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Our BA Archaeology and History degree offers insights into the richness and variety of past human experience, covering a wide range of subjects and approaches.
You will gain knowledge of a range of chronological periods, as well as develop your ability to analyse change over time and to compare cross-cultural and abstract concepts. This flexible course enables you to tailor your degree to your interests and apply what you learn in the real world.
At the University of Reading, our expertise in archaeology starts with the earliest humans and spans up until the medieval period. We focus mainly on British, European and Near Eastern Archaeology, but also explore other regions across the world. You will learn about Burial Archaeology, Material Culture, Bioarchaeology (including human remains), Forensics, Past Environments (including Geoarchaeology), Museums and Gender Archaeology. Benefit from our dedicated Archaeology Building and specialist equipment, and learn in purpose-built laboratories.
Our expertise in history covers a wide range of world regions – Europe and Africa to America, South Asia and the Middle East. Module choices cover several historical periods: these include the Crusades, the 1960s, slavery in America, the Tudor monarchy, Cold War Berlin and medieval magic. In your first year, core modules will explore people, politics, and revolution. You will find out how people struggled for power in past societies, and learn about the culture and concepts those societies developed.
In the Department of History, our academics are experts at the forefront of their disciplines. Their research feeds into your studies, exposing you to the latest developments in the field. In 2020, we achieved a 91% satisfaction score for the teaching on our BA History course in the National Student Survey.
The Department of Archaeology is a research-intensive department at the cutting edge of social and scientific archaeology. 97% of our research was judged to be of international standing in the Research Excellence Framework 2014. We also have an outstanding record for student satisfaction, with scores consistently between 90-100% for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey, 2010-2020.
If you are interested in studying abroad, you have the opportunity to spend a term at one of our partner universities in your second year, getting to know a new academic and cultural environment.
Placement year or year abroad
This degree programme is also available as a four-year course, giving you the option of spending your third year on a placement or studying for one year at a university abroad, gaining valuable professional and international experience. You can also combine the two options by spending one semester studying abroad and then undertaking a half-year professional placement abroad or back in the UK.
We provide opportunities for you to undertake placements in a variety of contexts. Placements are an excellent way to enhance your work-related skills and develop a network of contacts, as well as strengthen your employability prospects.
Opportunities are available working across the archaeological, heritage, planning and museum sectors including: research institutions, government organisations, local planning authorities, archaeological consultancies, field units, specialists and archivists. Staff in the Department of History also have links to specific areas of interest such as Cliveden, Historic England, Reading Museum, Reading Borough Libraries and the Museum of Rural English Life (MERL). Alternatively you can apply for a placement in a non-related business or industry, exploring different career options and enhancing your employability by drawing on the many non-vocational, transferable skills you obtain from an archaeology degree.
Previous placement examples include:
- Traineeship with Oxford Archaeology
- Traineeship at the Field School
- Archaeological science placement at QUEST, the University of Reading’s scientific consultancy company
- Volunteering at the Ure Museum, Cole Museum of Zoology and the Museum of English Rural Life
- Human remains placement
- Mediterranean Palaeoclimate Project placement
- Hominin Skeletal Morphology placement
- Archaeological Graphics placement
- Lithics Reference Collection placement
- “Developing Experimental Archaeology for Research and Training” placement
- “The Ecology of Crusading: Isotope Analysis and Faunal Remains” placement
- Summer Enterprise Experience and Discovery internship scheme
Both the Archaeology and History departments have a dedicated member of staff in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.
Students opting to undertake a standard three-year degree course will also have the opportunity to take a fully-credited placement or to spend a single term at one of our partner universities abroad. Recent options include the Universities of Malta, Aarhus (Denmark), Torún (Poland) and the University of Florida in Gainesville (U.S.A).
For more information, please visit the Department of Archaeology website.
Overview
You will gain knowledge of a range of chronological periods, as well as develop your ability to analyse change over time and to compare cross-cultural and abstract concepts. This flexible course enables you to tailor your degree to your interests and apply what you learn in the real world.
At the University of Reading, our expertise in archaeology starts with the earliest humans and spans up until the medieval period. We focus mainly on British, European and Near Eastern Archaeology, but also explore other regions across the world. You will learn about Burial Archaeology, Material Culture, Bioarchaeology (including human remains), Forensics, Past Environments (including Geoarchaeology), Museums and Gender Archaeology. Benefit from our dedicated Archaeology Building and specialist equipment, and learn in purpose-built laboratories.
Our expertise in history covers a wide range of world regions – Europe and Africa to America, South Asia and the Middle East. Module choices cover several historical periods: these include the Crusades, the 1960s, slavery in America, the Tudor monarchy, Cold War Berlin and medieval magic. In your first year, core modules will explore people, politics, and revolution. You will find out how people struggled for power in past societies, and learn about the culture and concepts those societies developed.
In the Department of History, our academics are experts at the forefront of their disciplines. Their research feeds into your studies, exposing you to the latest developments in the field. In 2020, we achieved a 91% satisfaction score for the teaching on our BA History course in the National Student Survey.
The Department of Archaeology is a research-intensive department at the cutting edge of social and scientific archaeology. 97% of our research was judged to be of international standing in the Research Excellence Framework 2014. We also have an outstanding record for student satisfaction, with scores consistently between 90-100% for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey, 2010-2020.
If you are interested in studying abroad, you have the opportunity to spend a term at one of our partner universities in your second year, getting to know a new academic and cultural environment.
Placement year or year abroad
This degree programme is also available as a four-year course, giving you the option of spending your third year on a placement or studying for one year at a university abroad, gaining valuable professional and international experience. You can also combine the two options by spending one semester studying abroad and then undertaking a half-year professional placement abroad or back in the UK.
We provide opportunities for you to undertake placements in a variety of contexts. Placements are an excellent way to enhance your work-related skills and develop a network of contacts, as well as strengthen your employability prospects.
Opportunities are available working across the archaeological, heritage, planning and museum sectors including: research institutions, government organisations, local planning authorities, archaeological consultancies, field units, specialists and archivists. Staff in the Department of History also have links to specific areas of interest such as Cliveden, Historic England, Reading Museum, Reading Borough Libraries and the Museum of Rural English Life (MERL). Alternatively you can apply for a placement in a non-related business or industry, exploring different career options and enhancing your employability by drawing on the many non-vocational, transferable skills you obtain from an archaeology degree.
Previous placement examples include:
- Traineeship with Oxford Archaeology
- Traineeship at the Field School
- Archaeological science placement at QUEST, the University of Reading’s scientific consultancy company
- Volunteering at the Ure Museum, Cole Museum of Zoology and the Museum of English Rural Life
- Human remains placement
- Mediterranean Palaeoclimate Project placement
- Hominin Skeletal Morphology placement
- Archaeological Graphics placement
- Lithics Reference Collection placement
- “Developing Experimental Archaeology for Research and Training” placement
- “The Ecology of Crusading: Isotope Analysis and Faunal Remains” placement
- Summer Enterprise Experience and Discovery internship scheme
Both the Archaeology and History departments have a dedicated member of staff in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.
Students opting to undertake a standard three-year degree course will also have the opportunity to take a fully-credited placement or to spend a single term at one of our partner universities abroad. Recent options include the Universities of Malta, Aarhus (Denmark), Torún (Poland) and the University of Florida in Gainesville (U.S.A).
For more information, please visit the Department of Archaeology website.
Entry requirements A Level BBB | IB 30 points overall
Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we will guarantee you a place if you achieve one grade lower than the published offer.
Typical offer
BBB, including grade B in A level History, Ancient History, or Classical Civilisation.
International Baccalaureate
30 points overall including higher level History at grade 5
Extended Project Qualification
In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.
BTEC Extended Diploma
DDM (modules taken must be comparable to A level subjects specified)
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5
For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.
Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students
For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.
International Foundation Programme
If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.
Pre-sessional English language programme
If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.
Structure
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
HS1JH1 | Journeys through History 1:Power and People | DR Elizabeth Matthew |
HS1JH2 | Journeys through History 2: Culture and Concepts' | PROF Anne Lawrence |
HS1RSO | Research Skills and Opportunities in History | DR Ruth Salter |
AR1REV | Revolutions in Human Behaviour: 4 Million Years BC to the Present | DR Aleks Pluskowski |
AR1MET | Archaeology today: methods and practice | MS Amanda Clarke |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
PP1ML | The Meaning of Life | DR Luke Elson |
PP1GJ | Global Justice | DR Shalini Sinha |
GV1QS | Introduction to Quaternary Science. | PROF Nicholas Branch |
ML1IL | Introduction to Linguistics | DR Federico Faloppa |
MC1PP | Presenting the Past | DR Rhi Smith |
MC1HPE | Museum History, Policy and Ethics | DR Rhi Smith |
LS1ELS | English Language and Society | DR Christiana Themistocleous |
AR1SOC | Contemporary world cultures: an introduction to social anthropology | DR Thomas Grisaffi |
AR1EMP | Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt & Rome | PROF Roger Matthews |
AR1FOR | Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death | MRS Ceri Falys |
AP1SB1 | Introduction to Management | DR Yiorgos Gadanakis |
AP1EM1 | Introduction to Marketing | MS Sandra Preciado |
CL1GH | Greek History: war, society, and change in the Archaic Age | DR Emma Aston |
CL1G1 | Ancient Greek 1 | MRS Jackie Baines |
CL1L1 | Latin 1 (C) | MRS Jackie Baines |
CL1SO | Ancient Song | PROF Ian Rutherford |
CL1RH | Roman History: the rise and fall of the Republic | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
CL1TR | Texts, Readers, and Writers | PROF Eleanor Dickey |
EC110 | The Economics of Climate Change | DR Stefania Lovo |
EC118 | Economy, Politics and Culture in the Roman World | PROF Ken Dark |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
PO2MIR | Modern International Relations | DR Joseph O' Mahoney |
PO2PWS | Politics of the Welfare State | DR Brandon Beomseob Park |
PO2THI | Political Thinking | DR Alice Baderin |
MT2CC | The Science of Climate Change | PROF Nigel Arnell |
PP2GP1 | Global Philosophy 1 | DR Shalini Sinha |
PP2HKW1 | Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein 1 | DR Severin Schroeder |
PP2EA1 | Ethical Argument 1: Philosophy and How to Live | DR Luke Elson |
PP2MM1 | Meaning and the Mind 1 | DR Jumbly Grindrod |
PP2IDR1 | Ignorance, Doubt, and Relativism 1 | DR Jumbly Grindrod |
PP2OID1 | Oppression, Inequality, and the Enemies of Democracy 1 | MR George Mason |
GV2MPL | Summer Micro-Placement | DR Rob Batchelor |
GV2PLA | Summer Placement | DR Rob Batchelor |
HS2O11 | Hollywood Histories: Film and the Past | PROF Patrick Major |
HS2O10 | The Colonial Experience: Africa, 1879 to 1980 | DR Heike Schmidt |
HS2HAD | Historical Approaches and My Dissertation | MR Dafydd Townley |
HS2GPP | Going Public: Presenting the Past, Planning the Future | PROF Kate Williams |
HS2O3 | People, power and revolution: political culture in seventeenth-century England | DR Eilish Gregory |
HS2O25 | From War to the New Millennium: Making Modern Britain | DR Natalie Thomlinson |
HS2O20 | Sexual politics: Gender, sex, and feminism in Britain after 1918 | DR Natalie Thomlinson |
HS2O19 | Europe in the Twentieth Century | DR Daniel Renshaw |
HS2O18 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Empire, Slavery, and Society, 1550-1750 | DR Richard Blakemore |
HS2O17 | Reform and Revolt in the Modern Middle East: Egypt from Ataturk to the ‘Arab Spring’ | DR Dina Rezk |
HS2O13 | The Crusades, 1095-1291 | PROF Rebecca Rist |
HS2O14 | Rebel Girls: The Influence of Radical Women 1792-1919 | DR Jacqui Turner |
HS2O12 | Belief and Unbelief in Europe: Religion, Science and the Supernatural c.1400-1800 | PROF Helen Parish |
HS2UNR | Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe | DR Athena Leoussi |
HS2STA | Society, Thought and Art in Modern Europe | DR Veronica Heath |
HS2O7 | Kingship and Crisis in England, c.1154–1330 | DR Elizabeth Matthew |
HS2O4 | Women and Medieval History | DR Ruth Salter |
MC2LE | Museum Learning and Engagement | DR Rhi Smith |
MC2CCM | Curatorship and Collections Management | DR Rhi Smith |
MM270 | Practice of Entrepreneurship | DR Norbert Morawetz |
ML2GF | Science, perversion, and dream in global fantastic literature | DR Daniela La Penna |
ML2STA | Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe | DR Athena Leoussi |
ML2UNR | Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe | DR Athena Leoussi |
LS2LAT | Introduction to English Language Teaching | MRS Suzanne Portch |
LS2LNM | Language and New Media | PROF Rodney Jones |
AR2F17 | Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Analysis | PROF Mary Lewis |
AR2M8 | Medieval Europe: power, religion and death | DR Gabor Thomas |
AR2F20 | Professional Practice | MS Amanda Clarke |
AR2R8 | Rome's Mediterranean Empire | DR Andrew Souter |
AR2SBI | Bioarchaeology | DR Aleks Pluskowski |
CL2CGH | Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander | PROF Timothy Duff |
CL2DR | Ancient Drama | PROF Barbara Goff |
CL2RO | Roman History: From Republic to Empire | PROF Annalisa Marzano |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
GV3TRC | Tropical Rainforests, Climate & Lost Civilisations | PROF Frank Mayle |
HS3T84 | Ireland in the seventeenth century: colonization, conflict and identity | DR Rachel Foxley |
HS3T77 | Battleaxes and Benchwarmers’: Early female MPs 1919-1931 | DR Jacqui Turner |
HS3T82 | Axis at War: Life and Death in Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, 1936-45 | PROF Patrick Major |
HS3T75 | The United States and the Cold War | DR Mara Oliva |
HS3T30 | Ireland and the English in the middle ages | DR Elizabeth Matthew |
HS3T25 | Medieval Magic and the Origins of the Witch-Craze | PROF Anne Lawrence |
HS3SLS | The Last Super Power and the New World Power: the United States and China, 1882-1989 | DR Mara Oliva |
HS3SAU | Anarchy in the UK: Punk, Politics and Youth Culture in Britain, 1976-84 | PROF Matthew Worley |
HS3SBR | Becoming a Revolutionary: the Old Regime and the French Revolution, 1787-1794 | PROF Joël Félix |
HS3M68 | May ‘68 | DR Sophie Heywood |
HS3CCO | Crisis, Change, Opportunity: Italy from 1968 to the Present | DR Daniela La Penna |
HS3HED | History Education | DR Elizabeth Matthew |
HS3HLD | Dissertation in History | DR Heike Schmidt |
HS3T89 | Africa from European Settlement to Nelson Mandela | DR Heike Schmidt |
HS3T90 | Poor Law to Hostile Environment: Repatriation, Deportation and Exclusion from Britain 1800-2016 | DR Daniel Renshaw |
HS3T87 | Degrading a Free Society: The FBI and J. Edgar Hoover 1908 - 1976 | MR Dafydd Townley |
HS3T98 | From Darwin to Death Camps? Evolution and eugenics in European society, 1859-1945 | PROF David Stack |
AR3M7 | The Archaeology of Crusading | DR Aleks Pluskowski |
AR3HCP | THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF HERITAGE AND CULTURAL PROPERTY | DR Alanna Cant |
AR3D1 | Dissertation | DR Gundula Müldner |
AR3P13 | Emergence of Civilisation in Mesopotamia | PROF Roger Matthews |
AR3R9 | Archaeology of the City of Rome | DR Andrew Souter |
AR3S21 | Biological anthropology | DR Mary Lewis |
AR3S9 | Coastal and Maritime Archaeology | PROF Martin Bell |
Fees
New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250* per year
New international students: £17,320 per year
*UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes
UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
EU student fees
With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government's guidance for EU students.
Additional costs
Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
Flexible courses (price per 10 credit module)
UK/Republic of Ireland students: £750
International students: £1275
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
Careers
This joint degree can lead to a variety of careers. The course is an ideal foundation to begin your career in commercial archaeology, heritage management and research, as well as disciplines such as teaching, business, publishing and marketing.
You will gain a broad range of subject-specific and transferable skills spanning the humanities and sciences. Employers consistently rank attitudes and aptitudes for work higher than any other factor, according to the CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey report 2019. Our curriculum is designed with this in mind, giving you not just knowledge in subjects you are passionate about, but also the qualities that employers really care about – qualities that are transferable to a diverse range of careers.
We have long-established, excellent relationships with employers within the archaeology, heritage and related sectors. Archaeology and History graduates from the University of Reading are represented among the staff of major employers such as The British Museum, Oxford Archaeology, Wessex Archaeology, Museum of London Archaeology, Natural History Museum, Football Association, Marks and Spencer, MI5, Morgan Stanley and Siemens Financial Services. Some of our graduates have progressed into roles in the civil service and in teaching at both primary and secondary levels. Each year a number of graduates pursue further, higher study following graduation.