Archaeology, full-time, second cycle

• Area of study: humanities
• Discipline: archaeology

New challenges faced by archaeology in the 21st century as well as students' expectations of professional tuition geared towards practical knowledge applicable to future work are main ideas behind the proposed programme of the second-cycle studies in archaeology with instruction in English. The programme is dedicated for candidates from all around the world who want to research ancient cultures, in particular from the Mediterranean, and acquaint themselves with bioarchaeology and osteology or bone taphonomy. Bioarchaeology, as a sub-discipline within archaeology, and the related achievements of the researchers from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw, became a vantage point for establishing second-cycle studies in English several years ago. Currently, they are an element of the general programme of studies dedicated not only to graduates in archaeology, but also candidates of other specialisations who dream about excavations, travelling to interesting places, and working with artefacts, including bones, discovered in the course of archaeological research.

In the course of the programme, students will be required to choose two seminars, according to their interests, and supplement them with facultative courses, as well as two lectures: general academic and monographic. Selected courses will be aimed first and foremost at deepening students’ professional and interdisciplinary knowledge, in particular regarding research challenges in modern archaeology, and preparing them to write and defend their master’s theses.

Similarly to the first-cycle studies, a significant role will be played by practicum:

• field survey, usually performed in spring or autumn;
• excavations, usually performed in summer. The excavations are directed by researchers affiliated by the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw, or abroad – in Egypt, Georgia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Italy (Sicily), South America, and many more locations.

The classes are held in the Main Campus of the University of Warsaw, namely the Main School which has housed the Institute of Archaeology for over a decade.

Detailed information about the second-cycle full-time studies in English can be found at the website: http://www.archeologia.uw.edu.pl/en/studies.

Candidates without a diploma in archaeology issued by the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw or other university accredited by the Polish Accreditation Committee for the field of archaeology (provided that the archaeology curriculum on the said university is compatible with that of the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw in at least 60%) are required to pass supplementary courses – introduction to archaeology, methodology of archaeological fieldwork, and history of civilisation amounting to additional 300 hours during the second-cycle studies.

In the course of the programme, students will gain expertise in particular specialisations within archaeology, practical knowledge in excavating burial grounds as well as handling animal and human remains. At the same time, they will receive general humanist formation enabling them to engage in interdisciplinary cooperation with researchers from other fields of study.

Graduates from the second-cycle studies will be prepared for independent research, as well as working for research and educational institutions, museums, and conservation ateliers.

The master's degree in archaeology combined with appropriate experience in excavations, according to the Monument Protection Act, are necessary for receiving concession for conducting archaeological excavations in Poland.

Admission rules for candidates with Polish diplomas

Qualification is based on the higher education diploma final grade and interview conducted in English language. Its aims are assessment of candidate’s ability to study archaeology as well as evaluation of the candidate’s scope of interest in terms of the particular field of study.

Final result will be calculated as following:

0,5 – final diploma grade

0,5 – qualification interview

Qualification interview can be organised via Internet communicator allowing for the visual identification of the candidate, e.g. Skype. As for fixing the interview date, all candidates should contact the Admission Committee immediately after registration in the IRK system.

A candidate attends the interview, which is in English, in front of a commission consisting of three members including two members of the Recruitment Committee of the Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw and one lecturer of the Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw.

The questions will regard basic knowledge concerning archaeology and its specific terminology. A candidate can prepare to the interview based on the references presented below.

Time of the interview is approx. 20 minutes.

1.) J.M. Coles, Experimental Archaeology, London, 2010
2.) I. Hodder, S. Hutson, Reading the Past: Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology, Cambridge, 2003
3.) C. Renfrew, P. Bahn, Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice, London, 2012

Admission procedure for candidates with foreign diplomas

Candidates are qualified on the same rules as applicable to candidates with Polish diplomas.

Deadlines

Date of qualification interview: 16th of September, 2019, 11 a.m. 

Announcement of results: 20th of September, 2019

Reception of documents: 

• I round: 23rd-24th of September, 2019
• II round (in case of not fulfilling the limit during I round): 25th-26th of September, 2019
• III round (in case of not fulfilling the limit during I round): 29th and 30th of September, 2019

Payments

Application fee

Student's ID payment (ELS)

Required documents

List of required documents submitted by candidates qualified for studies

Additional information

Find us on the map: Institute of Archaeology