Archaeological Science (MSc)
Admission requirements
To be eligible for Archaeological Science at Leiden University, you must meet the following admission requirements.
General requirements
Holders of one of the following degrees may be admitted to the programme:
- A bachelor’s degree in Archaeology, obtained at a university in the Netherlands;
- A bachelor’s degree in Archaeology obtained at a university abroad, or an academic bachelor in a related field obtained at a university, provided the applicant has completed at least 60 EC of university-level coursework/fieldwork in Archaeology. This must include university-level knowledge and understanding in the following areas:
- archaeology of one or more regions and/or periods; and/or
- archaeological theory, concepts, data, and disciplinary development; and/or
- methods for the collection, documentation, analysis, interpretation and academic reporting of archaeological data; and/or
- the role of archaeology, archaeological collections, and heritage in contemporary society.
- at least 10 EC of the 60 EC must consist of university-level coursework in archaeological science topics.
- A bachelor’s degree and additionally having passed the prescribed pre-master’s programme pursuant to article 5.4.1.
See the Course and Examination Regulations for more information.
English language proficiency
The following requirements apply:
- IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 for each separate component score.
For other accepted exams, including score equivalency tables and criteria for the accepted exams, refer to our English language proficiency requirements.
Note that English test results may not be more than two years old.
You do not have to submit an English proficiency test if you have completed your education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada) Singapore, South-Africa or Malta, if you have obtained an English-taught International Baccalaureate™; if you have completed a Dutch VWO diploma or an English-taught degree at a Dutch research university or an English-taught bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university of applied sciences.
>> Go to the next step: Check the application deadlines
Pre-master's programme
Applicants who have a bachelor’s degree from a university, equivalent to the level of a Dutch academic bachelor’s degree in Archaeology, but with a lack of specific archaeological knowledge or skills which can be obtained within max 1 year, will be admitted to the master after completing a pre-master's programme of max. 60 credits in the time set for the programme.
We advise you to apply for the master’s programme of your choice. The Board of Admissions will then review your application and will make you a premaster offer if necessary.
Please note that the intake date depends on the type of Premaster
- Premaster 60 EC: Intake September only
- Premaster 30 EC: Intake February only
For more information about the pre-master's programme see the Prospectus or contact the pre-master coordinator: admission@arch.leidenuniv.nl
Language requirements
- An International Baccalaureate diploma from a programme taught in English (or an IB diploma with English A)
- A diploma of secondary or higher education completed in Australia, Canada (with the exception of French-taught programmes in Canada), Ireland, Malta, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States or South Africa
- A diploma of an English-taught academic education (WO) programme completed at a Dutch university
- A diploma of an English-taught four-year higher professional education (HBO) programme completed at a Dutch university of applied sciences
- A pre-university education (VWO) diploma
- A diploma from a university degree programme completed at a Dutch research university or a Dutch University of Applied Sciences.