Culture, Heritage and Archaeology BA (Hons)
Course code V90A
What is special about this course?
This joint degree gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in both the cultural and physical identities of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. As well as exploring the fascinating and varied cultural heritage of the region, you will also acquire the practical skills required for archaeological fieldwork, surveying and post-excavation.
Archaeology is closely linked to the distinctive cultural heritage of the Highlands and Islands as well as wider Scotland, and you will develop a wealth of skills in both disciplines through your studies and fieldwork. Your research skills will be refined throughout the course, enhancing your career prospects as well as equipping you for progression to postgraduate study.
Please see our FAQ sheet for further information on this course.
Special features
- Study the culture, heritage and archaeology of the Highlands and Islands in a global context
- Choose from a range of interdisciplinary subjects to suit your own research interests and career path
- Undertake highly practical modules, allowing you to develop 'on-the-job' skills needed by the modern archaeologist, and fully transferrable across the heritage sector
- Study full-time or part-time to suit your personal circumstances
- Study individual modules for personal and professional development
Entry requirements
Entry to year one:
- 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above OR
- 2 A levels at grade BC or above
- At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects
- Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis
Advanced entry to year two:
- HNC Social Sciences (12 SQA credits) with 3 additional SQA credits at level 7, which is equivalent to 120 degree credit points, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two
Access routes
SWAP Access courses
If you are eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP), please visit our SWAP access list for further information on grade profiles and available subjects.
Year 1 - CertHE
Culture and heritage
You will study two core modules:
- Scotland: the brand OR What is culture? (S1)
- Culture. Heritage. What? OR Scotland's music (S2)
Archaeology
You will study two core modules:
- Archaeological theory and method AND one of the following:
- Historic landscapes
- World archaeology
- European prehistories
- Archaeology and the lab (subject to validation)
You will also choose two option modules from across the university's humanities portfolio.
Year 2 - DipHE
Culture and heritage
You will study one core module:
- Tradition, custom and belief OR Folklore (S1)
PLUS one of the following (S2):
- Golden mead and burning hearts
- Languages on the edge
- Displaying the past: museum studies
Archaeology:
You will study one core module:
- Excavation skills - normally taken during the Summer vacation prior to the commencement of year two, at a site location off-campus. You will be responsible for covering the costs of any travel and subsistence associated with your participation in this two-week module
PLUS one of the following:
- Scottish archaeology
- Managing archaeology for contemporary society
- Digital heritage
You will also choose two option modules from across the university's humanities portfolio.
Year 3 - BA
Culture and heritage
You will study one core module:
- Interdisciplinary project (S1) (you can substitute this module for one from the list below if you choose to take the archaeology project option)
PLUS two options which may include:
- Perceptions of heritage (S2)
- Celtic and Celtic revival art in Scotland 600-2000 (S2)
- Scotland in film (S1)
- The Scottish Enlightenment and Highland society (S2)
Archaeology
You will study two core modules:
- Archaeological sciences
- Archaeology and interpretation
Plus one of the following:
- Pre-history of the highlands and islands
- Historical archaeology of the highlands and islands
- Project (archaeology)
- Practical environmental archaeology (subject to validation)
You will also choose one option module from across the range of humanities subjects.
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
You will complete a dissertation in culture and heritage or archaeology. You will also study one option module from your chosen dissertation subject, plus three option modules from the other subject.
Culture and heritage
- Scottish tradition in philosophy (S1)
- Faeries and fables: the story of Gaelic literature (S1)
- Highland journeys (S2)
- Vikings and Valkyries (S2)
Archaeology
- Funerary and burial archaeology
- Maritime archaeology and heritage of Northern Scotland
- Iron Age of Scotland c. 800 BC - 800 AD
- Vikings and Norse archaeology in the North Atlantic
- Landscape archaeology
- Neolithic Orkney
- Sustainability past and present
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- Part-time (structured)
- Part-time (unstructured)
- You will learn through a combination of scheduled video conference lectures and tutorials, and online study via the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors. There is normally a weekly two-hour timetabled video conference lecture for each module. You will also undertake practical archaeology fieldwork and project work.
- For more information, or if you have any questions about studying archaeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands, please contact us at: studyarchaeology@uhi.ac.uk
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years
- Part-time (structured): 8 years
Where can I study my course?
- Argyll
- Inverness
- Moray
- North, West and Hebrides
- Orkney
- Shetland
- This fully online course can be studied from anywhere in the world
- Students based near to one of the listed campuses should apply to, and be enrolled and supported by, their local campus
- All other students should apply to, and will be enrolled and supported by, UHI Orkney
Start date
- September
Fees
For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
This includes
- EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
- EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
- EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £1,820 | £1,820 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year | £915 | £915 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) | £305 | £305 |
Rest of the UK students
For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland) or assessed as rest of the UK for fee status the following fees apply:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time online per year (120 credit modules) | £6,120 | £6,420 |
| Part-time online (per 20 credit module) | £1,020 | £1,070 |
International students
For students who do not normally reside in the UK studying online from their home country, or living in the UK but assessed as international for fee status, the following fees apply:
This includes EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled status in the UK and EEA and Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time online per year (120 credit modules) | £6,960 | £7,080 |
| Part-time online (per 20 credit module) | £1,160 | £1,180 |
A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK and international undergraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.
Funding
UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.
Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed your BA (Hons) Culture, Heritage and Archaeology, you might like to consider careers in:
- Primary and secondary teaching
- Archaeological field unit
- Tourism
- Interpretation with a range of wildlife or heritage groups, including Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, NatureScot, and Scottish Forestry
- Research and academia
- Museums and archives
- Developer-funded archaeology
- Policy development
- Community development
- Journalism and the media
Can I progress into further study?
For information about further study options, please see our list of Postgraduate progression routes from Humanities degrees.
We also offer a range of postgraduate research degrees: MRes, MPhil and PhD.
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.
I can’t speak highly enough of the staff who have supported me through my journey at UHI. From the very first day there has been help available. The relationship between the teaching staff and the student is so important and that’s one of the reasons I’m considering further study at UHI. The Culture and Heritage team have been utterly fantastic.
That flexibility also means that fellow students are based all over Scotland but that has not been a barrier to forming friendships and supportive study groups, in fact, fellow students are also one of my favourite things – there has been a mix of students, all different ages, nationalities and backgrounds and that has really added to the experience for me.
Margaret is studying culture and heritage at UHI Inverness.
Apply for Culture, Heritage and Archaeology BA (Hons)
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.