International Cultural Heritage Management

The course is delivered through a mixture of lectures, seminars, webinars, tutorials, and workshops. You will also be able to take part in visits and field trips, including Durham’s own World Heritage Site, and be offered professional placements when you can apply the skills and knowledge acquired in the taught environment.

Lectures provide the core skills and knowledge by introducing you to key concepts, methodologies, and analytical approaches, delivered in a mix of traditional podium-based events and a more interactive seminar-style discussion.

We use webinars to introduce you to specific heritage sites and issues around the world, including real-time debates with international professionals via video link followed by seminar discussions.

Tutorials provide a forum for discussion either on a one-to-one basis or in small groups that support the work taking place in lectures and workshops.

Assessment

While the majority of the course is assessed by essays, a number of modules include assessment by professional reports, critical reflections, and portfolio works.

One-third of your final mark is gained through the completion of either a 10,000-word professional practice project or dissertation, depending on the route you choose through the course.

We will evaluate how you have applied your learning and developed your skills and knowledge in working effectively with theoretical models, literature, and data. The modules include a combination of formative assessments, conducted throughout the learning process, as well as final summative assessments.

We normally require an Honours Degree, usually at the 2:1 level or higher or an international equivalent, such as a GPA of 3.3 or above. The course is taught assuming no prior knowledge, but an ability to demonstrate previous interest or experience of cultural heritage would be an advantage.

IELTS 7.0 or above with no component below 6.5; TOEFL IBT (Internet Based Test) 102 or above (with no component below 25).

Application deadlines

There is no specific deadline for applications although applications for any given academic year must be received before the start of that academic year (i.e. applications for the 2025-26 academic year must be received before October 2025).

Tuition fee deposit

All self-financing overseas students are required to pay a £1000 tuition fee deposit if an offer from the Department of Archaeology is accepted. The tuition fee deposit is paid before the University issues a Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) number, which is required in order to apply for a visa. £500 deposit is also payable by Home/EU applicants if an offer of a place from the Department of Archaeology is accepted.

English language requirements

Full Time Fees

Part Time Fees

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only. More information is available here: Tuition fees - how much are they - Durham University

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

In a Department that spans both research activity and practical archaeological skills, you are well-placed to continue your studies or fulfil your career aspirations in professional employment.

We have developed the structure and contents of courses in such a way as to support your desire to pursue a PhD or undertake further academic work in whatever form.

For a rewarding and stimulating professional career, our teaching strategy develops your skills in teamwork, practical and intellectual problem-solving and analysis of evidence, which are highly sought after by employers.

We offer courses that prepare you for a career in professional archaeology, or in the increasingly significant conservation, heritage, or museums sectors.

You will also be well-placed for roles in tourism, environmental agencies as well as local and national government, teaching and law.

The Department of Archaeology is home to one of the largest postgraduate communities in Europe who benefit from world class academic teaching and leading-edge facilities to be able to pursue their passion for studying the past, interpreting the present and understanding the future.

The wide-ranging courses are research-led and delivered by staff who are recognised experts in specialisms that span world, European and British archaeology from the last ice age to the post-medieval period.

Our taught courses provide the ideal grounding for further academic research at a higher level but also offer essential preparation for entering a professional career.

They include MA Museum and Artefact Studies, MA International Cultural Heritage Management, and MA Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects, all of which have strong vocational themes. The MSc Bioarchaeology and MA Archaeology offer ideal preparation for research careers and specialisation and our unique MSc Human Bioarchaeology and Palaeopathology and MSc Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology are ideal for postgraduates nurturing both academic and professional aspirations.

We welcome applications from researchers seeking MRes and PhD qualifications tailored to specific interests, and we offer strong developmental support.

With our expertise in a wide range of archaeological disciplines and significant research activity across the globe, our aim is to create a top-class learning environment that is vibrant and supportive and enables you to make a difference in your chosen field.

Facilities

The Department of Archaeology has a reputation for excellence and connections across the world.

We are home to state-of-the-art laboratories, specialist technology and some of the best library resources in the UK. We have project rooms with interactive technology, teaching laboratories, a computer suite, a photographic studio and scientific research laboratories in DNA, conservation, isotopes, environmental archaeology, luminescence dating, palaeopathology and bone chemistry, many of which are used as learning resources for out postgraduate community.

Taught courses and researchers alike benefit from our status as co-owners of a UNESCO World Heritage site and the extensive range of library, museum and artefact collection resources on offer at Durham.

The Department of Archaeology can be found in the Dawson Building, which is ideally situated at the heart of the Durham city campus, next to the Bill Bryson Library and the Palatine Centre.

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