Archaeology Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

Our PhD in Archaeology offers you the opportunity to study archaeology at an advanced level through independent research.

Each student is allocated at least two supervisors, allowing us to combine thematic, chronological and disciplinary expertise in the supervisory team. We also have close links with external organisations, such as the National Museums of Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland, and can include external partners in supervisory teams.

The Archaeology subject area offers research supervision across a wide range of fields.

We welcome applications from anyone keen to work in areas or on topics in which we have expertise. These include:

* Aspects of Science-based archaeology

* Osteoarchaeology

* Coastal and marine heritage

* Megalithic monuments

* Early civilisations and urban societies in the Mediterranean and Europe

* Near Eastern archaeology and Egyptology

* Later European prehistory

* The archaeology of Scotland

* The Byzantine world

Our Focal areas of research include:

* Bioarchaeology/ Human osteoarchaeology/ Biological anthropology

* Human–environment interactions

* The transition from hunter-gatherer to farming communities

* The development of complex societies

* Cultural heritage perspectives on the past, present, and future

* Zooarchaeology

These research areas are complemented by research expertise in related disciplines elsewhere in the School and the University. The breadth of expertise in the School and in the wider University makes it possible for us to supervise a very wide range of topics.

We have a wide range of expertise covering different areas, time periods and themes, including:

* Bioarchaeology and isotope studies

* Egyptology

* Roman and ‘Celtic’ archaeology

* The Byzantine World and Late Antiquity  

* Megalithic monuments

* Prehistory of Europe, the Mediterranean and North-East Africa

* Early civilisations and urban societies

* The archaeology of Scotland

* Cultural heritage and sustainability

* Digital heritage and heritage policy

* Archaeomaterials analysis  

* Human evolution

* Conflict archaeology

* Medieval archaeology

* Computational archaeology

* Marine and coastal archaeology

* Buildings archaeology

* Archaeological survey-Landscape archaeology

* Zooarchaeology and Environmental archaeology

In a three-year PhD (six-year part-time), your proposal must be well defined before you start. Please approach your proposed supervisor well ahead of the application deadline, to give them time to read your thesis proposal and suggest improvements. This will improve your chances of admission and funding.