Master in Mediterranean Archaeology at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-2 master's at Sapienza University of Rome in Mediterranean archaeology from prehistory to the Middle Ages, with fieldwork, laboratories and a written thesis. Entry needs a relevant arts degree and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Mediterranean Archaeology is a two-year, 120 CFU master's degree (class LM-2) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. Entry needs a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent showing sound knowledge of history, art, classical studies and archaeology, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Mediterranean Archaeology master asks for a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent foreign qualification, or an Italian three-year degree with set archaeology credits, English at B2, a positive eligibility check and a personal knowledge assessment. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You need a Bachelor of Arts or an equivalent qualification obtained abroad, or a three-year degree obtained in Italy. [1]
- Degrees from outside Italy: the check may not use the Italian subject-sector lists. Sapienza makes an overall assessment of how sound your prior knowledge is in history and art, and in classical studies and archaeology. A remote interview may be arranged if needed.
- Italian three-year degrees: at least 30 CFU in archaeology sectors, such as prehistory and protohistory, numismatics, Etruscology, classical, Christian and medieval archaeology, ancient topography, archaeological method, Egyptology, Near Eastern, Phoenician-Punic and Islamic archaeology, and the archaeology of India, Central Asia and East Asia.
- Plus at least 60 CFU in a wider list: archaeology, art history, classical and medieval philology and literature, linguistics, Oriental studies, anthropology, geography, history, set biology, chemistry, physics and geology sectors, architecture and restoration, computer engineering, law and sociology.
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and for degrees from outside Italy Sapienza looks at what you studied, not a credit count. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BA in Archaeology, Ancient History, Ancient Indian History and Culture or Art History, or a History degree with substantial archaeology and ancient-world papers.
- Check carefully: a general BA in History, Anthropology, Geography or classical languages with only a few archaeology or art history papers.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Chemistry, Geology, Biology or Physics, or a B.Tech, B.Com, BBA or BCA, without history, art or archaeology coursework.
If you do not meet the entry requirements, missing credits can be made up by passing single examinations, under Sapienza's single-examination rules. [1]
English
A fluent command of English at CEFR level B2 or higher, particularly for applicants who are not native speakers. It is assessed under the programme's academic regulations. The call does not list specific tests or scores. [1]
Eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment
The eligibility check is requested on Sapienza's Infostud system (code 33542). Admission also needs a positive assessment of your personal knowledge and language skills. It is based on your degree mark, qualifications and academic record and, where necessary, your actual skills, assessed through a test or a personal interview. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Eligibility checks opened on 2 July 2026. Non-EU applicants who need a student visa had one date: 15 September 2026. Other applicants could choose 15 October, 17 November or 17 December 2026, and 14 January 2027 was reserved for Sapienza graduates. [1]
Where the programme regulations allow it, applicants still finishing a degree could apply if they graduated by 19 December 2026 (other Italian or international universities) or 23 January 2027 (Sapienza). [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad
Applicants from non-EU countries who live abroad and apply for a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter from Sapienza's international admissions process. After a positive eligibility check or pre-acceptance, students with a foreign qualification follow Sapienza's enrolment procedure for international students. Enrolment opens only once Sapienza confirms by email that both checks were successful. [1]
Sources and verification
Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy. Admission procedure for the Master's degree programme in Mediterranean Archaeology (LM-2), academic year 2026-2027, Infostud code 33542. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Mediterranean Archaeology study plan, 2026 cohort. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Mediterranean Archaeology programme pages (presentation, objectives, professional opportunities, degree class, language, duration and department). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Mediterranean Archaeology is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-2) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. It is run by the Department of Classics (Scienze dell'Antichità) in the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, with teaching in person in Rome. [1][3]
Sapienza designed the programme mainly for international students who want to study the archaeology of the Mediterranean in English. It does not copy the Italian-taught Archaeology master. Instead, it is built around themes followed across time, from prehistory to the Middle Ages, to reconstruct how material culture and landscapes changed. Teaching also draws on art history, museology, linguistics, history, palaeoanthropology, bioarchaeology and computing applied to archaeology. [3]
What you will study
The 2026 study plan offers two curricula: Mediterranean Archaeology, and Paleolithic Archaeology (ART-W), a path that also counts towards an Italian, French and German multiple degree. Both total 120 CFU. Core units in the Mediterranean Archaeology curriculum include: [2]
- Palaeobotany and Palaeoenvironment (6 CFU)
- Artefacts, Changing Landscapes and Agency (6 CFU)
- Production and Consumption in Pre-monetary and Monetary Ancient Mediterranean Economies (12 CFU)
- Human Migrations, Mobility and Identities in Life and Death (12 CFU)
- Archaeology of Living Space (6 CFU)
- Heritage and Narrative (6 CFU)
Students add 18 CFU from option lists that include Aegean and Greek Archaeology, Roman Archaeology, Rome and the Mediterranean Network, History of the Ancient Near East, Archaeology of Mediterranean Africa and Egypt, Phoenicians and Etruscans, Landscape and Seascape Archaeology, Archaeometry, Bioarchaeology, Archaeozoology and Information Technology for Archaeology, plus 12 elective credits. [2]
Fieldwork and laboratories
Both years include field activities, laboratories, stages and seminars, worth 18 CFU in total. Sapienza lists excavations in Italy, such as Pyrgi, Lavinium, Peltuinum, Coppa Nevigata and Mozia, and abroad, such as Arslantepe in Turkey, Elaiussa Sebaste, Paikuli, Tel Zurghul, the Northern Sahara, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Students can also take part in laboratory and research work at institutions such as MUCIV and the Casal de' Pazzi Museum. [2][3]
How the programme is taught
The first year focuses on prehistoric, historical and cultural training on Mediterranean themes, with attention to social and economic history. The second year turns to specific cultural and chronological areas and to technical and scientific topics, with particular attention to Phoenician-Punic and Islamic archaeology. The degree ends with a written thesis on a topic agreed with a supervisor, worth 24 CFU in the Mediterranean Archaeology curriculum and 30 CFU in the Paleolithic curriculum. [2][3]
Career paths
Sapienza trains graduates to work as archaeologists who can lead surveys and excavations, catalogue finds, produce digital and graphic documentation and work on preventive archaeology for public works across Mediterranean countries. It also prepares museum curators and conservators. Graduates can work in archaeological heritage management, excavation and documentation projects, museums and archaeological parks, national and international research projects, heritage communication and specialised publishing. [3]
Fees and scholarships
Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE). The regional scholarship body for Rome is DiSCo Lazio, and its scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The region decides scholarship awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants living abroad who apply for a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter from Sapienza's international admissions process. For 2026/27, the eligibility check for this group had a single deadline: 15 September 2026. The check is requested through Sapienza's Infostud system using code 33542. [1]
After a positive eligibility check or pre-acceptance, and a positive personal knowledge assessment, students enrol by paying the first fee instalment. Non-EU applicants also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1]
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your transcript against Sapienza's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your eligibility check, pre-acceptance request and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DiSCo Lazio scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What bachelor's degree do I need for Sapienza's Mediterranean Archaeology master?
A Bachelor of Arts or equivalent foreign qualification, or an Italian three-year degree. For degrees from outside Italy, Sapienza makes an overall assessment of your prior knowledge in history and art, classical studies and archaeology, with a remote interview if needed. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
The call sets no fixed written exam. After the eligibility check, Sapienza assesses your personal knowledge from your degree mark, qualifications and academic record and, where necessary, through a test or a personal interview. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
Fluent English at CEFR B2 or higher, assessed under the programme's academic regulations. The 2026/27 call does not list specific tests or scores, so we check which proof of B2 your file can use. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who need a student visa had one eligibility-check date: 15 September 2026, with the window open from 2 July 2026. They also need a pre-acceptance letter. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, where the programme regulations allow it. For 2026/27, applicants finishing a degree at another Italian or international university had to graduate by 19 December 2026. [1]
I have a B.Sc. in Chemistry or Geology. Can I still apply?
Possibly, but check carefully. For foreign degrees Sapienza looks at your knowledge of history, art, classical studies and archaeology, so a science degree without those subjects is often short. Missing credits can be made up through single examinations. [1]
Does the programme include fieldwork?
Yes. Field activities, laboratories, stages and seminars are worth 18 CFU across the two years. Sapienza lists excavations in Italy, such as Pyrgi and Mozia, and abroad, such as Arslantepe in Turkey, plus museum and laboratory work. [2][3]
What careers does this master lead to?
Sapienza prepares archaeologists for heritage management, excavation and documentation projects, preventive archaeology and research, as well as museum curators and conservators. Graduates also work in heritage communication and specialised publishing. [3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Mediterranean Archaeology at Sapienza?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Sapienza's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DiSCo Lazio scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.
I'm applying from India. What is the route into Mediterranean Archaeology?
A recognised Indian BA in a field such as Archaeology, History or Ancient Indian History and Culture can fit if it shows sound knowledge of history, art, classical studies and archaeology. You also need English at B2, and a remote interview may be arranged. The steps are the eligibility check, a pre-acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
No. The academic rules for Mediterranean Archaeology are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.
I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?
At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Mediterranean Archaeology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?
The academic rules for Mediterranean Archaeology are the same whatever your nationality, and your degree is assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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