Romanvilla excavation Romanvilla excavation

Available with:

  • Foundation Year

Accreditations

CIFA - Chartered Institute for Archaeologists UAUK - University Archaeology UK

Course Summary

A degree in Archaeology allows you to explore the richness and diversity of the human past, while developing the skills that will help you to succeed in your future career. 

Archaeology is a multi-disciplinary subject that draws on methods used in both the arts and sciences. You will learn to collect, analyse and interpret data using a suite of analytical techniques, as well learning to think critically, evaluating different sources of evidence and drawing conclusions from them. You will have opportunities to work on excavations, carry out scientific studies of archaeological materials, visit heritage sites to reflect on the way the past is presented, and discuss and debate different interpretations of the past in seminars and tutorials. 

Our Archaeology degree balances the practical aspects of archaeology, such as fieldwork and laboratory analysis with teaching that spans much of the human past, and with a geographic scope that includes Northwest Europe, the Baltic, Russia and Siberia, and continental North America. This allows you to explore those aspects of the subject that interest you most, while developing a suite of transferable skills that are relevant for whichever career path you choose.  

Teaching is supported by our purpose-built archaeology laboratory and our artefact workroom, which along with the University’s computing facilities and lecture and seminar spaces, provide a high-quality teaching and learning environment. Careers advice is also embedded into our course, helping you to make the most of the wide range of skills you will develop throughout your degree. 

Why you'll Love it


What You'llStudy

Module content:

  • Reading and writing critically.
  • Constructing and evaluating an argument.
  • Note-taking techniques for reading and listening.
  • Understanding plagiarism and academic integrity.
  • Introduction to reflective practice.
  • Preparing for, and delivering, powerpoint presentations.
  • Referencing and citation.
  • Summarising and paraphrasing written sources.
  • Literature searching.
  • Report writing.
  • The culture and expectations of higher education.
  • The assessment process including the role of assessment criteria and feedback.
  • The nature of research journal publishing.

Whilst much of the content above is generic, students will be encouraged to situate skills within the context of the undergraduate discipline they are entering, which leads to some variation in emphasis for certain skills.


Module aims:

1.To raise awareness of the range of study skills required for successful higher education studies, including the process of academic writing, reading strategies, seminar skills, organisation of time and materials, planning for and meeting deadlines, understanding and responding to feedback.

2. To introduce students to concepts such as plagiarism, academic integrity and appropriate use of artificial intelligence tools.

3. To facilitate an effective transition into higher education by exploring, and providing guidance in, the key elements of successful undergraduate studentship including students' understanding of taking responsibility for their own learning.

4. To teach students how to undertake a literature, visual or data review for their discipline and be able to differentiate between a valid, reliable source and an unsubstantiated or irrelevant source.  

Module content:

  • Research and planning skills.
  • Becoming familiar with topics that comprise their undergraduate degree subject.
  • Developing a knowledge base for a discipline of study.
  • Identifying areas of interest.
  • Application and development of critical analytical skills.
  • Development of self-directed study.
  • Use of learning resources.

Module aims:

1. To develop students' skills in planning and writing an essay.

2. To familiarise students with the process of tutor supervision for a written piece of work.

3. To give students an opportunity to focus on a topic within their undergraduate degree subject.

4. To write a piece of work that allows the student to broaden and deepen knowledge on a topic of their choice.

5. To prepare and deliver an academic poster presentation outlining the student's research topic.

Module content:

  • The 'global student' and the ‘global graduate’
  • Introduction to theories of globalization
  • Perspectives on economic, political and cultural globalization
  • Globalized media, the internet & digital tech.
  • Global economy & transnational corporations
  • International organisations & social movements
  • Migration, multiculturalism and interculturalism
  • Introduction to decolonisation & education
  • International security and security issues
  • Introduction to international relations theory

Module aims:

1. To explore issues of global significance.

2. To develop and apply skills in critical thinking, research and communication and apply these to debates within the module's topics.

3. To deconstruct and reconstruct arguments by researching global issues.

4. To develop an awareness of global justice debates.

Module content:

  • An introduction to creative and critical thinking concepts
  • Considering credibility; belief and truth
  • Identifying how language is used for persuasion
  • Identifying how image is used for persuasion
  • Recognising how media is used for manipulation
  • An introduction to advertising and marketing techniques
  • Representation and misrepresentation of data
  • Applying critical thinking skills to contemporary media and technology

 


Module aims:

1. To introduce approaches to analytical and critical thinking.

2. To develop an understanding of critical thinking when applied to language, image, traditional and online media.

 

Module content:

 

  • Introduction to semiotics and visual language
  • Emerging trends: environment and interiors
  • The birth and evolution of cinema
  • The human commodity: advertising, celebrity and reality television
  • Introduction to postmodernism and popular art
  • Photography as social commentary
  • The internet and digital spaces

 


Module aims:

1. To develop students' understanding of western civilization through an understanding of that civilization's visual texts.

2. To develop students' abilities to communicate orally, visually and through academic writing.

3. To develop students' interpretative abilities through the promotion of skills of visual interpretation.

 

 

Module content:

  • Introduction to the ways that narrative and stories are important in different cultures and contexts
  • Introduction to methods of interpreting narratives and stories
  • Introduction to key stories and narratives that have shaped cultures
  • Introduction to how stories and narratives can change or influence cultures
  • Introduction to how stories and narratives are constructed and reconstructed in the twenty-first century
  • Introduction to skills in reading texts

Module aims:

  1. To develop an awareness of a number of key narratives and stories that have influenced cultures
  2. To understand the various roles that narrative and story-telling have in different cultures and contexts
  3. To understand the ways that cultures construct meaning through narrative and story-telling
  4. To develop skills in reading and interpreting narratives and stories
  5. To develop skills in the close reading of texts

Introduces the archaeology of the British Isles, Europe and the wider world, and the theoretical and practical approaches that underpin our subject.

Module content:

What do archaeologists actually do? In this module, you’ll get your head around the skills and techniques archaeologists need to investigate the material remains of the past: from non-invasive and research methods to fieldwork skills and post-excavation analysis.  Practice and develop your observation, recording and interpretation as well as academic skills in a range of seminars, tutorials and practical labs.


Module aims:

  1. To explore the nature of archaeological evidence.
  2. To introduce students to methodologies for data gathering in archaeology (through research and through field practice).
  3. To enable students to identify which techniques are appropriate in particular situations and the sequence in which they may be applied.
  4. To enable students to assess the values and limitations of the types of evidence and to encourage students to draw conclusions from the evidence according to recognised principles of archaeological investigation.
  5. To develop students’ ability to undertake level-appropriate analysis of the results from various archaeological research and techniques.

Module content:

The module provides a contextual approach to a synoptic overview of the archaeology of the British Isles from early prehistory to the modern period.  It introduces students to the field archaeology of all periods and a consideration of the key cultural and historical developments over this time.  An illustrative list of topics that may be covered within this module includes: earliest prehistory, Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, the Neolithic and the rise of farming, late Iron Age Britain, Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxon England, the early medieval archaeology of Western and Northern Britain, Vikings, Impact of the Norman Conquest, medieval England, Scotland and Wales in the medieval period, the Age of Transition, the archaeology of capitalism and the Industrial Revolution.


Module aims:

  1. To allow students to gain a broad knowledge of British archaeology through the exploration of significant monuments, sites, artefacts and themes.
  2. To allow students to develop critical understanding of key issues through in-depth studies of sites and material culture.
  3. To familiarise students with key sites, monuments and artefacts types and other sources of evidence and the limitations of archaeological evidence and interpretation.
  4. To develop students' ability to assess different archaeological evidence and interpretations and the reasoning behind them.

Module content:

This module examines the major sources, theories and practices within archaeological heritage, including conflicts and tensions. It begins with the debate surrounding the definition of heritage and its development as a concept since the 1980s, and then goes on to analyse the impact of heritage on archaeology. Issues such as political agendas, the impact of legislation, conservation and interpretation are analysed through practical applications and case studies.


Module aims:

  1. To allow students to gain a broad knowledge of archaeological heritage through the exploration of significant monuments, sites, artefacts and themes. 
  2. To allow students to develop critical understanding of key issues through in-depth studies of sites and objects.
  3. To familiarise students with the values and limitations of archaeological heritage sources and to encourage students to draw conclusions from them according to recognised principles of archaeological heritage. 
  4. To explore the development of archaeological heritage as a discipline.

Module content:

This module provides an overview of global archaeology, highlighting key contemporary and historical debates which have contributed towards the growth of archaeology as a discipline, including explorations of issues relating to the theoretical and methodological evolution of the subject. An illustrative list of topics that may be covered within the module includes: The Rise of Homo Sapiens (The Flores “hobbit”); Early hunter-gatherers (Etterbølle); The Introduction of Agriculture (Catal Huyuk); Early City States
(Mohenjo Daro and the Indus Culture), The Archaeology of Islands (Easter Island/ Rapanui); Archaeology and History (Williamsburg).


Module aims:

  1. To allow students to gain a broad knowledge of the key historical developments of archaeology as a discipline.
  2. To allow students to develop a critical understanding of key theoretical and methodological debates in contemporary archaeology.
  3. To familiarise students with a broad chronological and geographical framework of the development of human culture on a global scale.
  4. To develop students' ability to assess different archaeological evidence and interpretations and the reasoning behind them.

Module content:

This module provides students with an introduction to the archaeology of Prehistoric and Classical Europe. The course will be split between two key geographic areas, the Classical world and western Europe (The Classical and Celtic Worlds) and Scandinavia and the Baltic (The Northern World), and will explore the key social, political and cultural developments within them. An illustrative list of topics will include; belief systems and cosmologies, trade and exchange, art and architecture, death and the afterlife.


Module aims:

  1. To allow students to gain a broad knowledge of the archaeology of the Mediterranean and Classical world, and Northern/Circumpolar Europe from early prehistory to the end of the Iron Age through the exploration of key sites, artefacts and themes.
  2. To allow students to develop a critical understanding of the key issues relating to these European Worlds through in-depth analyses of the archaeological record.
  3. To familiarise students with the key sites, monuments and other forms of evidence from European classical and prehistoric archaeology, and the debates surrounding their interpretation
  4. To develop students' ability to assess different archaeological evidence and interpretations and the reasoning behind them.

Will allow you to specialise in particular periods/themes by choosing from optional modules, while enhancing your technical skills through core modules and the training excavation.

Module content:

This module introduces students to the study of material culture in an archaeological context. Key themes include: understanding the physical properties and manufacturing processes of a range of key materials (ceramics; glass; metalwork; organics), an appreciation of the range of techniques used in archaeology to study artefactual assemblages, deposition and post-depositional factors and theoretical approaches to material culture studies. An illustrative list of topics that may be covered within the module includes: site formation processes and the survival of material culture, distribution, communication and consumption, introduction to the study of ceramics, metalwork, coinage, bone and textiles.


Module aims:

  1. To help students gain depth of understanding of major issues within a specialised field of archaeology. 
  2. To familiarise students with the range of materials surviving as archaeological objects.
  3. To examine, through the study in depth of the principal source of evidence available to archaeologists, interpretative issues and to enhance skills in analysis and interpretation.
  4. To explore the strengths and weaknesses of rival archaeological interpretative frameworks and to foster original and creative thinking where appropriate.

Module content:

The module gives students an opportunity for first-hand experience.  Illustrative examples of experiences that might be undertaken include: excavation, finds recording and analysis, other fieldwork and placements within heritage or government archaeological bodies or museums.


Module aims:

  1. To provide a basic training in both generic and subject-specific archaeological skills through practical experience.
  2. To produce written work demonstrating the application of research skills to a specific project.
  3. To gain practical experience of a project and/or with an 'employer'.

Module content:

This module builds on the introduction to prehistory obtained in Level Four and focuses more in-depth on key research questions in British prehistory and the Roman period.  The module is based on a chronological study and focuses on the wider themes of  art, ritual and ideology, social and economic interaction and identity through in-depth studies of sites, monuments and artefacts.  An illustrative description of topics that might be covered includes: prehistoric rock-art and its interpretation, prehistoric monumental architecture, social stratification in prehistory, artefacts and fragmentation, deposition and hoarding in the Bronze Age, ritual deposition in the British Iron Age, the social archaeology of houses in the British Iron Age and Romanisation and Roman-British interaction.


Module aims:

  1. To enable students to gain depth of understanding of particular archaeological periods, including key-sites and types of material culture.
  2. To introduce and explore different theoretical approaches to archaeological interpretation.
  3. To develop students' understanding of the process of archaeological research and interpretation through in-depth study of key archaeological sites, monuments and artefacts.

Module content:

This optional, additional placement year offers students a chance to experience working in the heritage industry first-hand. Work placements could include working for a commercial archaeological unit, local government Historic Environment Records/Service, a museum or heritage visitor attraction and will be agreed with the module leader.

Preparation for the placements will take place in Chester in the second part of level 5 and first two weeks of the placement year. Subsequently, students will undertake their work placement with their agreed host organisation.


Module aims:

This module aims to enhance students’ prospects of gaining graduate level employment and enhance their understanding and experience of the heritage sector. It will do this by:

  1. Providing an opportunity for students to practice archaeology and heritage in a real-world professional environment;
  2. Developing their understanding of a workplace and being an ‘employee’;
  3. Enhancing their professional development reflection and planning;
  4. Offering an opportunity to apply their academic learning of underlying principles and concepts to an employment context.

Module content:

The module is designed to develop students' practical skills and applications in archaeological research and analysis.  It builds on skills developed at Level Four and introduces more complex methods, tools for analysis and interpretation. Focus is given to acquiring key and transferable skills related to data management and analysis as well as research project design and management.  Illustrative topics that might be covered include: the use of IT in archaeology, data storage and management, use and design of discipline-specific databases, use and applications of GIS in archaeology and project management and design.  Within the module, students will develop a research project design that ideally will relate to a dissertation topic at Level Six.


Module aims:

  1. To enable students to gain depth of understanding in aspects of archaeological research and analysis through practical application of skills and key concepts such as IT in archaeology.
  2. To familiarise students with the context and development of archaeological research methods.
  3. To develop students' understanding of the process of research and practice through introduction to project design and management.

Module content:

The module provides a detailed and far-ranging investigation of the archaeology of the contemporary world, here taken to be the 20th and 21st centuries. Building on the growth of the application of archaeological theories and methods to the study of the recent past, the module investigates case studies and themes in archaeological approaches to contemporary material cultures, architectures, settlements and landscapes.  Indicative topics include archaeologies of conflict and protest, law and order, globalisation and locality, remembering and forgetting, urban, industrial and rural communities, consumerism and the body, transport and migration, homelessness and poverty.


Module aims:

  1. To help students gain depth of understanding of major theoretical and methodological principles, parameters and debates in contemporary archaeology.
  2. To familiarise students with key variations and changes in recent and contemporary societies, as seen in their material culture.
  3. To explore different case studies in the archaeology of recent and contemporary pasts'.
  4. To explore the strengths and weaknesses of rival archaeological and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the contemporary past.

Module content:

This module provides a theoretical and practical introduction to the use of plants, and plant-based material culture, amongst non-agrarian (hunter-gatherers and pastoralist) societies. Students will use ethnographic and archaeological evidence to investigate the cultural significance of plants and their roles in people’s beliefs, as well as the ways in which they were collected, processed, and worked into material culture. They will apply practical methods of ethnobotany, including microscopic analysis of plant remains and associated material culture, as well as experimental archaeology, to answer specific research questions relating to plant-use in the past. Students will also explore the relationships between western and non-western perceptions of plants and the wider environment, through the work of indigenous scholars, and research employing non-western (indigenous) methodologies.


Module aims:

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the cultural and economic role of plants amongst hunter-gatherers and pastoralists, and the archaeological and anthropological methods that are used in their study. They will develop practical and analytical skills through the application of laboratory methods and experimental archaeology, and enhance their verbal and written communication skills by reporting on the results of this work. They will also gain experience of non-western perspectives of the environment, the work of indigenous scholars, and the use of alternative (indigenous) methodologies both for undertaking and disseminating research.

Module content:

Making archaeology and heritage accessible to the public is a key part of the discipline. In order to do that, the communication of complex archaeological and heritage information to non-specialist audiences is of vital importance.  This module helps students to present research in dynamic and innovative ways. Each student will work on a research project with a supervisor and produce an output that communicates the findings in an accessible way. The mode of dissemination (or output), may include education resources for schools, a blog, vlog, social media strategy, poster or pamphlet.

Topics and outputs will be authorised by the module leader but focus on aspects of each supervisor’s research speciality. With supervision, students will conduct primary and secondary research, identify a public ‘audience’ to whom the findings will be disseminated, and produce the dissemination materials accordingly.

The module encourages the development of independent research skills as well as the ability to communicate archaeological and heritage information to non-specialist audiences.


Module aims:

  1. To enable students to apply and develop their research skills using primary and secondary archaeological sources;
  2. To enhance students’ capabilities for autonomous learning;
  3. To develop students’ ability to communicate complex and specialist knowledge, themes, and ideas;
  4. To enable students to understand key themes and methods in public archaeology and heritage, specifically in relation to the presentation of archaeology and heritage to the public.

Module content:

Preparation for the year abroad will take place in Chester during level 5 and will include:

  • Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
  • Host-country orientation, study methods– economic, political and social reality of the country
  • Orientation specific to exchange – health, education, gender issues
  • The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
  • Practical matters relating to living and studying in the wider world

Theories, models and strategies of learning

  • Critical thinking skills, experiential learning       and models of reflection

Personal and placement-related transversal skills

  • Effective self-motivation and independent resourcefulness
  • Effective time management and organisational skills
  • Project management – working away from University and independent study
  • Self-management and personal development

Whilst abroad:

Students will undertake study at one of UoC’s partner universities; it is expected that students will choose a series of modules at the university abroad, which equal a full-time study load. This must be agreed by the host institution and the International Tutor. Students must supply details of their courses/modules on a learning agreement within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university, note students who fail to supply this within 4 weeks may have the opportunity withdrawn.


Module aims:

  1. To experience academic life in country outside of the EU, enhancing cultural and intercultural awareness and increasing transversal skills.
  2. To reflect on the impact of the experience in their destination on one’s own personal, academic and professional development.
  3. To engage with the experience of study at a partner university to gain extensive first-hand knowledge and understanding of the relevant society from the perspective of the resident.
  4. To further develop independent learning techniques.
  5. To foster critical evaluation.

You will undertake a dissertation, while optional modules will allow you to develop a greater understanding of particular periods.

Module content:

The dissertation is a piece of work on an archaeological episode or topic chosen by the student, subject to approval by the programme leader.  The student is supported through tutorial supervision meetings with a designated supervisor.  Primary source material should be utilised to a significant extent.  This may entail a piece of non-invasive fieldwork undertaken by the student, with the findings placed in a broader interpretative and analytical context.  The work may also entail a desk-based assessment or reassessment, interpretation and analysis of existing archaeological data and published sources.  The use of original research, thinking and interpretation is a key element in all types of dissertation projects.   The topic may relate to material discussed or explored in other modules, but may not directly mirror other module assignments or questions. 


Module aims:

  1. To enable students to engage in archaeological research and interpretation of a selected topic, through the scholarly use of primary source material drawn from field-work, published data or a mixture of these sources.
  2. To enable students to develop to the full their capacity for tutor-supported independent study.
  3. To provide tutorial guidance in the practices, processes and methodology of independent research.
  4. To prepare students for masters level and postgraduate research and/or other kinds of research, and to increase their confidence in self-motivated and self-disciplined project work.

Module content:

This module explores the role archaeology plays in contemporary society, both in a professional capacity and as a means for communicating information about the past to the general public.  Topics explored include the current structure of the archaeological profession in Britain and its legislative framework, the development of academic archaeology, archaeology and the media, and careers in archaeology.


Module aims:

  1. To help students gain depth of understanding of major archaeological and theoretical issues within specific archaeological contexts.
  2. To familiarise students with the archaeology and chronological developments of practice and ethics of archaeology in Britain at the start of the twenty-first century.
  3. To explore different theoretical concepts and their application to the archaeology.
  4. To explore the strengths and weaknesses of rival archaeological interpretations and theoretical frameworks and to foster original thinking and critical analysis.

Module content:

This comprises a thematic exploration of the archaeology of death and burial,  considering a range of theoretical and practical issues informing the archaeological study of mortuary behaviour. An illustrative list of topics that may be covered includes: an introduction to palaeopathology, death and gender, anthropological approaches to the study of death, the re-burial debate.


Module aims:

  1. To help students gain depth of understanding of major archaeological and theoretical issues within specific archaeological contexts.
  2. To familiarise students with the archaeology and chronological developments of death and burial.
  3. To explore different theoretical concepts and their application to the archaeology.
  4. To explore the strengths and weaknesses of rival archaeological interpretations and theoretical frameworks and to foster original thinking and critical analysis.

Module content:

This module poses the question ‘How Roman was Roman Britain?’

In order to do this, we need to take a step back and consider the archaeological evidence for life before Roman Britain. Students will therefore be guided in an exploration of Iron Age lifeways: their beliefs, burial customs and other cultural practices, their settlements and the objects they used, as well as social and political organisation of Iron Age societies and the key transformations that took place from c. 800 BC to AD 43.

The module will then address the impact of Rome upon later Iron Age societies. The evidence for the invasion and subsequent incorporation into an empire will be explored. Students will compare and contrast evidence for life on the frontiers of the Roman Empire with that of Romano-British towns and rural settlements. They will explore how material culture, religious practices and the treatment of the dead changed and whether these differences reflect diverse cultural, social or ethnic traits. Themes of colonialism and imperialism, conquest and oppression, social and cultural violence will be investigated and questions around what it meant to be ‘Roman’ in an increasingly globalised world.


Module aims:

  1. To familiarise students with the archaeology and chronological developments of Iron Age and Roman Britain
  2. To develop students’ ability to identify, analyse, and interpret primary archaeological evidence
  3. To apply different theoretical concepts to the interpretation of archaeological evidence
  4. To help students develop skills in critical analysis by exploring the strengths and weaknesses of rival archaeological interpretations and ideas

Module content:

This module allows students to explore the different approaches that archaeologists take to the study of crafts and making in the human past. The module takes an applied approach, using experimental archaeology to investigate the range of activities involved in the crafting process (from the harvesting and preparation of materials to the manufacture of objects themselves), and how these can be reconstructed from the residues of past activity that we see archaeologically. This is supported by lectures and seminars where students will explore the cultural contexts within which these technologies were applied. This includes the ways in which particular world views structured the crafting processes, how arts and crafts were tied to individual and social identity, and how objects and the materials they were made from may have been perceived. The module takes a broad chronological perspective, that includes prehistoric and historic periods, and a wide geographical range that includes northwest Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic, and the Americas.


Module aims:

1: To familiarise students with the key theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of arts and crafts
2: To develop students’ ability to identify, analyse, and interpret primary forms of archaeological evidence
3. To enhance students' ability to apply different theoretical and methodological frameworks to the interpretation of archaeological evidence
4. To help students develop skills in critical analysis by exploring the strengths and weaknesses of rival archaeological interpretations and ideas

BA (Hons) Archaeology

Archaeology at the University of Chester

Who you'll Learn from

Dr Barry Taylor

Senior Lecturer in Archaeology
Dr Barry Taylor

Prof Meggen Gondek

Professor of Archaeology
Prof Meggen Gondek

Professor Howard Williams

Professor of Archaeology; Programme Leader MRes Archaeology
Prof Howard Williams

Dr Amy Gray Jones

Senior Lecturer in Archaeology; Programme Leader MA Archaeology of Death and Memory
Dr Amy Gray Jones

Dr Caroline Pudney

Senior Lecturer in Archaeology; Programme Leader BA Archaeology
Dr Caroline Pudney

How you'll Learn

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, laboratory sessions, practical workshops, field trips and field work. Practical teaching includes laboratory-based scientific methods, which are taught in our archaeology laboratory, field techniques that utilise state-of-the-art surveying equipment, and computer applications including the use of Geographical Information Systems, databases and image-processing technology that are taught using industry standard software. 

Our course employs a range of different methods of assessment. These include essays, laboratory reports, portfolios, presentations, posters and podcasts. In all cases, our assessments aim to develop your skills and enhance your employability. 

Beyond the Classroom

A four-week training excavation is carried out in the Easter term of Year 2, where you will learn the practical techniques of archaeological field work. The training excavation is compulsory for Single Honours students, but optional for Combined Honours students. The training excavation is fully funded by the University and there are no additional costs for you to cover. You may also have the opportunity to work on field work carried out by members of staff outside of term time. 
 
The module gives students an opportunity for first-hand experience. Illustrative examples of experiences that might be undertaken include excavation, finds recording and analysis, other fieldwork and placements within heritage or government archaeological bodies or museums. 
 
This course offers students the exciting opportunity to work on archaeological projects in the European Union through the Erasmus+ scheme.  
 
Students will undertake study at one of our partner universities; it is expected that students will choose a series of modules at the university abroad, which accrue at least (100 credits; 50 ECTS).  Additional subjects may be taken, but these can only be used for credit if the university abroad assigns ECTS credits to them (i.e. if students pass all the required assessments associated with the relevant module at the university abroad). 

Entry Requirements

112 UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

112 points 

GCE A Level 

Typical offer – BCC-BBC

BTEC 

BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM

International Baccalaureate 

26 points 

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4

Scottish Highers: BBBB

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level 

T Level  - Merit

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: DMM

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements

72 UCAS Points

UCAS 

72 UCAS points 

GCE A Level 

72 UCAS points overall including a D at A Level. 

Other vocational qualifications at Level 3 will also be considered, such as NVQs. 

If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then we can consider you. Our Foundation Year will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. 

English Language - A Level Grade D in English Language, English Literature or English combined (Language and Literature) 

English Literature - A Level Grade D English Language, English Literature or English combined (Language and Literature)  

History - A Level Grade D in Ancient History, Classical Civilisation, History, Politics or Sociology 

BTEC 

BTEC Extended Diploma MMP 

BTEC Diploma MM 

Irish / Scottish Highers 

Irish Higher - H4, H4, H4, H4 

Scottish Highers - CCCC 

International Baccalaureate 

24 points 

Access requirements 

Access Diploma - Pass overall 

Where you'll study Exton Park, Chester

Fees and Funding

£9,250 per year (2024/25)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2024/25 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU starting in or after the 2021/22 academic year will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£13,950 per year (2024/25)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £13,950. 

This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.  

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills. 

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

One of the great strengths of our archaeology course is the range of skills that you will develop. These include the ability to analyse and interpret data from a wide range of quantitative and qualitative sources, to think critically, and to work collaboratively as part of a team. These are transferable skills and are valued by employers both within and outside of the Archaeology and Heritage sectors. 

A wide range of career paths are open to graduates with archaeology degrees. Archaeology is a thriving industry, and some graduates go on to work as professional archaeologists, undertaking excavations ahead of major construction and development projects, or as consultants providing advice to developers. Others work in the heritage sector, helping to curate and present the past to wider audiences. However, many use the skills they have learnt to develop careers in other sectors, such as the civil service, primary and secondary school education, accountancy, the police force and armed forces, or set up their own businesses. 

Progression options

  • Archaeology and Heritage Practice MA
  • Archaeology MRes

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.