Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology MA (Hons)

Level: Undergraduate

Subject: Scottish Ethnology and Studies

Year of entry: 2026

Key facts

UCAS Code

VV94

Award

MA (Hons)

Duration of study

4 years

Delivery

Full-time

Study location

Central Area

Start date

September 2026

School

School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study abroad

Available

Placement

No

Open days and events

About the degree programme

Uncover Scotland’s past and help shape its future, while gaining skills that you can apply to any country, culture or place.

This innovative joint honours programme combines two related yet distinct approaches to the study of human cultures, past and present. Taking this programme shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, an essential attribute in many careers and a global marketplace.

Over the course of your four years with us, you will gain the practical and intellectual tools to handle and interpret:

  • historic remains and artefacts
  • print and traditional resources
  • modern media and digital data 

Scottish Ethnology

Ethnology is the study of the culture and traditions of developed societies. It is sometimes described as being at the intersection where history and anthropology meet.

While ethnology is commonly offered in universities across Europe, this is the only full undergraduate programme of its kind in the UK. 

Focusing on Scotland, but also looking at comparative material from elsewhere, you will study the varying ways in which a modern European nation expresses itself culturally.

Our courses explore questions such as:

  • How do customs, beliefs, social organisation, language, music and song help to create and shape identity in the modern world? 
  • How do we use and make sense of the past from within our present? 
  • How can this understanding help us to shape our future?

A highlight of our programme is the chance to work with the rich range of materials in the School of Scottish Studies Archives and Scottish Studies Library: over 33,000 recordings, thousands of photographs, and rarely-seen historic documents.

These materials are kept alive through our teaching, our undergraduate and postgraduate research, and through the work of our Traditional Artist and Gaelic Writer in Residence.

Archaeology

Complementing the ethnology side of your programme, which explores the recent past and present, your studies in archaeology take you further back in time.

You will develop a range of skills in the interpretation of social and cultural change.

The programme also enables students to appreciate:

  • the development and practice of archaeology
  • the contested nature of objects and sites
  • social relationships that arise around objects, sites and landscapes

You will gain practical experience in archaeological fieldwork, and use excellent on-campus laboratories.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.

Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to studying core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of subjects and disciplines. This gives you the chance to build your intercultural awareness in other areas of the arts, humanities, social sciences and beyond.

Your final two years will be your honours years. They will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology.

How a joint degree programme works

You will study both Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology to degree level, as well as taking optional courses in Years 1 and 2.

Scottish Ethnology is based in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) and Archaeology in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology (HCA) on the same campus.

Your teaching will take place in and around the main LLC and HCA buildings in the University's Central Area.

Programme rankings

  • 3rd in the UK in the Arts & Humanities

Rankings from QS World Rankings by Subject 2025

Programme benefits

  • Take the only programme of its kind in the world.
  • Learn in the heart of Scotland's capital city.
  • Be inspired by traditional musicians, composers and storytellers.
  • Delve into fantastic libraries, archives and collections.
  • Try out different subjects in your first two years.
  • Join societies related to what you are studying.

"Studying Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology at Edinburgh has been incredibly rewarding. I have been so surprised at how well both subjects tie into each other, and I doubt any other degree will help you better understand Scotland’s material and non-material culture and history. The programme has opened my eyes to so many elements of our understanding of culture and heritage, while allowing me to consider my own identity and relationship with it. In particular, the scale and breadth of the School of Scottish Studies Archives has given me an opportunity I don’t think I would have anywhere else. There’s never been a dull moment, and I’ve been surprised at every turn"

Alasdair Year 4, Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology MA Hons

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for MA (Hons) Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology

View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology.

Tuition fees for this programme

Additional costs

In Year 1, we expect you to take part in an archaeological fieldwork project. Normally, the minimum requirement is three weeks of field experience. Archaeological projects often charge a participation fee. 

We can make a contribution towards any participation fees for:

  • your mandatory fieldwork in Year 1
  • fieldwork and practical work in later years if it contributes to your programme

The overall cost to you of taking part in fieldwork will depend on the type of work you choose and the location.

In later years, you may decide to undertake additional practical archaeological work in the holidays following Years 2 and 3.

Depending on the courses you choose for Scottish Ethnology, you may have opportunities to take part in further fieldwork and excursions. The costs involved will vary according to location.

There are likely to be additional costs if you choose to study abroad in Year 3.

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

See a breakdown of living costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

Funding

What you will study

Scottish Ethnology

You will study the following courses:

  • Conceptualising Scotland
  • Creating Scotland
Conceptualising Scotland

This course will introduce you to the study of culture, society and tradition in Scotland.

You will explore competing conceptions and images of the nation through the study of:

  • heritage
  • literature
  • folklore
  • music and song
  • visual art
  • the popular media

You will also consider cultural representation’s political context, and the connections between culture and industry.

Watch or listen to a short sample lecture on protest song from Conceptualising Scotland

Creating Scotland

This course is an exploration of Scotland's topographical, social and cultural features and their influence on each other over time.

You will gain an understanding of the diversity of Scotland's resources, the nature of its land and seascapes, the complexity of its settlement patterns, and its regional variety.

You will explore the ways in which experiences of family, community and work are manifested and expressed in different cultural forms. You will also learn how to use appropriate academic sources and methods.

Watch or listen to a short sample lecture on the Scots language from Creating Scotland

Archaeology

You will study the following courses:

  • Archaeology 1A
  • Archaeology 1B

These courses offer a broad introduction to our human past, identifying crucial events in human history and pre-history, from the evolution of the first humans several million years ago, to the emergence of farming and the development of civilisations in Europe, Egypt and the Near East.

They also cover the key techniques that archaeologists use, from methods of site discovery, excavation, and recording and analysing artefacts, to more recent and innovative approaches to reconstruct the lifeways of past peoples, including the scientific analysis of animal and human remains.

Option courses

You will choose one or more option courses from a wide range offered by the University.

You can, for example, opt to study a language in its cultural context. This includes reading literature written in that language, starting with short texts, and allows you to access a broad range of original material in the University collections.

We offer one of the widest ranges of languages of any UK university, including Scottish Gaelic, other European languages, and languages from East Asia and the Middle East. The majority are suitable for complete beginners.

Other options include, but are not limited to, courses in:

  • Celtic civilisation
  • art and architectural history
  • history and classics
  • business, economics and informatics
  • politics, social policy, social anthropology and international relations
  • linguistics and language sciences
  • philosophy, divinity and law
Fieldwork

Over the long vacation at the end of Year 1, you will be required to undertake three weeks of archaeological fieldwork.

Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Scottish Ethnology

You will study the following courses:

  • Scotland and Orality
  • Visualising Scotland
Scotland and Orality

This course takes an ethnological approach to verbal expression using Scotland's rich song and oral narrative traditions.

You will be introduced to key concepts and theories relating to the performance and transmission of oral material. Case studies will involve songs, ballads, legends and folktales drawn from the School of Scottish Studies Archives.

Visualising Scotland

This course is a critical examination of the way Scotland has portrayed itself, and been portrayed by others, through visual media.

You will develop a critical understanding of the contribution made by paintings, films, documentaries and other visual media to concepts like:

  • nationhood
  • identity
  • heritage
  • tradition
  • cultural difference
Archaeology

You will study the archaeology of Scotland, from the earliest evidence of human occupation at the end of the last ice age to the Roman invasion in the early 1st millennium AD. 

A field trip to visit archaeological sites and visits to the National Museum of Scotland are core parts of this course.

You will also study Archaeology in Action, which:

  • develops your understanding of professional archaeological practice
  • explores exciting innovations in archaeological methods through real-world applications and hands-on practical exercises
Option courses

As in Year 1, you will choose from a wide range of option courses. You can opt to continue studying a subject you took in Year 1, or do something completely different.

Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Scottish Ethnology 

This is the first of your honours years, when you will specialise in the aspects of Scottish Ethnology which interest you most by choosing from a range of courses.

Depending on staff research and other commitments, our options are usually the same in both Years 3 and 4, which generally gives you more choice over the two years. They typically include:

  • Ethnological Fieldwork Methods
  • Traditional Narrative
  • Traditional Song
  • Traditional Music
  • Traditional Drama
  • Scotland and Heritage 
  • Custom, Belief and Community
  • Scottish Emigrant Traditions
  • The Supernatural World
  • Material Culture in Scotland
Archaeology

You will study theoretical archaeology, which explores the history of archaeology from its antiquarian beginnings in the 18th and 19th centuries and its development as an academic discipline. 

You will consider the theories that archaeologists have used to understand and interpret the remains that they have found and examine how these ideas have changed over the past 150 years. 

You will also study Archaeology in Practice. This course focuses on the contemporary practice of archaeology in the UK as well as internationally. You will learn the practical skills required of professional archaeologists.

You will choose one additional course from honours-level Archaeology options.

Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

This is the second of your honours years, when you will continue to specialise in the aspects of Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology which interest you most.

You will also complete your dissertation, which gives you the opportunity to research a topic in depth. This can be in either Scottish Ethnology or Archaeology.

If you choose to do your dissertation in Scottish Ethnology, it can be based on either fieldwork or archival work.

Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Study abroad

In Year 3, you may have the opportunity to spend the year studying abroad through the University's international exchange programme. There are also shorter-term and virtual opportunities to study or work abroad throughout the four years, including over the summer months.

What are my options for going abroad?

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

University is a place to plan your own goals under expert guidance, study independently and in groups, and reflect upon your learning throughout your degree. 

Our approach to learning and teaching is active, inclusive and question-driven, so it may be different to your experiences at school. It will help you gain the skills for life after university, and we will guide you through the steps from one phase to the next.

Depending on the size of your year group, and which option courses you take, your classes will typically fall into five categories: 

  • lectures 
  • tutorials 
  • seminars 
  • field trips
  • lab-based practicals or workshops

In addition to these classes, to get the most out of your courses, you will need to read widely.

We make extensive use of our audio and visual resources, and you will also be encouraged to use online materials. 

Lectures

Lectures are taken by all students on a course, typically at the same time. They are delivered as interactive presentations which may involve audio-visual material. 

Lectures are given by an experienced academic. They are designed to guide you through the background, questions and debates related to the topic you are studying. 

Tutorials

Tutorial groups are smaller. They are also led by an academic, but here the emphasis is more on what you think about the topic yourself. So, tutorials are your chance to discuss and expand upon what you have learned in a lecture. 

Seminars

Seminars blend features of lectures and tutorials. Again, they are designed to encourage and facilitate your active participation in learning. 

On some courses, you will have seminars instead of lectures, especially in your honours years (Years 3 and 4).

Assessment

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework and exams.

Coursework is generally completed throughout the year, while exams take place at the end of a teaching block.

Coursework will take a range of forms to give you the opportunity to practice different skills. For example, you may be asked to:

  • write an essay, review, blog post, opinion piece or learning journal
  • respond to a piece of writing, film, or other media, including through close reading
  • give a short talk or presentation
  • record a podcast or video
  • design a poster or presentation

In your final year, you will also complete a dissertation.

Support for your studies

As well as the teaching staff and other staff members you will meet day-to-day, there are lots of ways to get help with your learning, including through the University’s Institute for Academic Development (IAD). Peer support schemes bring together students across year groups to help each other with specific study skills, topics or themes.

Our academic staff

Meet Lori! She’s a traditional musician, composer and lecturer in Scottish Ethnology. Hear how she made the choice to study Scottish music in its cultural context and how she’s inspired by Edinburgh’s trad scene and the city’s international buzz. Find out what she can’t live without… and listen to a wee tune on a very old fiddle.

In the Hot Seat - Lori Watson

Where you will study

Study location

When you are on campus, you can expect to spend most of your time in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area - in class, in the library, in the School of Scottish Studies Archives, or in one of the University’s many social and support spaces.

The Central Area is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.

Academic facilities

Libraries, collections and specialist equipment

One of the University's most notable collections is the School of Scottish Studies Archives, an extensive collection relating to the culture and tradition of Scotland.

The Archives include:

  • thousands of hours of recordings of songs, music, stories, rhyme and verse in Scots, Gaelic and English, as well as in dialects now extinct
  • photographs and rarely-seen historic documents which capture exceptional and everyday aspects of Scottish culture and heritage.

Read our feature on 70 years of the School of Scottish Studies Archives

The Archive's extensive Scottish Studies Library holds important Scottish ethnological, wider ethnological and Celtic material. Through the Main University Library, you will also have access to the University’s rare books and manuscripts, such as the:

  • Carmichael-Watson Collection
  • Donald MacKinnon Collection
  • David Laing Collection

Archaeological research and teaching laboratories include post-excavation processing and wet chemistry labs and a large teaching laboratory for the study of skeletal remains. These facilities are located in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology (HCA).

Centres for research, teaching and outreach

We are home to the European Ethnological Research Centre, whose primary focus is the promotion of research into everyday life and society in Scotland. Ongoing since 2011, our Regional Ethnology of Scotland Project focuses on the role that individuals’ stories and memories play in shaping and understanding history.

We are currently working on the Decoding Hidden Heritages project. Combining qualitative analysis with computational methods, we are leading a team of five international universities to decode, interpret and curate the hidden heritages of Gaelic traditional narrative.

Career paths

Skills and experience 

Studying Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology together gives you a nuanced understanding of culture and society, past and present, and how these shape our world.

When you graduate from the University of Edinburgh with a four-year Master of Arts degree in this joint honours combination, you show intellectual maturity, resilience, and flexibility.

The skills you will be able to demonstrate to employers include the ability to:

  • understand, analyse and articulate complex issues and concepts
  • manage your time to meet deadlines on different types of projects
  • work independently and as part of a group

Local and global opportunities

The focus we place on comparative work, and on studying a range of subjects in your first two years, gives you the intercultural competence valued by employers around the globe.

Whether you stay in Scotland or move elsewhere when you graduate, this degree will make you stand out.

Recent graduates have gone on to careers in:

  • education, outreach, advocacy and training
  • publishing, culture, heritage and the arts
  • journalism, broadcasting and media
  • politics, policy work, diplomacy, civil service and law
  • leisure, tourism and travel

Your transferable humanities skills will also set you apart in sectors such as:

  • business, finance, commerce and tech
  • communications, marketing, advertising and public relations
  • research, development, consultancy and venture acceleration

Careers Service

Throughout your time with us, we will encourage you to identify and hone your employability skills.

Through the University's excellent Careers Service, you can:

  • get careers advice tailored towards ethnology and archaeology
  • book one-to-one appointments and practice interviews
  • access a range of online resources
  • attend events and themed fairs such as the Creative and Cultural Careers Festival
  • get help finding work while you study and for around two years after you graduate

The Careers Service is also a partner in Life After LLC, a panel event where you can draw inspiration from recent graduates of programmes in literatures, languages and cultures.

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

The enhanced research skills that you develop on a four-year programme, particularly in your honours years, are valuable assets if you wish to continue studying at postgraduate level.

At the University of Edinburgh, we typically offer:

  • a taught masters programme in Archaeology
  • Masters by Research programmes in:
    • Archaeology
    • Scottish Ethnology

There are also masters programmes in history, social anthropology, and many other disciplines in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Any of our masters degrees, whether research-based or taught, is a good foundation for a PhD, but is equally of value as a stand-alone qualification.

Graduate profiles

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

Guidance on applying through UCAS

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants

When to apply

  • 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

Search degrees that are open on the UCAS website

Key application dates and deadlines

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Find out more about applying through UCAS  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Applying for a visa  

Agents  

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

Find contact details for an education agent

What our students say

I think what makes Edinburgh special is that there is so much to do whatever your interests are! Whether you enjoy hiking, relaxing in a café, socialising with friends, or literally anything else, you will never run out of options here.

Minju Kim LLC graduate (2024)

In her final year studying at Edinburgh, Minju served as the Undergraduate Representative for the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures. Together with Programme Representatives for Scottish Ethnology and Archaeology, Undergraduate Representatives are your voice in the university - sharing your feedback to continually improve the student experience for everyone. Their roles are supported by the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA).

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

The Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) supports more than 300 student-led societies and clubs, and promotes opportunities with local charities through its volunteering centre.

An Comunn Ceilteach (The Highland Society) is the University’s oldest student society and organises the city’s largest annual cèilidh. Archsoc - the Archaeological Society - organises trips to local heritage and excavation sites, among other activities.

Passionate about music, literature, song and storytelling, we regularly hold events for staff, students and visiting guests to speak, perform or present research.

We also have a Traditional Artist and Gaelic Writer in Residence, a composer/musician and a writer who work with staff and students on a range of projects and performances.

Watch, read or listen to an interview with Fraser Fifield, our Traditional Artist in Residence

Societies

Sports clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a world-leading festival city filled with cinemas, theatres, galleries, libraries and collections. Its resources for studying ethnology and archaeology are exceptional.

Many national collections are located close to the University's Central Area, making them easy to access between classes. Highlights include the National Museum of Scotland, where some of your classes will take place.

In addition to the summer and winter festivals, the city has a lively year-round contemporary cultural scene. From sessions in traditional bars, to events in the Scottish Poetry Library and Scottish Storytelling Centre, there is always something going on.

What's great about Edinburgh?

Lori Watson, a traditional musician, composer and lecturer in Scottish Ethnology, tells you what to look and listen out for…

Edinburgh is...

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment

Health and wellbeing support services

Contact us

Contact us through our enquiry team if you have any questions about this programme.

Open days, events and visits

Find out when our next open days will be taking place

Open days, events and visits

Chat to our students on Unibuddy

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