MPhil

Masters degree (MPhil) to study Archaeology

Many people become interested in doing archaeology after they have already taken on a different undergraduate major - but it is possible to transition into the field of archaeology!  Getting a Masters degree in archaeology is a great way to transition to become an archaeologist.  Perhaps you would like to work in a museum or to go on to get a PhD in archaeology, or maybe you just want to study the subject for fun.  Note, however, that even if you have no experience, as long as you are a dedicated student, you can directly study a PhD with our project. We can generally take more PhD students than masters students, but you must be able to fully commit. If you want an easier transition, the most important part of the transition is getting real fieldwork experience to make sure that archaeology is right for you and to gain practical experience. You can get this experience by joining our archaeological field project in Armenia and writing a masters thesis on some topic related to our fieldwork. This can be a great way to prepare your CV for application to a PhD program anywhere in the world. For our project, you do not need any prior archaeological experience, so we welcome applicants from any background and with any prior degree.  Even if you have an undergraduate degree in archaeology, an MPhil can improve your application for a PhD.

For this program, you would apply to a 2-year Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) research degree program at the University of Hong Kong. You would take some basic coursework on general research methods during the first year. More details about the Archaeology MPhil program in the HKU Faculty of Arts is available at this link. Each summer you would travel to Armenia for fieldwork. By the end of the first year, you would present your research topic at a confirmation seminar. Then you submit your thesis  for final evaluation by the end of the second year. Your thesis (20000 words) can deal with any archaeology topic related to the fieldwork in Armenia, and our project will help you develop your topic.  Good students can also join our peer-reviewed publications as co-authors.

The annual tuition fee for the University of Hong Kong (HKU) is approximately $5500 USD, with full details here. Local Hong Kong students attend the program for free, as tuition (aka composition) fees are waived.  Non-local students will qualify for affordable on-campus housing in their first year. Thus, the cost of receiving a 2-year masters degree at HKU is relatively inexpensive compared to a masters degree in the US or UK. Getting an MPhil and field experience can prepare you well for applying to a funded PhD program later. Students who perform well in the MPhil may also be able to qualify to continue into a PhD program at HKU for two additional years, and funding may be available for those two years.

Before applying, applicants must first demonstrate dedication and commitment to the fieldwork project in Armenia, by volunteering to join the project during a prior summer. Applications are due in late November and late April for entering the program the following September. The application requires a short research proposal, two references, and transcripts (translated to English if necessary), as well as results from an English exam if your undergraduate institution was not in English. Full details can be found here on the HKU graduate school website.  If you are interested applying for an MPhil, please contact Prof. Peter J. Cobb by email before the due date to express interest and begin preparations.  Please include your prior GPAs in the email.