Expand+The course aims to equip participants with a sound knowledge of Ireland’s archaeological heritage from the earliest settlers to the medieval period. It consists of lectures, fieldwork and project work. The course offers a general introduction to th...

Hide-The course aims to equip participants with a sound knowledge of Ireland’s archaeological heritage from the earliest settlers to the medieval period. It consists of lectures, fieldwork and project work. The course offers a general introduction to the field monuments and material culture of some nine millennia of the Irish past. You will be introduced to the discipline of archaeology, its historical development worldwide, theoretical perspectives and methodologies. You will also examine the archaeology of Ireland in general, and explore the prehistoric and historic archaeology of human settlement in their region.

Who’s Suited to This Course

The Diploma programme is open to anyone with an interest in the past. It may be of particular interest to first and second level teachers and others interested in the contribution of archaeology to education, local studies, heritage studies and tourism.

Expand+There are six modules on offer within the diploma structure. Students are required to complete 3 modules each year.

Year 1

Introduction to Archaeology: This module will introduce students to the discipline of archaeology and provide the theo...

Hide-There are six modules on offer within the diploma structure. Students are required to complete 3 modules each year.

Year 1

Introduction to Archaeology: This module will introduce students to the discipline of archaeology and provide the theoretical and methodological foundations for later courses. The first weeks will be devoted to Exploring the Past, a series of lectures designed to introduce students to modern archaeology, its historical development, aims and practices. This is followed in the latter weeks by lectures devoted to Fundamentals of Archaeological Explanation where students are introduced to the techniques involved in archaeological analyses.

The Archaeology of Prehistoric Ireland: This module provides an introduction to the prehistory of Ireland. The first lectures deal with the first settlers in Ireland, the arrival of farming and megalithic tombs. This is followed by lectures considering the many developments that marked the transition to the Bronze Age, from the introduction of metallurgy to changes in the structure of society and ritual practices. The arrival of Celtic influences to Ireland and the process of Celticisation in the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age are explored. The course ends by considering Ireland during the Roman era.

The Archaeology of Historic Ireland : This module introduces Irish archaeology from the arrival of Christianity in the 5 th century AD to the end of the medieval period. The weeks of Early Medieval and Viking Ireland looks at the period between AD 400-1000, covering topics such as settlement, economy and craft, the early Christian Church, and Ireland and the Viking world. This is followed by lectures on Anglo-Norman and Gaelic Ireland that deal with the medieval period in Ireland, covering such areas as the archaeology of medieval castles, churches and towns.

Year 2

Approaching the Past: This module deals with the different ways that archaeologists use archaeological evidence to explain past societies and social change as well as a field project where students learn the fundamentals of recording archaeological monuments.

Prehistoric Landscapes: This module focuses on the prehistoric landscapes of western Ireland and includes topics such as the megalithic tombs of the Burren and the Late Bronze Age chiefdom of Dún Aonghasa.

Historic Landscapes: This module focuses on the historic-period landscapes of western Ireland and includes topics such as Christianity in the west, secular settlement, and the towns, castles and other remnants of the Anglo-Norman and medieval Gaelic period.

A number of field trips are scheduled throughout both years, designed to complement each module.

This course is classroom-based. Thursdays 6:30 – 9:30 pm. Classes take place in St. Angela's Campus, Lough Gill, Sligo on Thursday evenings from 6.30 - 9.30 pm.

Expand+All modules in the Diploma are individually assessed. The assessment for each module takes the form of essays or projects during the semester or a written examination at the end of the semester. Classes are held one evening per week with occasional...

Hide-All modules in the Diploma are individually assessed. The assessment for each module takes the form of essays or projects during the semester or a written examination at the end of the semester. Classes are held one evening per week with occasional weekend field trips.

Basic computer skills will be an advantage. E-mail, internet and NUI Galway's online learning environment are in use throughout the course.

All applicants, whose first language is not English, or who have not been educated through the medium of the English language during their two most recent years of study, must present one of the following qualifications in the English language: IELTS: 6.5 or TOEFL (IBT): 92. Please see this webpage for further information: https://www.nuigalway.ie/international-students/english.html

There are no specific entry requirements for the Diploma in Archaeology and no previous knowledge of Archaeology is required. Candidates who are 21 years or over on or before Januar 1st of year of entry may gain entry to the programme on the basis of mature years. Candidates under 21 years should meet the minimum matriculation requirements as outlined on our FAQs section.

Expand+Career Opportunities

Past students of the Diploma in Archaeology have taken a number of routes after graduation. Some have entered straight into related employment - joining commercial archaeological companies as excavators, or working in the her...

Hide-Career Opportunities

Past students of the Diploma in Archaeology have taken a number of routes after graduation. Some have entered straight into related employment - joining commercial archaeological companies as excavators, or working in the heritage industry (as guides, in museums, in visitor centres etc.). Others have continued their academic studies, some returning to complete a BA degree, followed by an MA degree, and even PhDs in several instances! For those who had already completed a degree in any area, they completed a Higher Diploma in Archaeology (1 year full-time, or 2 years part-time), before proceeding to postgraduate studies.

Archaeology graduates work in a variety of roles - as excavators, surveyors, researchers, in local and national government, as guides, in museums, in visitor centres, and in third-level institutions. Of course, archaeology now forms part of the history curriculum at secondary-school level, so the diploma also provides useful training for teachers.