Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, was settled at least from the Bronze Age. It’s no wonder that some of the oldest institutions are located there, including fourth oldest university. Overall, there are four universities and several colleges.

Studying past civilizations through their structures and artifacts, including physical remains, artwork, tools and religious objects, in order to understand their history and culture is key to the subject of archeology. Students may specialize in a specific area such as geographic region, time period or type of society.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom and Britain, is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. The two most famous (and oldest) universities are Oxford and Cambridge (often referred to as Oxbridge by many Britons). England also has several other world-class institutions, including several in London (notably Imperial College, the London School of Economics, University College London and King's College London, all are part of London University).

Requirements for the PhD program often involve the student having already obtained a Master’s degree. Additionally, a thesis or dissertation primarily consisting of original academic research must be submitted. In some countries, this work may even need to be defended in front of a panel.