Archaeology - Hunter Gatherer Archaeology
The MSc and Graduate Diploma in Hunter- Gatherer Archaeology is for students interested in the fascinating and remarkable world of hunter-gatherers.
| Award Name | Degree - Masters (Level 9 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 9 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Masters (Level 9 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 9 NFQ |
Duration
1 year full-time
Mode of delivery: Blended
Entry Requirements
- entry to MSc based on an Upper Second Class Honours (2H1) undergraduate degree (GPA 3.2, NFQ Level 8, or the international equivalent) in archaeology or anthropology, or other cognate disciplines (to be discussed with programme coordinator)
- If English is not your native language, proof of proficiency in English will be required, unless you took your primary degree through English. The minimum acceptable score on the TOEFL Internet Based Test is 90, on the IELTS system it is 6.5
Careers / Further progression
Careers & Employability
The MSc and Graduate Diploma will provide you with the skills required to develop a career in the archaeological profession or the heritage sector, or to go on to further academic study. Transferable skillsets such as critical thinking and project management will also provide you with an excellent grounding for future employment in other sectors. Graduates of this programme may progress to careers in:
• Further research, whether academic or professional
• Commercial archaeology and cultural resource management
• The heritage sector & Tourism
• State sector bodies
• NGOs
• Education
Further information
Next Intake: 2024/2025 September.
MSc Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology (W501) Full Time
EU fee per year - € 9100
nonEU fee per year - € 22600
***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. In terms of higher education, notwithstanding Brexit, UK students will still be eligible for the EU fee rate.
Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.
Students on this programme are also eligible to apply for the Kay Mahon bursary, valued at €3,000 to be set against fees. See School of Archaeology website for details.
The following entry routes are available:
MSc Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology FT (W501)
Deadline: Rolling*
* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised.
The MSc and Graduate Diploma in Hunter- Gatherer Archaeology is for students interested in the fascinating and remarkable world of hunter-gatherers. It is often claimed that humans have spent 90-99% of their existence as hunter-gatherers. Understanding these ways of life provides vital perspectives on human identity and the challenges and opportunities societies face today. Anthropology provides information about recent hunter-gatherers, but archaeology is the only discipline that can understand our hunter-gatherer past, and hunter-gatherer archaeology therefore has a particular significance. Our programme will introduce students to key themes in the archaeology of past hunter gatherers, the relationship between past and present hunting and gathering communities, and the contemporary context of knowledge production about hunter-gatherers. Our primary focus is the archaeology of Homo sapienshunter-gatherers: we will include some discussion of non-Homo sapiens, but this is not a course on human evolution.
You will develop skills in project design and independent research, data analysis and interpretation, communicating the past to different stakeholders, as well as how to develop different perspectives on the past. You will be part of a dynamic, friendly and international postgraduate community in a School with a 160-year history of exceptional archaeological research and you will form part of the UCD Hunter Gatherer Research Group.
Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology students have the opportunity to volunteer on many of our hunter-gatherer research projects, potentially including two weeks of excavation in the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland. Contact the course director (graeme.warren@ucd.ie) for details.
Core modules:
Autumn Trimester: Hunter-Gatherers 1: key themes
Spring Trimester: Hunter-Gatherers 2: producing knowledge
Material Culture
Research Project Skills
Optional modules:
In discussion with the Programme Coordinator, students will be advised to choose their options from one thematic area available in our other graduate programmes:
- Archaeology
- Experimental Archaeology & Material Culture
- World Heritage Management
Graduate Dissertation
(30 credits, MSc only)
Modules and topics shown are subject to change and are not guaranteed by UCD.
Programme Outcomes
• Demonstrate understanding and assess of the distinctive character and challenges of the archaeology of hunting and gathering communities and the opportunities this provides in global context)
• Critically understand the use of analogy and ethnoarchaeology in the archaeology of hunter-gatherers
• Assess the social and political context of our archaeological knowledge of hunting and gathering communities and the problems and potentials associated with this
• Critically evaluate diverse sources of data on past and present hunting and gathering communities (archaeology, anthropology, genetic, linguistics etc) and transform them into knowledge
• Appropriately select and apply discipline-specific archaeological skills and approaches to resolve research problems and develop our understanding of hunter-gatherer communities
• Communicate findings and ideas clearly and effectively in oral, written and visual
• Work within large or small teams and independently, leading and being led as appropriate
• Effectively manage projects and deadlines over the course of a year of intensive study
• Design, structure, research and implement a significant piece of original research focused on hunter-gatherer archaeology, in the form of an MSc research thesis
Graduate attributes
Graduates from the MSc/GDip in Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology will have
• H developed interpersonal, intercultural, and life skills necessary for flourishing in an increasingly global and digital society
• a strong knowledge of the hunter-gatherer past and the potentials of this for imagining and realising the future.
• ability to work independently and with peers in collaborative and flexible ways.
• resourcefulness, creativity and problem-solving skills.
• proficiency in collating, analysing and interpret scientific information.
• an ability to evaluate, synthesise and communicate different views.
• an understanding of the social and political context of knowledge production.
• an understanding of the deep history of contemporary issues and of the potential of knowledge of the human past to creatively and critically shape the future.
They will be
• Academically excellent, and have developed capacities to forge a career in hunter-gatherer research and/or advocacy as well as a broad range of other professional possibilities.
• In possession of knowledge, skills, experience and attitudes needed to flourish in society.
• Intellectually flexible and culturally literate and globally engaged; with especially increased understanding of cultural diversity as it relates to hunter-gatherer societies and the value of this for present and future societies.
• Committed to issues surrounding equality, diversity and inclusion in their professional contexts.
Graeme Warren
01 716 8613