Archaeology and Ancient History

In our interdisciplinary BA in Archaeology and Ancient History, you will study a wide range of societies and cultures in the ancient Mediterranean, Europe and the Near East, from the Bronze Age through to the Byzantine Empire, including Greeks, Romans, Persians, Egyptians, Etruscans, Celts and Carthaginians. By combining approaches from archaeology and ancient history, you will learn how to understand these societies from different perspectives, as well as acquiring practical skills such as archaeological excavation, surveying, illustration and public outreach. Our modules enable you to specialise in the periods or cultures that interest you most, or to explore themes such as gender, politics, warfare, religion, art and medicine. Our teaching is informed by the latest findings, and you will share in the process of discovery by participating in fieldwork and carrying out your own research project.

You will acquire a wide array of academic and professional skills, including archaeological techniques, creativity and problem-solving, project design and management, and communicating in different media for diverse audiences, from the general public to specialists. You will be assessed through a varied range of exercises, including essays and reports, presentations, blogs and vlogs, creative writing and practical work, which enable you to play to your strengths and develop new ones. You will learn field skills through a four-week placement, typically on an archaeological excavation, and in the final year you will have the option of designing and carrying out your own public outreach or community action project. In the second-year independent study and final-year dissertation, you will explore topics of your choice, under the guidance of staff who are active researchers in the field.

As a graduate in Archaeology and Ancient History, you will have the skills, knowledge and confidence that you need to succeed in a range of careers, in the heritage sector or elsewhere.

Distinctive Features of the Programme

Interdisciplinary exploration – Develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the regions, periods and themes that interest you, studying them from an historical as well as an archaeological perspective to give you a fuller picture of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern societies and their neighbours.

Research-led teaching – Many of our modules reflect the specialist research interests of staff who are actively furthering our knowledge and understanding of the past.

Placements – Four weeks of placement on an archaeological excavation or with a heritage organisation.

Employability and enterprise – Develop your employability and enterprise skills through core and option modules that provide work placements and public engagement opportunities and teach you to present your ideas to different audiences and in different media.

Study abroad – The option to extend to a four-year programme in which you’ll spend Year Three studying abroad at one of our partner institutions.