Comparative Art and Archaeology

The Comparative Art and Archaeology MA at UCL is a wide-ranging and challenging programme designed to provide students with a sophisticated understanding of the major problems, theories and approaches in the sociological and anthropological interpretation of the art of pre-modern societies.

Students are encouraged to think critically and work independently in a broadly comparative perspective across the boundaries of regional and period specialisation which have traditionally characterised the study of art. They develop subject-specific, research-oriented skills relevant to their development as practising analysts within the history, anthropology or archaeology of art.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of one core module (30 credits), optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).

Core modules

All students are required to take the following: 

• Art: Interpretation and Explanation

Optional modules

Students choose to follow further optional modules up to the value of 60 credits from an outstanding range of Master's module options available at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. For this degree the most popular choices include: 

• Ancient Italy in the Mediterranean
• Archaeology of Buddhism
• Archaeology of Egypt and the Near East: a Comparative Approach
• Aztec Archaeology: Codices and Ethnohistory
• Cities, States and Religion in Ancient India
• Making and Meaning in Ancient Greek Art
• Making and Meaning in Ancient Roman Art
• Maya Art, Architecture and Archaeology
• Social Complexity in Early China: from the Neolithic to the Early Empire
• Technology in Society: archaeology and ethnography in the Andes
• The Mediterranean World in the Iron Age
• The Transformation of the Roman Mediterranean

Dissertation/report

All MA students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures and presentations. Some optional modules include site visits to museums. Assessment is through essays, coursework, oral examination and the dissertation.

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.