Master's Programme in Archaeology

The programme is offered in both Uppsala and at Campus Gotland in Visby. When applying, you need to choose where you want to study the programme.

If you are interested in contract archaeology, cultural heritage management, or a career as a researcher, this programme was made for you! The programme is vocational, but will also provide you with research experience. You will acquire skills in field studies, different methods and interpretative models in the exploration of the past. Through our practical exercises, you will learn Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and during fieldwork, you will excavate under supervision.

You will take a mixture of compulsory and elective courses during the programme. The Department of Archaeology, Ancient History and Conservation offers courses in Archaeology, Classical Archaeology and Egyptology every semester. You can also choose courses from other subjects if you want to broaden your education further.

The Department of Archaeology, Ancient History and Conservation at Uppsala University strives for excellence in its teaching and research and is currently highly ranked in the subject of Archaeology (QS World University Rankings 2026).

Upon completing a Master's degree in Archaeology our students have numerous transferable skills that enable them to find work in for example contract archaeology, cultural heritage management, tourism, tour leaders and guides, jobs requiring Geographical Information Systems (GIS) within local and national government agencies or as educators, teachers, and researchers.

Student profile

The programme is international; Swedish students are in the majority, with others representing a range of nationalities from elsewhere in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Students come from either a background in archaeology, anthropology or Scandinavian studies with a strong component of archaeology in their previous studies. The student group in Uppsala is about 15 students and in Visby about 10 students.

Career

Previous students have found work as:

• archaeologists
• museum curators and educators
• investigators for the public sector
  
• tour leaders and guides
• cultural writers
  
• teachers
• forensic scientists and researchers

Graduates have found jobs working with the Swedish Heritage Board, the County Administrative Board in Uppsala, and the police force (forensic section), and jobs requiring knowledge of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) within local and national government agencies, museums in Sweden and internationally. With a Master's degree in Archaeology, you are able to apply for further PhD studies in the field.

The Department holds networking events in the areas of archaeology, museums and cultural heritage management where students can meet alumni who can provide insights into the job market as they prepare to graduate.

Content

The duration of the full programme is two years and is worth 120 credits. You can also choose to complete your studies in one academic year, leading to a Master of Arts (60 credits) with Archaeology as the main field of study.

The Master's Programme in Archaeology starts with two compulsory courses, followed by a range of elective courses offered by the Department of Archaeology, Ancient History and Conservation or by other departments at the Faculty of Arts. You will take the compulsory courses together with students from the Master's Programmes in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History and in Egyptology.

You will design your education according to your interests. At the beginning of the first semester, you will establish an Individual Study Plan (ISP) together with the programme coordinator or Director of Studies. At that time, you will decide how to plan your studies: which courses to take, when to write your Master's thesis, etc. The ISP is revised as required.

The Department offers a number of courses, which normally run at 50% of a full-time study load. The idea behind this is that you should read two courses in parallel, or read one course while working on your thesis project. Apart from the courses offered by the Department, which vary from one semester to another over a two-year cycle. You can choose to take an internship (worth 7.5 or 15 credits), or take an individually designed in-depth course or a method course (7.5 credits) relevant to the field. You may also take courses offered by other departments at the university. Most of the Department's courses are offered both in Uppsala and Visby, but some are only given at one campus.

You will write a 45-credit Master's thesis. It is divided into three modules and written over several semesters. You can choose to devote your full attention to the thesis, or read a course at the same time.

Courses within the programme

Below is an example of what the programme outline might look like for the full two-year programme. If you follow the one-year programme, you will do your Master's thesis during the second semester.

Semester 1

• Perspectives on the Past: Applied Theory and Method, 7.5 credits (compulsory)
• The Craft of Research, 7.5 credits (compulsory)
• Elective courses, 15 credits

Semester 2

• Advanced field course in archaeology, 15 credits
• Thesis module 1, 7.5 credits
• Elective course, 7.5 credits

Semester 3

• Elective courses, 22.5 credits
• Thesis module 2, 7.5 credits

Semester 4

• Thesis module 3, 30 credits

Learning experience

Teaching typically includes between two and four hours of seminars and lectures each week.

Between seminars, you are expected to read and digest texts and sometimes also discuss them with other students. Some courses have a more practical orientation, such as internships, courses on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and archaeological excavations in the field. You are expected to study 40 hours per week throughout the programme.

Course assessment is normally continuous and based on your active participation in seminars and assessed work. It may also consist of a longer essay submitted at the end of the course. The programme is taught in English. Written assignments can be submitted in either English or Swedish.

The programme is offered both in Uppsala and at Campus Gotland in Visby. You choose to take either the programme in Uppsala or in Visby. Gotland is an island located in the Baltic Sea between the mainland of Sweden and the Baltic States. Visby is a World Heritage site and is the best-preserved Medieval city in Scandinavia.

Degree

The programme leads to the degree of Master of Arts (120 credits) with Archaeology as the main field of study. After one year of study, it is possible to obtain a degree of Master of Arts (60 credits).