Classical Archaeology MA

Birkbeck, University of London

Our MA Classical Archaeology allows you to undertake advanced study of the archaeology, history and cultural legacies of Ancient Greece and Rome. You will explore classical culture within the broader context of the ancient Mediterranean world and you will learn how to use material culture to better understand ancient societies. The course will also give you the key archaeological skills you need to retrieve and evaluate material evidence. You will learn in a culture of active research, with teaching and supervision from world-leading academics working at the cutting-edge in their fields.

The course starts with an exploration of the broad themes of classical archaeology, including methodologies and interpretative approaches to the material past. While grounding you in the key theoretical approaches, the degree will also develop your practical skills, with an optional fieldwork module that covers major techniques and approaches to excavation. Another focus is on contemporary debates about the reception and interpretation of classical history and culture, particularly the meanings that have been attached to antiquities, which is a particular research strength in the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology.

You will develop the research skills and knowledge you need to research and write a dissertation on the subject that particularly interests you, under the supervision of one of our academic experts. If you wish, you can go on to pursue archaeological research at MPhil/PhD level or professionally and independently.

This course is ideal for anybody fascinated by the archaeology and history of the classical past and it could help you prepare for a career in archaeology, museology, heritage management, education and conservation.

Highlights

• In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), History at Birkbeck was ranked sixth in the UK for the percentage of our research deemed world-leading or internationally excellent. Of our eligible staff, 94% submitted research, and we achieved 100% for a research environment supporting world-leading and internationally excellent research.

• All master’s students are eligible to apply for our prestigious Eric Hobsbawm Scholarships, subject to availability. One of the most influential historians of the twentieth century, Eric Hobsbawm taught at Birkbeck for over five decades and embodied what is central to our teaching and research: a continued commitment to critical enquiry and public engagement.

• Our Department of History, Classics and Archaeology is home to thriving student societies and a number of affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research. These include the Birkbeck Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, the Raphael Samuel History Centre and the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities.

• We are also at the heart of academic London with access to world-class research resources. We are five minutes' walk from the British Museum and the British Library, and the Institute of Historical Research - with its internationally renowned library collection and seminars that you can attend - is nearby. The Museum of London is a short tube ride away.

• Birkbeck Library has an extensive history collection, including the major specialist journals, and access to online materials.