Archaeology

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr Charlotta Hillerdal

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

This course aims to provide students with a northern perspective on archaeology contextualised to the environments and hluman practices characteristic of the Northern Worlds (defined here as Scotland, Northern-Eurasia, the North Pacific, higher-latitude North America and the north Atlanctic). Lectures examine several inter-locking themes, including the first colonisations of the North, tracing how these earlier populations established the cultual, ethnic and religious diversity that defined later period. Lectures provide a detialed introduction to the ecological characteristics of higher latitudes, examing the divers ways in which communities have made the northern world their home. Lectures also examine how human societies have responded to frequent periods

Structure

3 x 1-hour sessions per week (alternating small group teaching, seminar style sessions and practicals), plus a single 1 or 2 day field trip.

Assessment

Continuous assessment 100% (based on a 3000-word essay, plus an end of term project.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr Charlotta Hillerdal

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

This course aims to provide the students with a solid understanding of different theoretical and methodological approaches to empirical material, aplicable to archaeolgicla research. They will be expected to tackle challenging research questions through analysis, discussion and open debate. Students will consolidate their skills as confident and autonomous learners and communicators through seminar dicussions and written work.

Structure

3 x 1-hour sessions per week (alternating small group teaching, seminar style sessions and practicals).

Assessment

Continuous assessment 100% (based on a 3000-word essay, plus an end of term project)

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr Charlotta Hillerdal

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

What defines the people of the North? This course discusses anotherness and the characteristics of northern people and life in the north through different in-depth case studies presenting different northern cultures over time. The case studies focus on cultures such as Hunter-Gatherers, Northern Neolithic cultures, Vikings, Picts, Eskimos etc. The case studies may vary from year to year.

Structure

3 x 1-hour sessions per week (alternating small group teaching, seminar style sessions and practicals). A single one/two day field trip (12-24 hours).

Assessment

Continuous assessment 100% (based on a 3000 word essay, and an end of term project)

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr Charlotta Hillerdal

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

The course integrates various components of the Archaeology of the North, and students are expected to draw together, and build on, their increasing knowledge of the discipline gained during the first half session and earlier undergraduate studies. They will be expected to tackle challenging and perhaps unfamiliar topics through analysis, discussion and open debate. Students will consolidate their skills as confident autonomous learners and communicators through oral presentations and written work.

Structure

Core teaching: 12 x 2-hour seminars, one per week (with 6-8 hours of set reading per seminar).
In addition, students will take it in turns to give a 20-minute introductory presentation at the start of each seminar, to develop discussion questions and to lead the seimiar.
Students will also be required to:

Assessment

Continuous assessment (based on a portfolio of coursework as described above) (100%)

Credit Points

60

Course Coordinator

Dr Charlotta Hillerdal

Pre-requisites

All core courses on MSc in Archaeology of the North (AY5XXX Northern Worlds; AY5XXX Northern Peoples and Cultures).

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

This course builds directly on the skills and knowledge acquired in the core courses of the MSc in Archaeology of the North (AY5XXX Northern Worlds; AY5XXX Northern Peoples and Cultures). In completing their dissertation, students will be expected to demonstrate that they can conduct advanced library research, prepare extensive literature reviews situating their research question in its wider archaeological, methodological and theoretical context and write and edit large pieces of work. In addition, they will be required to prepare abstracts and bibliographies and assess the ethical issues involved in original research. All students will receive staff supervision in identifying a suitable topic and in completing an original research project. In addition the students will be required to present their work to their fellow students in a seminar.

Structure

Individual supervison sessions with an appropriate member of staff (normally up to 6 hours) supplemented by other modes of contact between staff and student, where appropriate. In addition the students are requested to attend a number of seminars (depending on student number) distributed to suit their dissertation progress.

Assessment

Dissertation 12,000 words (90%). Oral presentation of dissertation work (10%).