Master of Arts in Mesolithic Archaeology

at University of York United Kingdom

Philosophy and Sociology complement each other, giving you a deeper understanding of human behaviour, social norms, morality, and the workings of the mind. You will study some of the greatest and most influential thinkers whilst exploring the relationship between self and society.

Taught by world-leaders in their fields, this exciting and challenging degree will cultivate valuable skills in critical thinking, reasoning, analysis, creative problem-solving and communication, equipping you for a wide range of careers.

From our homes to our hospitals, robots are fast becoming an important part of many aspects of our lives.

On this innovative course, you'll study a wide range of engineering concepts before going on to specialise in autonomous technology.  

We build employability into every aspect of our courses. Alongside developing an in-depth understanding of your subject, you'll gain a range of transferable skills that will allow you to take on a career in a number of sectors and thrive in management roles.

You'll be taught the language component of the course in German, so you'll become confident using German as a means of communication, and for critical thinking. You'll gain an understanding of German culture and society which will underpin your abilities as a high-level communicator.

Your communication skills will be complemented by studying linguistics. This will enable you to understand and interpret language, and to learn the science behind how we communicate. You’ll engage with the study of language on a conceptual level as well as the detailed level of linguistic data. The course has flexibility in terms of how much German and linguistics content you study. Your knowledge and understanding of how a language works, and how we communicate, will give you a solid foundation for many careers.

Bioarchaeology enables us to paint a more vivid picture of the human past.

Through isotopic analysis of remains from archaeological sites, we can discover what past diets were like, where people came from and whether they travelled long distances in their lifetimes. We can analyse the proteins in fragments of Viking-Age hair combs to find out which animal they were made from, or examine ancient DNA to better understand our human timeline.

Our BSc Bioarchaeology is perfect for students studying a science subject who are interested in history and ancient populations. York is home to BioArCh, a collaborative research facility formed by the Archaeology, Biology and Chemistry departments. The centre is internationally recognised, with a unique concentration of expertise in human palaeoecology and environmental archaeology.

Our department is renowned for being friendly and welcoming, meaning you'll get to know your lecturers, and they'll get to know you. You'll have endless opportunities to get involved, from joining the Archaeology Society to working abroad on a research project. We're based in the King's Manor in the city centre, a beautiful and truly unique Medieval building, with additional state-of-the-art facilities on the main campus.

York is the UK’s archaeological capital, with historic buildings and significant remains from the Roman, Viking and Medieval periods. You'll find it a great place to call home.

This course is ideal if you have an interest in diversity, inclusion, equality and a fair and decent society. It's especially useful for current and future teachers as well as potential policy makers and researchers.

Educational policymakers, researchers and teachers recognise that social justice is fundamental to their work. This course will equip you to investigate the pedagogical and professional issues that relate to social justice.

Funerary archaeology combines analysis of human remains with their archaeological context to take a truly interdisciplinary approach to studying both life and death in the past.

Our course will enable you to use the latest techniques and equipment to build key, practical knowledge and explore the varied archaeological and methodological approaches to funerary archaeology. You'll have the chance to develop your skills in a range of different methods and techniques, but all centred on learning how to investigate death and burial in the past.

The flexible nature of the course enables you to pursue your own particular period or methodological interests by selecting modules that appeal to your research interests. You'll work alongside internationally renowned specialists and gain 'hands on' experience of the analysis of human remains. You'll get the chance to learn through field trips to local museums and relevant sites, such as the prehistoric monuments in the Yorkshire Wolds.

Our Genetics course examines how the massive innovation in DNA sequencing technologies has revolutionised our knowledge and understanding of living systems, and makes it a particularly exciting time to be studying this subject.

This course is ideal if you want an interdisciplinary approach to Genetics. You will have a wide range of options to tailor the course to your developing interests.

Genetics encompasses the molecular studies of genes and genetic engineering, through human genetics and disease, to population genetics. Our increasing knowledge of the human and other genomes will continue to have a great impact on biotechnology, medicine and conservation.

Adding a year in industry or a year abroad are both an option with this course too, so you can benefit from the advantages that a year away can bring. The Department of Biology will provide you with the opportunity to learn in new, spacious and modern teaching laboratories which provide excellent facilities for practicals and small group project work, alongside our state-of-the-art computing facilities.

With access to the latest computer design labs, multi-speaker surround sound systems, multimedia studios and an anechoic chamber you’ll be able to explore synthesiser technology, MIDI, audio recording, sampling and digital audio signal processing. You’ll not just learn how this technology is applied in making and recording music, but also use your engineering expertise to design and build the next generation of audio technology.

With individual and group projects at every stage of the degree designed to develop practical, organisational, management and business skills, you'll graduate with the knowledge and skills you’ll need to operate with confidence – as an audio engineer, expert designer, researcher or engineering manager in the exciting field of audio and music technology.

The BEng is a fully-accredited engineering course which combines professional electronics with audio and music technology, and draws on the expertise of researchers in the University of York AudioLab.

On this course, you’ll explore these topics in greater depth and from different perspectives. The course draws on our internationally-recognised teaching and research strengths in analytical political philosophy, intellectual history and critical theory.

You'll be encouraged to attend regular research seminars, where the best current work in political theory is presented by staff and eminent guest speakers from all over the world.

The European Iron Age is a dynamic focus of contemporary archaeological research. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach, studying archaeological evidence alongside classical literary sources, and examines the impact of new scientific analysis.

You'll discuss the nature of Celtic identity and the broader meaning of ethnicity in past societies. Scientific developments, for example in ancient DNA research, will inform our ideas and spark new debates.

You can tailor the course with options covering a huge range of topics, including landscape, society, animals, conservation, and scientific techniques such as isotope and ancient DNA analysis. The skills you develop in laboratory and fieldwork will be useful for careers or further research in archaeology and heritage.

This is the only UK masters specialising in European Iron Age archaeology. The University of York is establishing itself as a major centre for research on the period, and the Department of Archaeology is home to staff with specialist expertise in the field.