Archaeology and Ancient History: Archaeological Theory and Material Culture

This course explores how archaeologists and researchers from other fields use theory to understand objects and environments from different time periods. You’ll learn to analyse how things are shaped, what they have been used for, and what they could have meant to the people who made and used them. You’ll also learn to connect theory with practice and discover how different perspectives can offer new ways of understanding the past. 

In addition, you’ll also gain insight into how various disciplines – including archaeology, anthropology, art history, museology, philosophy and sociology – approach material culture. This makes the course broad and interdisciplinary.

The aim is to help you develop a critical understanding of how theory and method shape our interpretations of the material aspects of human life.

Course syllabus

The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

The course is taught in English at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History.

The teaching consists of lectures, seminars and group work. The course is interactive – you’ll take part in seminars, reflect on texts and practice asking your own questions about objects and environments. You’ll read and discuss different theories about material culture.

The course is part of the Master's programme in Archaeology and Ancient History – Theory and Practice but can also be taken as a stand-alone course. Master's programme students have priority in admissions.

The course can form part of a Master's degree, either within the Master's programme in Archaeology and Ancient History – Theory and Practice or a stand-alone Master's degree in archaeology, historical archaeology, historical osteology, or ancient history.

After graduation, you will be well prepared for work in contract archaeology, research, cultural heritage, museums and other public or private organisations that deal with archaeological and historical knowledge. The programme also provides a solid foundation for further studies at the doctoral level.

Prerequisites

ARKK04 Archaeology: B.A. Course - Level 3, 30 ECTS credits, ARKH04 Historical Archaeology: B.A. Course - Level 3, 30 ECTS credits, AKSK04 Classical Archaeology and Ancient History: B.A. Course - Level 3, 30 ECTS credits, or HOSK04 Historical Osteology: B. A. Course - Level 3, 30 ECTS credits (or equivalent course).

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 33,750
First payment: SEK 33,750

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.