15,000 words will be submitted in late August.
Graduate destinations
It is anticipated that graduates from the MSc in Archaeology will continue to further degree programmes in Archaeology either at Oxford or at leading universities elsewhere. Others may find careers in education, museums, commercial archaeology and the heritage industry.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in archaeology or a related subject such as (but not limited to) anthropology, history, classics, history of art, geography, geology, biology, physics or environmental studies.
For UK qualifications, applicants will usually be expected to achieve a minimum of 67% in their degree however most successful applicants will achieve a first-class degree (>70%) or the equivalent.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.5 out of 4.0. However most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Professional experience in archaeology or related fields will also be considered if you are applying after a period of time out of higher education.
- Relevant publications are not expected, but may add to the strength of an application.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process but may be required for certain scholarships.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Archaeology
Oxford’s School of Archaeology is one of the few departments in the world where many diverse aspects of archaeological research are brought together to address critical questions about our past.
The department’s graduate courses are based around the three main centres of archaeological research in Oxford, working together to offer support and facilities to graduates:
- Institute of Archaeology
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art
- Ioannou Centre for Classical and Byzantine Studies
One of the great strengths of Oxford archaeology is the opportunity for cross-disciplinary research, making use of the expertise in more than one centre.
Archaeological research at Oxford has a long and distinguished history, with current expertise and interests in the development of human societies from the Palaeolithic to the Early Modern periods, and spanning much of the globe.
As a graduate student at Oxford you will be part of a world-class university, offering unsurpassed opportunities for innovative study and research, and the department’s thriving graduate community of over 150 students drawn from across the world. The four University Museums, including the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers, the world-class libraries, and the University’s other archaeological resources are all available to you to stimulate your interests and increase your knowledge.
Funding
For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the school's website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2025-26
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £17,250 |
| Overseas | £36,250 |
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Please note that, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Archaeology:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees:
Three overall, academic preferred
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Academic references are generally preferred. One professional reference is acceptable, but in cases where more than one such reference is sought you should contact the school to explain why this is necessary.
Your references will support academic achievement, and potential for graduate study and research.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Personal statement:
A maximum of 500 words
You should provide a personal statement written in English that explains why you want to study this particular master’s course and your chosen subject stream. The statement should focus on academic rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations, and should state what you believe the degree will lead to after graduation.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
You must state which subject stream you wish to follow. If you do not it may delay the assessment of your application.
The personal statement will be assessed for:
- evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
- your reasons for applying to the School of Archaeology, the MSc in Archaeology and your chosen stream
- evidence that your academic ability and focus are suited to the demands and nature of the degree
- coherence
- the ability to present a reasoned case in English
- capacity for sustained and intense work
- reasoning ability.
If you have an idea for your dissertation topic, please include the research question and a brief outline of the proposed sources and method at this moment. It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your topic. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate your familiarity and understanding of the subject.
Written work:
Two essays of a maximum of 2,500 words each
Academic essays or other writing samples, written in English, are required. These can be undergraduate essays or excerpts from a longer work such as chapters from a dissertation, in which case they should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context.
Please note that this course does not allow the submission of one longer piece of work instead of the two essays.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
It is not necessary that the written works relate directly to archaeology, as there are many things that the assessors look for in the written work which are not specific to the subject area, such as the qualities listed below.
The written work will be assessed for:
- understanding of the subject area
- ability to assess evidence
- ability to construct an argument and derive logical conclusions
- ability to write in a scholarly and lucid manner
- presentation of material in the appropriate scholarly form.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.