Developing the research skills required to investigate the material culture and heritage of the far northern hemisphere, a region that includes Scotland, the North Atlantic, Scandinavia and Baltic Europe, northern Russia and the circumpolar region through Siberia, the North Pacific and high-latitude North America.

With an emphasis on colonisation and culture contact, lifeways and world-views, every graduate is provided with a thorough knowledge of the theory and practice specific to northern archaeology, together with the foundation for further study or professional employment.

In addition, every graduate will have acquired detailed competence in a specialist regional or chronological field, chosen from a range of options across the entire northern world.

The degree can be taken as preparation for higher research, as a professional qualification or purely for interest.