University College London (UCL)
Managing Archaeological Sites MA
London, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
The Managing Archaeological Sites MA program is designed for those interested in the preservation and management of archaeological heritage. It covers a range of topics including site assessment, conservation techniques, and policies for protecting archaeological remains. Students gain practical knowledge through case studies and hands-on projects, preparing them to work in various sectors such as museums, heritage organizations, and government agencies. The program emphasizes understanding the challenges of managing archaeological sites within modern social, legal, and environmental contexts.
Students in the program explore key issues like site documentation, risk management, and sustainable practices to ensure archaeological sites are preserved for future generations. They also develop skills in project management, ethical decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. The course aims to equip students with both theoretical understanding and practical tools to navigate the complexities of managing cultural heritage in diverse settings. This balanced approach helps prepare graduates for careers where they can make meaningful contributions to preserving the archaeological record.
UCL Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships available to postgraduate students, including our UCL Masters Bursary for UK students and our UCL Global Masters Scholarship for international students. You can click the link below to search via the scholarships finder for awards that you might be eligible for. Your academic department will also be able to provide you with more information about funding.
External Scholarships
Online aggregators like Postgraduate Studentships, Scholarship Search, Postgraduate Funding and International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search contain information on a variety of external schemes.
If you have specific circumstances or ethnic or religious background it is worth searching for scholarships/bursaries/grants that relate to those things. Some schemes are very specific.
Funding for disabled students
Master's students who have a disability may be able to get extra funding for additional costs they incur to study.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical demonstrations and site visits.
Assessment is through essays, statements, project reports, projects and practicals (depending on the options chosen), and the dissertation.
Contact time takes various forms:
- Lectures
- Seminars and discussions
- Project supervision
- Field 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.
Your dissertation module is 90 credits for which the learning hours will mainly be spent researching and writing your final dissertation. You will also have regular contact with your supervisor(s). They will guide and support you throughout your work.
Modules
Full-time
The teaching is carried out in the first two terms. In the second term, students identify a dissertation topic and a dissertation supervisor. In the third term, students begin work on their dissertations, which continues over the summer. Research skills sessions provide support for this and students deliver an oral presentation of dissertation plans to staff and students to obtain feedback.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of one mandatory core course – Managing Archaeological Sites ARCL0108 (which runs over two terms and has a value of 30 credits). Students are asked to choose further optional modules (to the equivalent of 60 credits) and undertake a research-based dissertation (90 credits).
Part-time
Teaching takes place during terms one and two. Those who undertake part-time study will discuss their pathway through the degree with the degree co-ordinator. Typically, students will take the compulsory core modules in the first year and select their optional modules in order to spread these out to year two. The dissertation is discussed in year 1 and completed at the end of year 2. We endeavour to be flexible to the needs of part-time students in designing their pathway through the degree over two years.
Compulsory modules
- Dissertation
- Managing Archaeological Sites
Optional modules
- Exploratory Data Analysis in Archaeology
- Geoarchaeology: Methods and Concepts 1
- Interpreting Pottery
- Prehistoric Stone Artefact Analysis
- Archaeological Ceramic Analysis
- Spatial Statistics, Network Analysis and Human History
- Dispersals, extinctions, and intensification in the later Palaeolithic
- Themes in Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology
- Zooarchaeology in Practice
- Resources and Subsistence
- Aegean Prehistory: Major Themes and Current Debates
- The Mediterranean World in the Iron Age
- Geophysical Survey in Archaeology
- Archaeologies of Asia
- Social Complexity in Early China: From the Neolithic to the Early Empire
- Archaeological Data Science
- Complexity, Space and Human History
- Technology Within Society
- Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age in the Near East: City-States and Empires
- The Archaeology of Early Human Origins
- Archaeology of the Roman Empire: Current Themes and Debates
- Archaeology and Nationalism
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.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Managing Archaeological Sites.
What this course will give you
This degree provides you with training for a career in heritage management. You will explore approaches to managing archaeological and built heritage sites in the modern world and how to best implement them by looking at global case studies across the world.
You will benefit from the expertise of the world-renowned Institute of Archaeology, one of the largest centres for archaeology in Britain and ranked 3rd in the world in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2024. It brings archaeology, cultural heritage, and museum studies together under one roof, making it an exciting interdisciplinary environment to study in.
This programme offers you several opportunities opportunities such as:
- Learning from leading experts and practitioners in the field.
- Use of the Institute’s exceptional laboratories, equipment, archives, and collections.
- Practical examination of ongoing case-studies in the vibrant and historical city of London.
- Proximity to the British Museum and the British Library, as well as UCL’s Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.
The foundation of your career
Upon completing this degree, you will have skills well-suited for jobs in sectors such as:
- Tourism and heritage management.
- Policy development.
- Environmental and sustainability sector.
- Not-for-profit/charity sector.
- Academia and Higher Education.
Employability
Students gain many transferable skills that are attractive to employers in a wide range of businesses and sectors, such as:
- Theoretical and critical analysis.
- Ability to design and carry out original research.
- Practical heritage management skills.
- Project conceptualisation and design.
- Navigating legal heritage frameworks.
- Understanding of culture and creative industries.
- Principles for community engagement and diverse management approaches. 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 modules and seminars.