MSc in Archaeological Computing (Virtual pasts)

Computers and information technology are increasingly important tools for both researching and managing archaeological materials.

Taught within the internationally known research environment of the Southampton Archaeological Computing Research Group, in common with the MSc Archaeological Computing (Spatial Technology), this course will provide instruction in a wide range of computing skills that are used within archaeology including multimedia technologies, databases, WWW and electronic publication.

As archaeologists and other heritage professionals have become increasingly involved in the construction and presentation of increasingly complex and influential 'virtual pasts' so the need for qualified researchers and practitioners has increased. This course, in addition to providing a broad range of transferable skills, offers a means to obtain 'virtual archaeology' skills. This includes the creation of dynamic web sites, graphic design and illustration, image processing and vector graphics. In addition it concentrates on the theory and practice of generating three-dimensional computer graphic models based on archaeological data, the theoretical implications of archaeological visualisations, computer aided design principles for three-dimensional design, architecture, animation and visualisation and emerging technologies including virtual reality. All are dealt with in terms both of their use in computer systems and their role in archaeology, and build on the expertise and hardware, and the specialist CGI, GIS and other software of the Archaeological Computing Research Group.

Core units: Research skills; Core computing for archaeology; Archaeological computing systems; Constructing virtual pasts

For further details on this programme see the Humanities website.

Download the course leaflet.