Call for Applications 2023-2025

Call for applications for the academic years 2023-2025

In charge of the Master’s degree: Prof. Jean-Christophe SOURISSEAU

Contact: kalliopi.baika@univ-amu.fr – etienne.courne@univ-amu.fr

APPLICATIONS CAN ONLY BE MADE VIA THE “Mon Master” platform (La plateforme nationale des masters – S’informer, choisir, candidater (monmaster.gouv.fr))*.

*For detailed step by step instructions on how to proceed in english, please consult the guidelines. For any inquiries, please contact the MoMarch Team (etienne.courne@univ-amu.fr).

FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION), IT IS OBLIGATORY TO REGISTER VIA CAMPUS FRANCE (HTTPS://WWW.CAMPUSFRANCE.ORG/EN), otherwise the application is not valid in France

 

To download the call for application, click here.

 

Aix-Marseille University is launching the eleventh Call for Applications for the Master of Maritime and Coastal Archaeology. The Masters course, running in the Department of Archaeology, was awarded the Academy of Excellence call for projects 2013 and receives funding from Excellence Initiative of Aix-Marseille University – A*MIDEX, a French “Investissements d’Avenir” program – Institute for Mediterranean Archaeology ARKAIA.

The Master is coordinated by the academic team of the Centre Camille Jullian (Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, French Ministry of Culture, INRAP) in cooperation with the Department of Underwater Archaeological Research (DRASSM) of the French Ministry of Culture.

MoMArch is a full member of the UNESCO/UNITWIN Network for underwater archaeology. Since 2017, Aix-Marseille University obtained the UNESCO Chair of Maritime and Coastal Archaeology.

 

Objectives of the Master:

The purpose of this two-year Master program is to train top-level international specialists in all fields of maritime archaeology. More specifically, its aim is to prepare professional archaeologists in the research, protection and management of the maritime cultural heritage by offering them a solid methodological grounding and fieldwork training.

 

Organisation:

The Master is based on two complementary thematic modules:

  • A module focusing on underwater and subaquatic archaeology
  • A module focusing on coastal and harbour archaeology.

The specificity of the training is its balance between theoretical and practical courses.

The theoretical teaching modules provide an interdisciplinary and diachronic approach (from Prehistory to Modern period) on issues of maritime, underwater, harbour and coastal archaeology. Students benefit from a series of educational, scientific, technical and material resources offered by a network of associated CNRS Laboratories and Research Institutes (specialising in archaeology, geoscience, geomorphology, biology, topography, computer-graphics, photogrammetry, GIS, conservation of water-logged artefacts, etc).

The practical training (ca. 3 months per academic year) is offered through operational fieldwork training periods (stages) and one field-school underwater operation per year.

The main training activities and fieldwork operations include:

  • Hyperbaric training leading to professional diving qualifications and certificates (in collaboration with the INPP – National Institute of Professional Diving)
  • Field documentation methods (Topography, Total Station, underwater photography, photogrammetry, etc.)
  • Methods and techniques in archaeological prospection with instruments (marine acoustic survey, bathymetric survey, magnetometer survey, etc)
  • Training in maritime archaeological systematic and rescue survey and excavation
  • Initiation to deep-water archaeology. ROVs and robotic-operated operations.
  • Conservation methods of water-logged artefacts
  • Initiation to the valorisation of maritime cultural heritage in partnership with Archaeological Museums (exhibition, educational activities, public dissemination, etc)

 

MoMArch team:

In charge of the Master’s degree: Prof. Jean-Christophe SOURISSEAU (AMU – ARKAIA, director).

Direction: Prof. Jean-Christophe Sourisseau (AMU, ARKAIA, director) and Arnaud SCHAUMASSE (DRASSM, director)

Scientific coordination: Kalliopi Baika (AMU, CCJ / EUA) and Franca Cibecchini (DRASSM)

Teaching team:

The teaching is mainly conducted by the members of the Centre Camille Jullian (AMU, CNRS, MCC, Inrap), of the DRASSM (Ministry of Culture) and several CNRS laboratories (https://momarch.hypotheses.org/). Throughout the year, a significant number of guest lecturers is provided by international specialists from Universities and Research Institutes from France and abroad, in the framework of specific modules and themes of maritime archaeology.

The professional company Ipso Facto, specialising in underwater archaeological operations, led by archaeologist Mourad El-Amouri, provides an additional support to the practical training and fieldwork operations.

Students:

Each class consists of 8 students in numerus clausus. Approximately 50% of the recruitment is reserved for international students.

 

Admission requirements:

  • Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in archaeology, history, cultural heritage studies or equivalent.
  • Previous experience in terrestrial archaeology excavation is highly desirable.
  • Candidates must already hold a diving qualification (minimum CMAS Level 2 or equivalent).
  • Courses are taught either in French or in English. Therefore, a sufficient level of knowledge of both languages is required to follow the courses. Language certificates (at least at Level B2 in both languages) is required.

The courses are taught in French and in English. A sufficient level of knowledge of both languages is required.

 

Call for applications time schedule:

Non-EU Applicants

  • 1st of October 2022: Opening of the applications process (Études en France (diplomatie.gouv.fr))
  • Deadline for submission of applications to the ECF to be determined by the embassy
  • 15th of March 2023: Deadline for ECF interviews and SCAC advice
  • 30th of April 2023: Deadline for education committees of institutions and decisions of institutions
  • 7th of May 2023: Deadline for embassies’ scholarships committees
  • 15th of May 2023: Deadline for scholarships and exemptions of universities
  • 31st of May 2023: Deadline of students’ decisions


French and EU-Applicants

  • 1st of February 2023: Opening of the applications process (monmaster.gouv.fr)
  • 22nd of March 2023: Opening of the application platform (monmaster.gouv.fr)
  • 18th of April 2023: Deadline for submission of applications (at monmaster.gouv.fr)
  • 16th of June 2023: End of institutional review of applications
  • 23th of June 2023: Start of the admission phase and proposals of institutions to applicants
  • 21st of July 2023: Deadline for validation of proposals by the applicants

 

Documents required (to be uploaded onthe monmaster.gouv.fr platform during the application procedure):

  • A detailed Curriculum Vitae
  • A copy of the University diplomas and of the academic mark sheets
  • A copy of diving diplomas/qualifications (Level required: II (CMAS II or equivalent) and the complete diving form.
  • A motivation letter
  • One (or two) recommendation letters
  • Optional: One or two examples of written work (in PDF):

–  i.e. a scientific article

–  a post-graduate, or M.A dissertation

–  an undergraduate university essay or other available scientific document (all languages are welcome)

 

Funding/Scholarships:

There is a variety of funding opportunities that are issued per year for European and International students. For further information, please visit Campus France website (www.campusfrance.org/) or contact: Prof. Jean-Christophe Sourisseau (jean-christophe.sourisseau@univ-amu.fr).

For the 2023-2025 course, the Master MoMArch through the ARKAIA Institute benefits from two TIGER excellence scholarships (Transforming and Innovating in Graduate Education via Research), a project funded by the Future Investment Plan of State. These scholarships are intended for international students who have never been enrolled in a French institution. For more information, please visit: https://www.univ-amu.fr/fr/public/bourses-pmi-daix-marseille-universite

For the 2023-2025 course, the Master MoMArch with the support of the Honor Frost Foundation, that promotes Maritime Archaeology in the eastern Mediterranean, is pleased to offer one scholarship for its Masters programme to candidates with Lebanese or Syrian nationality applying for September 2023. For more information, please visit: http://honorfrostfoundation.org/

 

 

DETAILED PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The Maritime and Coastal Archaeology Master program is a two years full-time course.

Each semester includes 12 teaching weeks.

There are 6 Teaching Units (UEs) during the 1st and 3rd semesters. Each Teaching Unit (UE) corresponds to 36 hours of teaching over a semester.

Teaching comprises Lectures (CMs), lab/tutorial works (TDs) and practical workshops (TPs).

The courses are taught in French and in English. A sufficient level of knowledge of both languages is required.

MASTER 1

SEMESTER 1 : SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER

Teaching Units

Title

UE 1

Maritime history and archaeology: Terminology, definitions, introduction

UE 2

Historioraphy, regulatory framework, institutional organisation and specific legislation

UE 3

Theory of practice: operational implementation, preservation and restoration of water-logged artefacts

UE 4

Palaeoenvironment: maritime geoarchaeology, dendrology, marine sciences, coastal geophysics etc

UE 5

Case studies  in Maritime Archaeology (Teaching Unit common to Semesters 1 and 3)

UE 6

Lectures and seminars by guest professors

(Teaching Unit common to Semesters 1 and 3)  

During semester 1: Professional diving training course (at Marseille) in partnership with the National Institute of Professional Diving (INPP). The aim is to obtain the professional hyperbaric aptitude certificate class 0Bb.

SEMESTER 2: JANUARY – JUNE

From mid-January:

– 3-months practical training (stages)

The M1 practical training will entail scheduled operations, in order to provide homogeneous laboratory and fieldwork training to all students in basic survey, excavation and post-excavation methods, as well as advanced technologies, on maritime and coastal archaeology.

– Field-school training

The practical training includes the participation to an underwater operation as part of a field-school, exclusively organised and offered to the MoMArch students.

– M.A. dissertation

Students will also start their research on a M.A. thesis subject, its first part being defended at the end of June.

Assessment in June in the form of a presentation of the development of the project of the M.A. dissertation (in French or in English) to be defended in front of the scientific committee (in French or in English).

Mid-July: deliberations of the committee and results displayed.

June-September: Possibility of participation to other field-schools and underwater/maritime/coastal operations proposed to the students, according to their scientific field of interests.

 

MASTER 2

SEMESTER 3: SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER

Teaching Unit

Title

UE 1

Naval Archaeology

UE 2

Archaeology and Geoarchaeology of harbours and coastal areas

UE 3

Archaeology of maritime exchanges

UE4

Technical approaches: survey and documentation methods

UE 5

Case studies  in Maritime Archaeology (Teaching Unit common to Semesters 1 and 3)

UE 6

Lectures and seminars by guest professors

(Teaching Unit common to Semesters 1 and 3)  

SEMESTER 4: JANUARY – JUNE

From mid-January to the end of June:

– Preparation of the M.A. scientific dissertation (mémoire) on which the student will be assessed.

– Practical training courses (stages) in collaboration with a variety of scientific laboratories, tailored to the specific needs of each student, according to the scientific subject/area he or she is working on for the M.A. dissertation.

– Participation to a second underwater operation (different site and context) as part of a field-school training program which is exclusively organised for the MoMArch students.

Final assessment in June

The M.A. dissertation (mémoire) may be written in French or in English and shall be defended orally, in French or in English, in front of a jury composed of the members of the teaching team, as well as distinguished guests acknowledged for their expertise in the field.

Mid-July: deliberations of the committee and results displayed.

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