Our subjects
History, Classics and Archaeology present a dynamic combination of three subject areas with both shared and complementary interests, creating a stimulating environment for teaching and research.
History
History has been taught at the University of Edinburgh since its foundation in 1583 and is one of the largest and most distinguished centres of its kind.
The History subject area has expertise across every continent and time period and is home to research groups in Global and Transnational History; Economic and Social History; Political History; Irish History. Historians also play an active role in cross-School research groups and centres which cover themes ranging from Intellectual History to Material Culture.
This breadth of expertise means that we can offer an exceptionally diverse range of postgraduate courses which reflect the current research interests of our staff. We are also able to offer research supervision across a very wide range of periods and places.
- Information about our taught MSc degrees in History
- Information about our HIstory MSc degrees by research
- Information about our History PhDs
Classics
Classics at Edinburgh continues a tradition that goes back to the University’s foundation in 1583. We are one of the largest, most wide-ranging classics centres in the UK. Postgraduate study in Classics not only gives you the opportunity to delve deeper into the Ancient World, but its interdisciplinary character gives it a breadth of research possibilities.
Our teaching covers all the major disciplinary areas in the field: Greek and Latin literature and thought; ancient history; Greek and Roman history; and Classical art and archaeology.
The majority of students concentrate most of their courses in one area, but it is also possible to choose a blend of disciplines. Most students take a language, whether to develop existing knowledge or to learn a new skill: Greek and Latin can be taken at elementary or intermediate level and in our specialised text seminars.
- Information about our Classics taught MSc degrees
- Information about our Classics MSc degree by research
- Information about our PhD in Classics
Archaeology
Archaeology at Edinburgh has a tradition going back to the 19th century, built by famous scholars such as Vere Gordon Childe and Stuart Piggott. Edinburgh’s great tradition in prehistory continues to this day, with expertise in Britain, the Mediterranean and the Near East, Classical and Byzantine archaeology, archaeological theory, environmental archaeology and osteoarchaeology.
Our postgraduate programmes are designed to take your interest to the professional level and to give broad coverage of theory, methodology and practice. Students are provided not only with rigorous training in academic research, but can also acquire valuable practical experience and transferable skills.