Roman and Byzantine Archaeology – (M.A.)

Newcastle University has unique traditions in Roman and Byzantine Archaeology:

* Work alongside leading scholars researching Roman and Byzantine Archaeology across the Mediterranean and beyond.
* Explore some of Roman Archaeology's most extraordinary monuments, through trips to Hadrian's Wall and the city of Rome*.
* Get `hands on´ access to the University's world class museum collections of Roman and Byzantine artefacts.
* Benefit from the lively and friendly postgraduate community in Historical Studies; in addition to academic pursuits, you will be able to enjoy the vibrant cultural and social life of the city.

Newcastle´s strength in classical and Byzantine archaeology has grown from its privileged location on Hadrian´s Wall and from decades of research and fieldwork in Rome, Istanbul, and across the Roman and Byzantine empires.

The programme is designed for students with a background in ancient history, archaeology, art history, classics, medieval studies or a related discipline who wish to study the archaeology of the Roman, late antique and Byzantine worlds. It will prepare you to study for a PhD in Roman or Byzantine archaeology, or to enter professions requiring high-level skills in literacy, research and project management.

The University houses major museum collections ideally suited for archaeological study. For Roman material, the Museum of Antiquities´ collection is an invaluable asset of international importance. Not only does it contain objects from almost every major site on Hadrian´s Wall and an unparalleled collection of inscriptions from Britain, but also material from as far afield as Asia Minor and North Africa. So important are these collections that the University is moving them to a new £26 million museum in 2009. Thanks to its long tradition of Roman and Byzantine archaeology, the university´s libraries have outstanding collections in both fields.

Newcastle MA students combine independent research with dedicated, small-group MA teaching of the highest quality. All students take semester-long modules in Roman archaeology and Byzantine archaeology, and receive training in research methods. The guided study tour to Rome, with on site seminars, will provide a chance to understand the city´s ancient monuments in context*.

Optional modules present opportunities to study further period-based topics in classical, medieval or historical archaeology, and to acquire a range of advanced practical skills such as artefact analysis, GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and other IT applications, heritage management, bioarchaeology, and ancient or modern languages at appropriate levels. Whilst all MA teaching in Archaeology is for MA students only, postgraduates are welcome to sit in on the extensive array of relevant undergraduate lectures offered in archaeology and ancient history. The MA dissertation project (up to 14,000 words) is completed between early June and late August.