Archaeology - Structured

The Structured PhD in Archaeology is a four-year, full-time programme of study and research and applicants must have a high honours standard in their primary degree or present such other evidence of fitness which will satisfy the Head of discipline and the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies.



As part of the doctoral training available on the Structured PhD programme, students avail themselves of a range of interdisciplinary taught modules. The wide menu of available options include modules that:



are discipline-specific in that they augment the student’s existing knowledge in their specialist area, e.g., Introduction to Adobe Photoshop; Introduction to Digital Surveying and Archaeological Specialisms.

are dissertation-specific in that they supply core skills which are essential to completion of the research project.

acknowledge a student’s professional development, e.g., presentation of a paper at an International Conference and core surveying skills.

enhance a student’s employability through generic training.

Each student will be assigned a primary Supervisor(s) and a Graduate Research Committee made up of experienced researchers to plan their programme of study and to provide on-going support to their research.

Applicants for the PhD must have a high honours standard in their primary degree or present such other evidence of fitness which will satisfy the Head of Discipline and the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies.

Important: apply by mid-July for September entry

4 years full-time, 6 years part-time

September intake

Research Areas


The Burren Landscape Through Time

Exploring the archaeology of the Burren from prehistoric to early modern times.


Landscape Archaeology

Providing an enhanced understanding of the interaction between people and landscape, from prehistoric times to modern day.


Ritual and Place

Exploring the role and context of ritual centres in prehistoric and medieval Ireland.


Material Culture, Art and Society

Exploring the style, pedigree and iconography of religious and decorative art in early medieval Ireland against its wider European backdrop.


Gaelic and Colonial Ireland

Providing modern Irish society with a new understanding of native society and its engagement with newcomers and colonisation.


Public Archaeology

Developing professional ethics and standards through mutually accountable work with communities to support their heritage in Ireland and abroad with particular concern for the positive and negative impact of development.


Irish Prehistory

All aspects of Irish prehistory including, but not limited to: the development of societies; interactions between people, place and landscape in prehistory; upland settlement; regionality; role of mountains in prehistory; megalithic monuments; lithics.