BSc Archaeology

Archaeology is a broad-based discipline which harnesses material remains to interpret the rich diversity of past societies, from aspects of everyday life including diet and housing, to ideology and belief systems expressed in burial practices, ceremonial monuments and works of art. As a subject, Archaeology lends itself to a fun, challenging and immensely rewarding learning experience which encourages students to realise their full academic and personal potential.

Students choose Archaeology at Reading because of our distinctive and innovative approach to teaching, underpinned by world-class research and facilities. Our formula combines the best traditional period-based teaching in Archaeology (giving complementary insights to other humanities disciplines such as History and Classics) with a strong emphasis on fieldwork and the expanding battery of scientific applications which define the 21st-century discipline.

Description:
The first year of the BSc degree introduces you to the history and methods of archaeology, and how such methods are used to reconstruct past lifestyles and human social development. In Year 2, approaches to interpretation of different types of archaeological and scientific data are explored, and you can choose specialised modules from the prehistoric and historic periods. Practical aspects involve participation in the Field School, artefact analysis and archaeological geophysics.

In the third year there is a wide choice of subjects with science centred options. You also undertake your own research project as a basis for your dissertation.

Year 1

Compulsory

Practising Archaeology
Bones, Bodies and Burials
From Primates to Pyramids
From Rome to the Reformation

Optional Modules

Analysing Museum Displays
Plus options from other Departments

Year 2

Compulsory

Archaeological Science
Field School
Archaeological Thought
Contemporary Practice in British Archaeology

Optional Modules

Human Activity & Environmental Change
Crime Scene Analysis
Techniques in Skeletal Interpretation

Final Year

Dissertation
Optional Modules

Palaeopathology
Micromorphology and the study of Early Agricultural and Urban Settlements and Landscapes
Information Molecules (Biomolecular Archaeology)
The Archaeology of Food and Nutrition

BSc Students can also select BA options in year 2 and their final year.