In our hands-on programme, you will use cutting-edge scientific techniques to explore the past. You will go out into the field to work on sites of historic importance, as well as studying a wide range of themes from Prehistoric Europe to death and burial. Then you make good use of your knowledge in a year-long placement within the industry and come away with a professional portfolio to impress future employers.

 

Our department also has a commercial research consultancy (ARCA), where you can learn from highly-trained specialist staff. The consultancy offers valuable laboratory work experience – an opportunity to combine your academic expertise with delivering high-quality commercial solutions. To make sure you leave no stone unturned during fieldwork in the UK and abroad, you will use state of the art field equipment - including ground penetrating radar, magnetometers, magnetic susceptibility meters, differential GPS instruments and total stations. In addition, you will learn how to use industry standard computer software such as ArcGIS and Geoplot.

 

In Year 1, you learn all the basics for a solid foundation in Archaeology, from prehistory to the historic period and cover topics like Archaeological Science and Fieldwork. This is topped off with an exciting four weeks of fieldwork on a research excavation.

 

You cement your knowledge in Year 2 by acquiring practical and applied skills including in Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing and measured survey, and post-excavation analysis. You prepare for a dissertation with modules on theory and research method. You can also dig deeper into chosen areas of study, for example in Human Bioarchaeology or Roman to Medieval Britain, then wrap up the year with an optional field trip module and another summer excavation.

 

Delve into what it’s really like to work as a professional archaeologist in Year 3 with a full year’s placement at an archaeological organisation and develop a Portfolio of professional practice to demonstrate your experience to future employers. 

 

In Year 4, you engage in more vocational learning during classes on project management and cultural heritage practice, and a module features archaeological debates. You write a dissertation, generally on a practical topic, such as a site survey. And there’s a final chance to study in-depth topics that really interest you, ranging from Prehistoric Wessex to Battlefield Archaeology.

 

With the course’s focus on vocational archaeology, it’s no surprise that many of our graduates proceed directly into a career in professional archaeology, often with commercial archaeological organisations undertaking developer funded excavation, survey work and research work.