How should archaeological sites be presented to the public? What are the ethical concerns around preservation and restoration? This degree is about understanding how we value and understand archaeological heritage.

This degree explores approaches to archaeological heritage in general, landscape archaeology, archaeology and education, and the archaeology of standing buildings. These fields are explored within a global framework, encouraging both critical intellectual engagement with more advanced academic research while developing skills and understandings in relation to practical applications. The course materials have been developed for an international student body and are designed to be both relevant to your specific concerns and backgrounds, while seeking to extend horizons globally in new and exciting directions.

The four modules of this MA encourage you to develop new understandings, skills and interests at different scales, from the study of individual standing buildings to that of the largest landscapes. You will also explore in a critical way how archaeologists and others may engage with and interpret archaeological monuments, sites and landscapes to various audiences within ‘public archaeology’, engaging with a range of heritage discourses from Europe, North America, and beyond. The role and value of archaeology in education and society, in the broadest sense, is critically examined, exploring its educational roles in fundamental debates concerning the human condition and who we are, as well as the nature of the archaeological record and the past. How do we approach different kinds of archaeology? Why do we do it? Why do we do it as we do? Might there be other ways?

This MA provides you with an excellent and wide-ranging course of advanced study and is particularly suitable for those already engaged with archaeology and the heritage sector, or with shared professional interests. The course offers opportunities to build on existing skills and knowledge while developing intellectual rigour. Students of this long-established and successful MA are commonly working within the heritage sector or related disciplines, while graduates from this course have gone on to work for English Heritage/Historic England, the National and State Parks Services, Parks Canada, and similar organisations, while many within the private sector.

Distance learning offers you the opportunity to study flexibly, while still benefiting from the full support of our expert academic staff. The course also gives you the option to defer studies if external demands require.

Most distance learning courses are part-time. However, this MA can be taken full-time in just one year.

What's the difference?

For the MA you need to complete four modules and a dissertation. For the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) you need to complete four modules. For the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) you need to complete two modules. The PGDip and PGCert are not available full-time.

Why Leicester?

• Archaeology and Ancient History at Leicester is ranked in the top 100 in the world by the QS University Rankings. Our academic staff are active in research on every continent, with research interests from early prehistory to the recent past.
• Our courses cross the traditional academic boundary of archaeology and ancient history, letting you gain a wider knowledge in your chosen area.
• Our staff are active in research on all continents while many work closely with UK contract archaeology and the heritage sector not least through their work with ULAS (University of Leicester Archaeological Services).

Teaching and learning

All of your modules are delivered by distance learning and we will provide you with excellent support from the same expert archaeology academics who deliver our on-campus courses. We understand you are combining study with external commitments and you can defer your studies if necessary. Up to a third of our students take advantage of this flexibility.

Each module consists of specially prepared self-study materials, which are made available online through Blackboard, our virtual learning environment, and supplemented by our Library's book-loans-by-post service.

During the course, you will be allocated an academic tutor for each module and you will receive one-to-one supervision throughout your course.

Each of the modules you choose will be assessed using at least two written assignments. You will be provided with detailed written feedback on each piece of work that you submit for assessment. All of your assignments will be graded by two markers who are academics or professional archaeologists.

Distance Learning

Online learning is an important feature of this course, therefore it is essential that you have reliable, regular access to the internet (preferably with a broadband connection) in order to participate.

As a distance learning student, you will have access to the University Library's electronic service, the Leicester Digital Library, which includes a large number of e-journals and e-books. You are also welcome to join campus-based activities (by prior arrangement) at any time.

If you live close to Leicester you can, of course, visit the Library in person. For UK-based students who wish to use other libraries, we can issue you with a card which allows you to do so. This is a national scheme which allows distance learning students to borrow material from up to three other participating libraries.

How does distance learning work?

Our courses are designed to work for a global audience of students who often lead busy lives. They are delivered by expert academic staff (the same people who teach our campus-based courses!). You work remotely at your own pace. You will be given access to our Virtual Learning Environment where all the materials for whichever module you are currently studying will be accessible as well as a student forum with overarching information about our courses.

You can start your studies at two different points in the year, either in October or February and you can study part-time, taking one module at once, or full-time studying two modules at a time. You can pause your studies at the end of a module if you need to.

The teaching semester is divided into a series of study sections. Every module includes an opportunity for you to complete a first assessment during your study of the module. This is followed by further sections of study material before you complete your final assessment. There are no set times when you need to attend class or complete your study work except for assessment deadlines. This means you can fit your studies around your work and family life in a way that works for you whether that is studying in the evenings, at the weekend, or during the daytime.

Each module has its own space in the Virtual Learning Environment where our staff have designed content to help you learn. This might include recorded lectures, guided readings, podcasts, discussion boards and optional live sessions: each module is different! These materials will guide you through the module content. Each module has a module coordinator who is responsible for the delivery of the module. You will hear from them regularly as they guide you through your learning. You will also have access to an e-reading list where all the key sources for the module are linked. In addition, you will also have access to our university Library, which has masses of digital resources you can access online - but they will also post you physical books too. In addition, they are able to provide lots of help and support, from finding resources to improving your academic skills.