Archaeology/Scottish History

Archaeology combined with Scottish history brings together the material evidence of how people in the past interacted with their world, through their objects, sites, monuments and landscapes, with the documentary and analytical tradition of one of the most distinctive national histories in Europe. Archaeology provides a set of methods, from fieldwork and excavation to scientific dating and environmental analysis, that allow us to recover evidence about human activity across all periods, including those long before written records exist. Scottish history, as a serious academic discipline, examines the political, religious, social, cultural and economic trajectory of Scotland with its own sources, debates and historiographical tradition.

At the University of Glasgow you will study archaeology and Scottish history over four years of full-time study, with a year abroad built into the programme that provides the opportunity to study material and historical evidence from a different national or international perspective. You will develop skills in both disciplines, including the ability to work with primary sources, to interpret material culture in its historical context, and to synthesise different types of evidence into coherent historical narratives. The typical tariff of 200 reflects the academic demands of a programme that expects strong analytical and communication skills from those who enter it.

Graduates work in heritage, field archaeology, museums, archives, historical research, education, the civil service and creative industries including broadcasting and publishing. Many pursue professional practice in archaeology or heritage management, and Scotland has a strong institutional framework for both through bodies such as Historic Environment Scotland and the local authority archaeological units. Postgraduate study in archaeology, Scottish history, heritage or museum studies is a common route for graduates who want to develop specialist expertise or pursue academic careers.

The combination of material and documentary approaches to the past is a genuinely distinctive graduate profile.