PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
MA in Archaeology of the Arab and Islamic World
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
MA
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
N/A
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
From session 2012-13 onwards
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Office for International Affairs
Parent Department:
UCL Qatar
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/qatar
(if applicable)
Method of study:
2 years full-time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
In addition to standard UCL entrance requirements:
For admission to this MA, candidates must have a Bachelor's degree
with Upper Second Class Honours (UK system), a GPA of 3.3 on the
4.0 scale (US system) or another qualification of an equivalent
standard. A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline (e.g.
Archaeology, History or Sociology) is preferred but not essential.
Candidates whose first language is not English are normally required
to sit an English language examination. The acceptable qualifications
for admission to this programme include IELTS (7.0 overall).
Candidates are expected to demonstrate strong motivation for the
subject to which they have applied, via the personal statement
section of the application form. Candidates should have a passion
and curiosity for conservation and cultural heritage. They should also
be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of what the course
entails.
Length of the programme:
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Two calendar years full-time
Including a 40 days of placement work at one or more archaeological
projects, museums or other cultural heritage organisations. This can
be distributed across the two years of their study.
Masters Level (Level 7)
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Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
Not applicable
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme and its assessment
methods:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/qatar/study/degree-programmes/archaeology-ofthe-arab-and-islamic-world
(see guidance notes)
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
UCL Qatar Postgraduate Board of Examiners (UCLQG)
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
N/A
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The MA in Archaeology of the Arab and Islamic World covers the archaeology of the Middle East and the art and
archaeology of the Islamic world, with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa. It includes core modules in preIslamic archaeology and Islamic archaeology, archaeological method and theory, and Arabian archaeology.
Students will gain a detailed understanding of the material culture of the region, and the history and prehistory of
human occupation, as well as a theoretical and comparative understanding of the archaeology of the region, and
the
problems and questions inherent in archaeology as a whole.
This MA at UCL Qatar offers students an education in the archaeology of the Arab and Islamic world, as well as
practical training in archaeology through placement work and fieldwork sessions. The programme equips students
to meet the need for qualified professionals with expertise in the past material culture of the region.
Students will gain a detailed understanding of human occupation and societies in the Islamic and Arab world, with a
focus on the Middle East, from the first appearance of modern humans through to recent centuries. Technical skills,
archaeological practice and the management of collections are also taught, providing broad training in the recovery,
recording, analysis, interpretation and curation of archaeological finds and data. These skills will be further
developed through the compulsory Placement element (typically fieldwork or museum work), consisting of eight
weeks work spread over the two years. In Year 2 students will be able to specialise in an area, time-period or field
of their choice through their choice of Optional modules, and through an independent research project leading to a
Dissertation.
The programme aims to develop the student’s interest in and knowledge and understanding of:
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A detailed introduction to the archaeology of the Arab and Islamic World and its material culture.
The recovery, analysis and interpretation of archaeological data according to sound methodological
and theoretical
principles.
Long-term trajectories of human occupation and social change in the region, while allowing them to
specialise
in an area, time period or field of their choice.
Pursing research in Middle Eastern and Islamic Archaeology, and potentially to prepare them for PhD
level research.
Equipping students to work in the regional museums and antiquities services of the region.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
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A: Knowledge and understanding
A Knowledge and understanding of:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
1. the cultural, historical and
chronological framework of the region,
up to and including the Late Islamic
Period
1. Acquired through 2-3 hour seminars, particularly in
UCLQG111: Archaeology of the Pre-Islamic Middle
East, UCLQG112: Archaeology of Islamic Societies and
UCLQG121: Archaeology of Arabia and the Gulf. These
courses also require
 extensive structured reading
 museum visits (particularly to the Museum of
Islamic Art for UCLQG112, and for the option
UCLQG124: Approaches to Islamic Ceramics,)
 essay writing (most modules),
 assessed presentations (UCLQG111,
UCLQG112)
 object reports (UCLQG111, and also some of
the options, e.g. UCLQG125: Ottoman
Archaeology, and UCLQG122: Maritime
Archaeology)
 site visits (UCLQG112 and UCLQG111,
comprising visits to Islamic period sites in Qatar
as well as pre-Islamic sites in Bahrain, and
intended to extend to UAE and Oman, including
UNESCO World Heritage sites)
2. key stages of human development in
the Middle East, including
sedentarisation, agriculture, urbanism,
the origins of the state, and early
empires
3. the historical archaeology of the
region, including the Arab conquests
and the spread and impact of Islam,
Islamic art, architecture and material
culture at different stages of history
4. the key theoretical debates in
archaeology
5. practical, analytical and
methodological issues surrounding
archaeology, including excavation
methodology, survey, basic
geographic information skills, data
acquisition, management and
analysis, formation processes,
environmental and geoarchaeological
data, sampling, finds analysis,
integration of historical and
archaeological data, use of historical
sources
2. Mainly acquired through UCLQG111: Archaeology of
the Pre-Islamic Middle East, UCLQG113: Archaeological
Method and Theory and the optional module,
UCLQG126: Urban Foundations of the Middle East. The
means of acquisition are as given under 1.
3. Acquired through UCLQG112 Archaeology of Islamic
Societies and UCLQG121: Archaeology of Arabia and
the Gulf as well as a range of modules, including
UCLQG123: Islamic History and Papyri, UCLQG125:
Ottoman Archaeology, UCLQG124: Approaches to
Islamic Ceramics, and UCLQG126: Urban Foundations
of the Middle East. The means of acquisition are as
given under 1.
4. Acquired through all modules, but particularly
UCLQG113: Archaeological Method and Theory,
through structured reading and intensive seminar
sessions. UCLQG112: Archaeology of Islamic Societies
and UCLQG115: Community Archaeology are also
important for this aspect.
5. Acquired particularly through UCLQG128: Placement
UCLQG011: Technical Skills for Cultural Heritage, and
UCLQG113: Archaeological Method and Theory, where
we stress the connections between theory and practice.
The Placement work in particular is designed to foster
practical skills, reflexive thinking and methodological
understanding, and can include archaeological fieldwork,
object research, laboratory work and technical analyses,
database work and outreach. The Dissertation work can
also include these elements. Specific analytical skills are
also given by UCLQG114: GIS in Archaeology,
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UCLQG123: Islamic History and Papyri, UCLQG127:
Ancient South Arabian Epigraphy, and UCLQG122:
Maritime Archaeology. The means of acquisition are as
given in 1, but also by group work on data, fieldwork and
laboratory work, translation work, textual commentary,
stratigraphic analysis.
We additionally note that students are encouraged to
cross register on the Museum and Gallery Practice,
Conservation Studies, and Library and Information
Studies degrees, which provide a range of options that
particularly relate to outcomes 4 and 5.
Assessment:
Written essays, portfolio (Placement), Dissertation,
object reports, illustrated presentations, group projects
on real archaeological data, site management reports,
object drawing and photography, translation work,
textual commentary (in Papyri module, and Epigraphy
module), stratigraphic task, GIS mapping and analysis
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The programme aims to help students:
1. Acquired through essay writing in nearly all modules,
and particularly the Dissertation. Technical and practical
aspects of research are as given under 5) in the section
above, while intellectual skills in critical thinking are
especially fostered by UCLQG113: Archaeological
Method and Theory.
1. organize and conduct research in
archaeology
2. Give critical evaluation of primary data
and secondary sources
2. Acquired mainly through the core modules, and
especially UCLQG113: Archaeological Method and
Theory and UCLQG128: Placement, as well as the
Dissertation (in those topics which involve primary data).
3. Apply thematic and comparative
approaches across time and regional
contexts
3. Acquired particularly through the core modules
UCLQG111: Archaeology of the Pre-Islamic Middle
East, UCLQG112: Archaeology of Islamic Societies and
UCLQG121: Archaeology of Arabia and the Gulf, but
also a range of options.
Assessment:
Particularly the Dissertation, written essays, portfolio
(Placement),object reports, illustrated presentations,
group projects on real archaeological data, site
management reports, textual commentary, GIS mapping
and analysis
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
This programme aims to help students
with the following practical skills:
1. Acquired through UCLQG113: Archaeological Method
and Theory, UCLQG011: Technical Skills for Cultural
Heritage and UCLQG128: Placement, which give
respectively theory and extensive hands-on practice in
excavation, survey and recording
1. Conduct excavation and recording
according to research excavation
standards
2. Acquired through Placement work and potentially also
the Dissertation, and also
2. Collect and analyse data using
appropriate methods
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3. Report scientific results to publication
standards
3. Mainly acquired through the Dissertation, but also
through the reports and data tasks in several other
modules, particularly UCLQG111: Archaeology of the
Pre-Islamic Middle East, UCLQG112: Archaeology of
Islamic Societies, UCLQG121: Archaeology of Arabia
and the Gulf, UCLQG114: GIS in Archaeology,
UCLQG123: Islamic History and Papyri, UCLQG127:
Ancient South Arabian Epigraphy, and UCLQG122:
Maritime Archaeology. These all involve taking raw
archaeological and historical data, processing and
researching them, and potentially bringing them to
publishable standards (in the case of good students).
4. Competency in a range of technical
skills relevant to cultural heritage, such
as digital photography, illustration,
specialised IT, and data and finds
management.
4. Mainly acquired through UCLQG113: Archaeological
Method and Theory, UCLQG011: Technical Skills for
Cultural Heritage, UCLQG114: GIS in Archaeology, and
UCLQG128: Placement, but also through the various
other modules which involve data and task-based work,
as listed above. Also in some cases also acquired
through Dissertation work
Assessment:
Portfolio (Placement), GIS mapping and analysis task,
object reports, group projects on real archaeological
data, site management reports, object drawing and
photography, stratigraphic task, Dissertation.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The programme will encourage students
to:
1. This is fostered by the Dissertation module, and is
also taught by the data analysis tasks in UCLQG112:
Archaeology of Islamic Societies and UCLQG121:
Archaeology of Arabia and the Gulf.
1. Develop, conduct, and manage
extended programmes of research
2. Oral reporting skills are required through presentation
tasks in UCLQG112: Archaeology of Islamic Societies
and UCLQG111: Archaeology of the Pre-Islamic Middle
East. Written reporting is taught by numerous tasks
listed above, particularly the object reports, the site
management report, and the data tasks in UCLQG112
and UCLQG121 – see 1) above.
2. Make clear oral and written reports of
work done
3. Use of computers in analysis of data
and writing report
4. Critically evaluate ideas and test
hypotheses in a formal way
3. All modules and assessments, and particularly those
involving data acquisition and analysis.
5. Cultural awareness and linguistic skills
4. Critical evaluation is taught in all modules, particularly
the 1st year core courses UCLQG111, UCLQG112 and
UCLQG113.
6. Carry out independent research and
extended academic writing
5. This is encouraged by our location (Qatar) and highly
international and multilingual student body, as well as
those modules that involve a linguistic element
(UCLQG123: Islamic History and Papyri, UCLQG127:
Ancient South Arabian Epigraphy).
7. Be accomplished at interdisciplinary
research.
8. Undertake and direct project work in a
team environment.
6. Skills in independent research are most strongly
acquired in the Dissertation module, as well as in many
of the assessments, particularly the essays and object
reports
7. The teaching and subject matter of this degree is
inherently interdisciplinary in all respects, involving
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archaeological, anthropological and historical work
through the core modules, and potentially also
laboratory-based scientific work, art history, statistical
work, linguistic research, geographical analyses and
policy research, among other fields.
8. This is fostered by formative group tasks in the
classroom (especially in UCLQG113: Archaeological
Method and Theory) and in the field (especially
UCLQG121: Archaeology of Arabia and the Gulf) as well
as by assessed group project work in UCLQG121. Most
important in this respect is the work undertaken in
UCLQG128: Placement
Assessment:
Essays, Dissertation, Portfolio (Placement), group
projects on real archaeological data, translation work,
textual commentary, GIS mapping and analysis
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Framework-Higher-Education-Qualifications-08.pdf;
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Dr Robert Carter
Name(s):
Date of Production:
October 2011
Date of Review:
09 September 2015
Date approved by Head of
Department:
10 September 2015
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
09 September 2015
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