Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons)
The University of Edinburgh
Key Course Facts
Student Reviews
Below you can see course specific reviews of 75 graduates of Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons) and other courses in Anthropology at The University of Edinburgh for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Anthropology.
Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.
All Anthropology courses of The University of Edinburgh
Salary
Salary of Graduates in Archaeology
Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Anthropology at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.
| 15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median salary | £20500 | £22000 | £24500 |
| 25-75 percentile range | £17000 - £21500 | £18500 - £26000 | £21000 - £30500 |
All Archaeology courses of The University of Edinburgh
Salary of all UK Graduates of Archaeology
| 15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median salary | £23516 | £21703 | £25538 |
| 25-75 percentile range | £20611 - £27195 | £16439 - £27509 | £19951 - £33344 |
All Archaeology Courses in the UK
Course Description
Archaeology and social anthropology is the study of past and present human behaviour. This programme examines the diversity of ancient and modern human social and material culture. Your undergraduate dissertation in Year 4 can be in either subject.
Archaeology
Archaeology is the study of the human past from our origins several million years ago to recent times. Archaeologists use physical remains to study the lives, societies and cultures of past peoples.
Social Anthropology
In contrast, social anthropology is the study of human behaviour in living societies. Understanding a living society and its members involves participant observation. This can involve spending months or even years living with, and sharing the experiences of, the people being studied.
Societies around the world vary enormously socially, culturally and politically. The study of these variations, and the common humanity that underlies them, is at the heart of social anthropology.
Practical skills
We emphasise the importance of training in practical archaeological skills.
You will have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience of artefact identification and analysis in practical sessions using artefacts from our own Vere Gordon Childe collection.
Fieldwork
You will complete 3 weeks of archaeological fieldwork at the end of Year 1. In later years of study you will also have the option to complete:
- further fieldwork
- projects in heritage management and public engagement
- lab-based analysis of archaeological remains
If you choose to do a dissertation in social anthropology you can conduct your own research in the summer break between Years 3 and 4.
Jobs & Career Perspectives
15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.
All Archaeology courses of The University of Edinburgh
Current jobs
All courses of The University of Edinburgh
Required skill level of job after 15 months
All Anthropology courses of The University of Edinburgh
Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)
Example below based on all graduates of Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons) at The University of Edinburgh
| 30% | Administrative occupations |
| 20% | Teaching Professionals |
| 15% | Caring personal services |
| 10% | Legal professionals |
| 10% | Elementary occupations |
| 10% | Business, Research and Administrative Professionals |
| 5% | Quality and Regulatory Professionals |
| 5% | Science, engineering and technology associate professionals |
| 5% | Sales occupations |
Entry Requirements / Admissions
UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course
This particular course
English language requirements
| test | Grade |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 92 |
| Cambridge English Advanced | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | |
| Trinity ISE | |
| PTE Academic | 62 |
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 92 |
| Cambridge English Advanced | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | |
| Trinity ISE | |
| PTE Academic | 62 |
Costs
Tuition Fees Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons)
| Channel Islands | £9250 | year 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | £9250 | year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820 | year 1 |
| England UK | £9250 | year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | year 1 |
| EU | £26500 | year 1 |
| International | £26500 | year 1 |
Additional fee information
Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.
EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.
Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme.
Average student cost of living in the UK
| Rent | £518 |
| Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) | £50 |
| Supermarket shopping | £81 |
| Clothing | £35 |
| Eating out | £33 |
| Alcohol | £27 |
| Takeaways / food deliveries | £30 |
| Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) | £24 |
| Holidays and weekend trips | £78 |
| Transport within city | £17 |
| Self-care / sports | £20 |
| Stationary / books | £13 |
| Mobile phone / internet | £13 |
| Cable TV / streaming | £7 |
| Insurance | £51 |
| Other | £95 |
| Average student cost of living | £1092 |
London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.
How to apply
Application deadline:
August 1, 2026
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Possible Entry Points:
- year 1 (Default entry point)
UCAS application code:
VL46
University Rankings
of The University of Edinburgh
among 20 universities in Scotland
based on 40 different rankings
Positions of The University of Edinburgh in top UK and global rankings.
Rankings of The University of Edinburgh in related subject specific rankings.
Social Studies & Humanities
-
-
- #2
- #11
-
- Archaeology
-
CUG The Complete University Guide - By Subject
[Published 14 May, 2024]
-
-
- #1
- #42
-
- Archaeology
-
QS World University Rankings By Subject
[Published 10 April, 2024]
See all 40 university rankings of The University of Edinburgh
About The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is located in the Scottish city of the same name, and is one of the oldest universities in the entire United Kingdom, having opened in the year 1583. The university enjoys a strong reputation for its contributions to international research efforts, which is reflected in their inclusion in the Russell Group, Universitas 21, and Una Europa. Edinburgh offers its residents a historic yet modern city, with a lively nightlife scene, reliable public transport, and friendly locals.
List of 686 Bachelor and Master Courses from The University of Edinburgh - Course Catalogue
Where is this programme taught
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Similar courses
| Program | University | Student satisfaction | Unemployed | Dropout | Tuition (UK) | Tuition (International) |  UCAS Tariff |
City | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Anthropology and Archaeology MA (Hons) | University of Aberdeen | 81% | 0% | 0% | £9250 | £20800 | - | Aberdeen |
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|
|
Archaeology and Art History MA (Hons) | University of Aberdeen | 81% | 0% | 0% | £9250 | £20800 | - | Aberdeen |
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|
|
Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons) | The University of Edinburgh | 79% | 0% | 10% | £9250 | £26500 | 181 | Edinburgh |
On campus
Full-time
|
|
Archaeology Msci (Hons) | Queen's University of Belfast | 73% | 0% | 15% | £9250 | £17900 | 145 | Belfast |
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|
|
History and Archaeology MA (Hons) | The University of Edinburgh | 88% | 5% | 5% | £9250 | £26500 | 190 | Edinburgh |
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|
|
|
Archaeology and History MA (Hons) | University of Aberdeen | 83% | 0% | 0% | £9250 | £20800 | - | Aberdeen |
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|
|
Ancient History and Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons) | University of St Andrews | 71% | 0% | 0% | £9250 | £30160 | 198 | St Andrews |
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Full-time
|
|
|
Classical Archaeology and Greek MA (Hons) | The University of Edinburgh | 79% | 5% | 3% | £9250 | £26500 | - | Edinburgh |
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|
|
|
Medieval History and Archaeology MA (Hons) | University of St Andrews | 83% | 1% | 0% | £9250 | £30160 | 201 | St Andrews |
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|
|
Ancient History and Archaeology MA (Hons) | University of St Andrews | 67% | 1% | 0% | £9250 | £30160 | 201 | St Andrews |
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FAQ about Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh
- Tuition fees for this programme are 9250 per year for UK students. In addition to the tuition fees you should also take into consideration the average monthly cost of living for students in the UK.
- The median salary of graduates of this course was £20500 15 months after graduation, £22000 3 years after graduation and £24500 after graduation.
- Administrative occupations (30%), Teaching Professionals (20%), Caring personal services (15%), Legal professionals (10%)
- 75 graduates rated the course 79. This means that 79% of graduates indicated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the course. See detailed ratings above and how these compare to the averages at other universities.
- The University of Edinburgh achieved the highest ranking for Archaeology. It is ranked #11 in CUG The Complete University Guide - By Subject (Archaeology). See all subject rankings for The University of Edinburgh.
- Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons) is taught on campus and cannot be taken online at The University of Edinburgh.
- It is rather difficult to get accepted into this course. Accepted students had an average UCAS tariff score of 181 which is higher than 73.98% of all Archaeology courses in the UK.
Ranking publishers
The University League Tables
- Published:
- 14 May, 2024
British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK
- Published:
- 10 April, 2024
- Criteria used in ranking -QS World University Rankings By Subject:
- Academic Reputation: 50%
Employer Reputation: 30%
Research Citations Per Paper: 10%
H-index: 10%