Duration: 2 years part-time, 1 year full-time
Start dates: February, June, October

Course aims and objectives

The aims of this course are to:

• introduce you to the variety of approaches within different archaeological traditions and periods
• equip you with knowledge of the potential and limitations of different forms of archaeological, historical and other types of evidence
• help you to develop a critical understanding of the meaning and nature of capitalism and colonialism in the early modern and modern world
• enable you to develop an awareness of processes of social and cultural change in the early modern and modern worlds from a global perspective
• explore the history and potential of later historical archaeology in Britain and elsewhere
• provide you with practical skills in the analysis and interpretation of appropriate landscapes, buildings and material culture

The course is designed to appeal to archaeology graduates; professionals interested in career development; and those interested in learning about and developing innovative approaches to later historical archaeology, already an important sub-discipline in north America, and a growing field in Europe and elsewhere. Some students have gone on to doctoral research.

Course structure

Either
Doing Historical Archaeology
The Archaeology of the Modern World
And two modules from the following:
Archaeology of Standing Buildings
Classical Landscapes
The Historical Archaeology of England (study tour)
Plus
Dissertation (15,000 words)

OR

Doing Historical Archaeology
The Archaeology of the Modern World
And one module from the following:
Archaeology of Standing Buildings
Classical Landscapes
The Historical Archaeology of England (study tour)
Plus
Dissertation (20,000 words)

Postgraduate module information

Special features

• This course draws on the strength of our staff working in later historical periods within both Europe and north America – the largest concentration of later historical archaeologists in any UK university
• The optional Historical Archaeology of England module comprises a study tour in and around Leicestershire and the Midlands region of England during the spring
• Students who aim to progress on to doctoral research on completion of the programme can opt to do an extended dissertation of 20,000 words (90 credits) and three taught modules instead of four taught modules and a standard dissertation