MA Celtic and Archaeology
About this course
Celtic languages and literatures, combined with archaeology, offer an unusually rich way to explore the deep past of Scotland and the wider Celtic world. Celtic studies engages with the languages, literatures and cultures of the Celtic peoples, including their ancient oral and written traditions, their societies and belief systems, and the distinctive trajectory of their survival and adaptation to the present day. Archaeology provides the material dimension, using physical evidence from excavation, survey and analysis to reconstruct the lives of people who left no written record or whose written sources tell only part of the story. Together, the two disciplines illuminate the past from complementary angles. At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study Celtic languages, literatures and cultures alongside the archaeology of Scotland and the wider world. You will develop the linguistic and literary skills to engage with Celtic texts in their original languages, and the fieldwork, analytical and interpretive skills of the archaeologist. A year abroad is part of the programme, giving you the chance to study at a partner institution and extend your engagement with Celtic or archaeological traditions beyond Edinburgh. Graduates from Celtic and archaeology programmes are well placed for careers in cultural heritage, museums, archives, academic research, education, broadcasting and arts organisations with a focus on Scottish and Celtic culture. The skills developed, including close reading of primary sources, material analysis, historical interpretation and argument construction, are transferable to a wide range of professional contexts. Postgraduate study in Celtic studies, Scottish archaeology, medieval history or museum studies is a natural route for those with research or curatorial ambitions. The programme is particularly valuable for those interested in Scotland's distinct cultural identity and its place in the broader history of Europe.
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