Archaeology & Heritage Practice MA

Program Overview

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This MA in Archaeology and Heritage Practice explores the management and interpretation of the past in contemporary society, focusing on archaeological sites and collections in the UK. Students develop expertise in heritage debates and their applications through real-world projects, benefiting from connections with professional heritage organizations. The program culminates in a Research Dissertation and provides opportunities for public engagement and field trips.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

Our MA in Archaeology and Heritage Practice will allow you to investigate and critically appraise how the heritage industry operates and communicates, focusing on archaeological sites and collections in the UK. Our course explores how the past is managed and interpreted in contemporary society. Our focus is on archaeological heritage, enabling you to explore sites, museums and a wide range of other heritage contexts. Our rich regional heritage offers us plenty of chances for field trips. You will have the chance to acquire advanced expertise in heritage debates and their current applications. You will also have opportunities to develop your ideas and expertise through real-world projects focusing on communication and the relevance of archaeology and heritage in today’s world, benefitting from our networks with professional heritage organisations.

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Outline:

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Year 1

You will study core modules that explore research skills for postgraduate study and key themes and debates in archaeology and heritage practice. You will then take a further optional 20-credit module and develop your skills and professional experience with a project focusing on public engagement. The degree culminates in your original Research Dissertation.

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Compulsory Modules:

• Research Skills in Archaeology and Heritage: This provides an archaeology and heritage-specific Master's level research skills and methods module, affording students the necessary tools for Master’s level research in archaeology and heritage.
Students gain the opportunity to explore a range of skills and build on their existing knowledge and expertise, including how to identify relevant resources, how to appraise and critique research publications, and how to construct and analyse archaeological evidence. Students can opt to gain more detailed experience in those skills they wish to enhance most.
• Module aims:
• Enable students to acquire an understanding of research methods, presentation and study skills relevant to the disciplines of archaeology and heritage.
• Enable students to acquire an independent approach to developing their research methods and skills, including the effective use of research facilities and sources.
• Enable students to select and apply appropriate methodologies for different types of research questions and to make informed judgements in the absence of complete data or evidence.
• Archaeological Heritage in Practice: Drawing on current research in heritage studies and contemporary archaeology, this module explores heritage concepts and interpretation and the definitions and management of the archaeological heritage in the contemporary cultural, socio-economic and political climate of the British Isles.
The module also covers key issues in the archaeological study of contemporary society and the interaction of archaeological thinking, methods and practice with contemporary popular culture.
• Module aims:
• Enable students to acquire an understanding of debates in heritage theory over recent decades and how this relates to current practices within archaeological heritage.
• Introduce students to the wide variety of sources and materials available for the study of archaeological heritage.
• Enable students to critically appraise the interpretation of heritage through the utilisation of material culture.
• Familiarise students with the range of current practices within archaeological heritage management.
• Research Dissertation: Archaeology and Heritage: Each student researches and writes a 16,000-word dissertation.
The topic and title is negotiated between the student and the supervising tutor; tutor approval of the topic and title is an essential requirement. The research dissertation is based upon guided but largely independent research and upon substantial use of a range of primary source materials. For the MA Archaeology and Heritage Practice, the dissertation will involve research into heritage practice, archaeological heritage and the archaeology of the contemporary past.
• Module aims:
• To enable students to pursue selected topics in depth via independent research.
• To familiarise students with the range of sources/texts/material available for the study of their selected dissertation topic.
• To enable students to explore and critically examine the nature and characteristics of their selected dissertation topic
• Public Engagement: Communicating Heritage: The focus of the module is on experiential learning, current trends in archaeology and heritage communication scholarship and practice, continuing professional development and reflection.
To achieve this, the module provides a foundation on key issues, theoretical and practical, surrounding the communication and dissemination of archaeological heritage. It is grounded in a practical experience delivering and/or creating dissemination media or activities, such as educational resources, publicly accessible guides or documents and reflecting on this experience in light of current academic scholarship, legislation and theoretical approaches to archaeological heritage management. Students will be exposed to current issues in heritage communication and public engagement by examining case studies including examples from our network of local and regional heritage partners. Students will also engage with experiential learning via mini-placement or work shadowing opportunity related to the communication and dissemination of heritage information. Placements are designed to be flexible to student needs and may include, for example, arrangements organised by the Department or by the student as well as digital placements. The module involves a range of student-led learning exercises through problem-solving and discussion groups focused on key themes.
• Module aims:
• provide students with the background, experience and skills to critically evaluate scholarship and practice in relation to the communication and dissemination of archaeology and heritage.
• allow and enable students to critically deploy knowledge of current scholarship relating to the dissemination of archaeology and heritage and foster a critical, open, questioning approach to reflection, self-awareness and action planning using a range of methodologies and literature.

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Optional Modules:

• Research Essay: Each student researches and writes a 4000-word research essay.
The topic and title is negotiated between the student and the supervising tutor; tutor approval of the topic and title is an essential requirement. The research essay is based upon guided, but largely independent, research and upon substantial use of a range of primary source materials.
• Module aims:
• To enable students to pursue selected topics in depth via independent research.
• To familiarise students with the range of sources/texts/material available for the study of their selected research essay topic.
• To enable students to explore and critically examine the nature and characteristics of their selected research essay topic.
• Landscapes and Memory: The module explores the rich interdisciplinary and growing research field of ‘the archaeology of memory’ in relation to landscapes.
The module draws on case studies worldwide from different periods and places to illustrate current debates on the roles of material culture, monuments and landscapes in the creation and recreation of the past in the past.
• Module aims:
• Introduce students to the principal approaches and perspectives in memory studies and links between landscape and commemoration.
• Introduce students to key case studies in the archaeology of memory and landscapes.
• Enable students to critique theories and methods in the study of memory in past societies.
• Enable students to develop an innovative PhD proposal or carry out soundly-based work.
• Public Archaeology: Drawing on current research this module explores theoretical and practical debates in the practice of public archaeology.
In doing so the module links to relevant, historic and current political and social movements in both the U.K. and U.S. and covers key issues associated with public participation in archaeology including community archaeology; the practice and ethics of volunteering in archaeology; the creation of, and access to, archaeological information; archaeology and social benefit.
• Module aims:
• Enable students to demonstrate a complex understanding of the history of public archaeology and how this has shaped public archaeology today.
• Enable students to select and apply a wide variety of sources and materials available for the study and practice of public archaeology.
• Enable students to critically assess a range of current practices and projects within public archaeology.
• Enable students to critically appraise theoretical and practical approaches to public archaeology.

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Assessment:

Assessment is via written work and other methods equivalent to approximately 4,000 words per 20 credits. The Research Dissertation will be approximately 16,000 words in length.

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Teaching:

The principal methods of delivery will be a mixture of lectures, seminars, individual tutorials and field visits to archaeological and heritage sites. The Research Dissertation is supported through regular supervisory meetings and workshops.

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Careers:

Students may go on to find meaningful employment in the industry or pursue a research degree. Destinations include heritage organisations, museums, and the civil service or education sectors.

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Other:

With a rich research environment and active archaeologists and heritage professionals, you’ll regularly find volunteer opportunities throughout the year. A 30 hour placement focusing on Public Engagement is part of the course. Students are aided in finding a placement with one of our partners or can develop their own.

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Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

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Home Students

£8,505 per year (2024/25)

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International/EU Students

£14,750 per year (2024/25) The tuition fees for international students studying Postgraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £14,750. The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships for postgraduate study, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter. For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section. Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.