Archaeology Joint Major (AEJ1)

UCD School of Archaeology assumes that students have no prior knowledge of the subject, and therefore teaches a course that starts with basics and ends with specialisms.

First Year
Students are introduced to the archaeology of Ireland and the world (from earliest prehistory), and to archaeological methods including excavation and scientific methods.

Second & Third Year
Modules are organised around a number of key pathways, specifically in Archaeological Science, Prehistoric Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, and Experiential and Experimental Archaeology. Students will attend lectures, tutorials, practical classes and undertake independent study. They may also work on excavations and in the laboratory, and within the School's experimental archaeology space on campus.

Of your 120 credits to be gained in second and third year, 50 come from archaeology, 50 from your other subject, and 20 from electives.  We strongly recommend that you use ‘in programme’ electives to take more archaeology modules as part of your degree. Some 10 credit modules are only available as electives, not as options. 

Of the 50 archaeological credits you must take:

•                     15 credits of Level 2 cores and  10 credits of Level 2 options
•                     10 credits of Level 3 Cores and 15 credits of Level 2 options
•                     In programme electives include ARCH20100 Archaeological Fieldschool and ARCH30100 Supervised Research Project. These 10 credit modules are only available to you as in programme electives, not as options.  

Assessment is through a combination of end-of-trimester written examinations, continuous assessment and independent learning.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

The School has active teaching and research links with many overseas universities, including Erasmus exchange agreements in 10 European countries (including Germany, Norway and France). Non-EU exchange opportunities include the University of Western Australia and the University of Washington, USA. Work placement opportunities have previously been offered in Crete and Southeast Asia.

Many graduates have found employment within the archaeological profession, in consultancy, professional contract work, museums and education. Archaeology offers many transferable skills, and graduates can utilise these to become:

• Business and industry entrepreneurs
• Policymakers in arts and education
• Journalists
• Tourism leaders
• Writers, actors, cultural critics

Graduate study opportunities in UCD include the MA and the MLitt/PhD in Archaeology.

The following advice is for Non-EU applicants. For Irish/EU/UK students, please apply via MyUCD.

The following entry route(s) are available:
 

THE MA Archaeology is a one year, Level 9, 90 credit taught course which will provide students with a high level of competency in conducting independent archaeological research in a range of subject areas. Students will develop critical perspectives on different forms of archaeological practice, including the archaelogical sciences, theorecitel perspectives on the past and the views of heritage stakeholders. Bein located in Dublin places us in close proximity to key cultural and archaeological institutions