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CHOOSE A SUBJECT
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Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

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  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
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  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
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  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

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  • Finance
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  • Foundation programmes
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  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

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  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Sciences
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise
  • Creative Writing

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  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Information Management and Digital Business
  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

BA Archaeology

  • UCAS code
    V400
  • A level offer
    BBB
  • Year of entry
    2024/25 See 2023/24 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  3 Years
  • Year of entry
    2024/25 See 2023/24 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  3 Years

Explore the material remains of past societies – from the first hominins millions of years ago to the modern day – with our accredited BA Archaeology degree.

Exciting career opportunities

Archaeology is more than studying the past: it’s a discipline that actively prepares you for the job market. You’ll develop an impressive range of practical and academic skills, whether you want to move into the archaeology or heritage sectors or enter a wide range of other industries and careers.

More than 40 major infrastructure projects are planned across the UK over the next 17 years, and archaeologists are required for exploratory excavations and analysis before construction begins. A 2016 report from Historic England found that England's 3,000-person commercial archaeology workforce will need to grow by 25% over the next six years to meet demand.

Many graduates from the Department of Archaeology use their breadth and depth of expertise across the humanities and sciences to enter careers such as teaching, policing, industry and commerce.

Train as an archaeologist at the University of Reading

  • The University of Reading is in the top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, Archaeology. The University of Reading is ranked 51-100 in the world and is the joint 9th highest placed UK university).
  • 100% of students in the Department of Archaeology said that our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things. (National Student Survey, 2023).
  • The University of Reading is ranked 1st in the UK for research quality and research outputs in Archaeology (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest REF 2021).
  • Overall, 97% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2023, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21; includes all Archaeology responders).

Over three years, you’ll learn how to investigate, interpret and present our human past.

Archaeology at Reading also allows you to put your learning into practice, through excavations, surveying or GIS (geographic information systems), and make a direct contribution to new subject knowledge.

At Reading, you’ll examine archaeological issues that are critical to our shared global future, including:

  • human diets and health
  • climate and environmental change
  • inequality
  • migration
  • identity.

By studying human development, you’ll understand how critical issues of today have roots in the past, and how previous cultures tackled comparable problems.

We’ll support you to develop a broad range of subject-specific and transferable skills that span the humanities and sciences. Your learning will encompass:

  • the investigation of artefacts recovered through excavations and standing monuments
  • the rise of organised religion through to the Crusades
  • handling human remains to learn about burial archaeology
  • examining how ideas of gender are reflected and imposed through the material world
  • how climate and environmental change has impacted lives past and present
  • how stories about the past are conveyed through museums and the media.

Our wide range of optional modules allows you to shape your learning, focusing on the topics and periods that most interest you.

Pathway options with BA Archaeology

All archaeology degrees at Reading are also available as four-year courses, depending on your interests and aspirations.

  • BA Archaeology with Professional Placement
  • BA Archaeology with Study Year Abroad

Accreditation

Our BA Archaeology degrees are accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA). Our courses were among the first courses to be recognised for providing key skills relevant to careers in the historic environment.

At Reading, you’ll be offered student membership of CIfA, giving you access to their e-learning modules, specialist professional networks and details of jobs in the profession. We also have very close links with a number of local and national museums.

 

CIfA accreditation logo

A supportive, collaborative learning environment

Join the University of Reading’s Department of Archaeology, a community of passionate and inquisitive staff, students and alumni.

We’re an international, research-intensive department, whose expertise spans the humanities and social sciences. You’ll learn about global issues, enhanced by the latest developments and thinking within social and scientific archaeology.

  • Read about Professor Mary Lewis, whose pioneering research has led to a new method for studying puberty and understanding human maturation.
  • Hear from our student, Marcie Weeks, who describes how she knew archaeology at Reading was the right choice for her.

You'll also have the chance to join RUined, a student-run society for students passionate about archaeology. RUined is a great way to meet people across Reading, build your network, and participate in events like club nights, quizzes, and the annual summer and winter formals.

Field School

One of the highlights of our archaeology degrees is the Archaeology Field School – an opportunity to put your learning into practice and develop specialist skills.
Gain hands-on experience in all aspects of an archaeological excavation, including:

  • excavation
  • surveying
  • geophysics
  • mapping
  • planning
  • finds processing
  • studying ancient plant and animal remains.

Beyond the Field School, you’ll be encouraged to get involved with excavations in the UK and Europe, spanning prehistoric monuments, Roman cities, and medieval castles.

Archaeology is not just about digging – it’s also an academic subject that will teach you valuable theoretical and practical skills, with opportunities to use specialist equipment and GIS (geographical information systems), work in laboratories, and access the University’s three on-campus museums. 

Placements

Enhance your employability and build your network by applying for a placement.

You could undertake a research placement in the Department of Archaeology or in a University museum, build your portfolio of experience with a summer placement in an external organisation, or take a full year of professional experience between your second and final years of study.

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.

Previous placement students have:

  • processed remains
  • conducted collections-based research
  • drawn archaeological finds
  • helped to design experimental archaeology
  • investigated records of past climate and environmental change.

Current and recent placement settings include:

  • British Museum, via the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)
  • Border Archaeology
  • Wood
  • Archaeological science placement at QUEST, the University of Reading’s scientific consultancy company
  • IMAGINE (Study Abroad) placements for castle excavations in Spain.

You could also gain field-work experience through external organisations and placement providers, such as Grampus Heritage and Training Ltd – where students have previously worked in locations such as Germany and Cyprus – and Archaeological Research Services Ltd.  

We have a dedicated member of staff who will provide you with advice and support in your search for a placement.

Study Abroad

The Department of Archaeology has active links with universities in Europe and the USA, including Aarhus University (Denmark), the University of Florida (USA), the University of Malta, and the University of Torun (Poland).

All classes are conducted in English and bursaries are available to help with travel and accommodation costs.

For more information, visit the Study Abroad website.

Overview

Explore the material remains of past societies – from the first hominins millions of years ago to the modern day – with our accredited BA Archaeology degree.

Exciting career opportunities

Archaeology is more than studying the past: it’s a discipline that actively prepares you for the job market. You’ll develop an impressive range of practical and academic skills, whether you want to move into the archaeology or heritage sectors or enter a wide range of other industries and careers.

More than 40 major infrastructure projects are planned across the UK over the next 17 years, and archaeologists are required for exploratory excavations and analysis before construction begins. A 2016 report from Historic England found that England's 3,000-person commercial archaeology workforce will need to grow by 25% over the next six years to meet demand.

Many graduates from the Department of Archaeology use their breadth and depth of expertise across the humanities and sciences to enter careers such as teaching, policing, industry and commerce.

Train as an archaeologist at the University of Reading

  • The University of Reading is in the top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, Archaeology. The University of Reading is ranked 51-100 in the world and is the joint 9th highest placed UK university).
  • 100% of students in the Department of Archaeology said that our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things. (National Student Survey, 2023).
  • The University of Reading is ranked 1st in the UK for research quality and research outputs in Archaeology (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest REF 2021).
  • Overall, 97% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2023, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21; includes all Archaeology responders).

Over three years, you’ll learn how to investigate, interpret and present our human past.

Archaeology at Reading also allows you to put your learning into practice, through excavations, surveying or GIS (geographic information systems), and make a direct contribution to new subject knowledge.

At Reading, you’ll examine archaeological issues that are critical to our shared global future, including:

  • human diets and health
  • climate and environmental change
  • inequality
  • migration
  • identity.

By studying human development, you’ll understand how critical issues of today have roots in the past, and how previous cultures tackled comparable problems.

We’ll support you to develop a broad range of subject-specific and transferable skills that span the humanities and sciences. Your learning will encompass:

  • the investigation of artefacts recovered through excavations and standing monuments
  • the rise of organised religion through to the Crusades
  • handling human remains to learn about burial archaeology
  • examining how ideas of gender are reflected and imposed through the material world
  • how climate and environmental change has impacted lives past and present
  • how stories about the past are conveyed through museums and the media.

Our wide range of optional modules allows you to shape your learning, focusing on the topics and periods that most interest you.

Pathway options with BA Archaeology

All archaeology degrees at Reading are also available as four-year courses, depending on your interests and aspirations.

  • BA Archaeology with Professional Placement
  • BA Archaeology with Study Year Abroad

Accreditation

Our BA Archaeology degrees are accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA). Our courses were among the first courses to be recognised for providing key skills relevant to careers in the historic environment.

At Reading, you’ll be offered student membership of CIfA, giving you access to their e-learning modules, specialist professional networks and details of jobs in the profession. We also have very close links with a number of local and national museums.

 

CIfA accreditation logo

Learning

A supportive, collaborative learning environment

Join the University of Reading’s Department of Archaeology, a community of passionate and inquisitive staff, students and alumni.

We’re an international, research-intensive department, whose expertise spans the humanities and social sciences. You’ll learn about global issues, enhanced by the latest developments and thinking within social and scientific archaeology.

  • Read about Professor Mary Lewis, whose pioneering research has led to a new method for studying puberty and understanding human maturation.
  • Hear from our student, Marcie Weeks, who describes how she knew archaeology at Reading was the right choice for her.

You'll also have the chance to join RUined, a student-run society for students passionate about archaeology. RUined is a great way to meet people across Reading, build your network, and participate in events like club nights, quizzes, and the annual summer and winter formals.

Field School

One of the highlights of our archaeology degrees is the Archaeology Field School – an opportunity to put your learning into practice and develop specialist skills.
Gain hands-on experience in all aspects of an archaeological excavation, including:

  • excavation
  • surveying
  • geophysics
  • mapping
  • planning
  • finds processing
  • studying ancient plant and animal remains.

Beyond the Field School, you’ll be encouraged to get involved with excavations in the UK and Europe, spanning prehistoric monuments, Roman cities, and medieval castles.

Archaeology is not just about digging – it’s also an academic subject that will teach you valuable theoretical and practical skills, with opportunities to use specialist equipment and GIS (geographical information systems), work in laboratories, and access the University’s three on-campus museums. 

Placements

Enhance your employability and build your network by applying for a placement.

You could undertake a research placement in the Department of Archaeology or in a University museum, build your portfolio of experience with a summer placement in an external organisation, or take a full year of professional experience between your second and final years of study.

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.

Previous placement students have:

  • processed remains
  • conducted collections-based research
  • drawn archaeological finds
  • helped to design experimental archaeology
  • investigated records of past climate and environmental change.

Current and recent placement settings include:

  • British Museum, via the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)
  • Border Archaeology
  • Wood
  • Archaeological science placement at QUEST, the University of Reading’s scientific consultancy company
  • IMAGINE (Study Abroad) placements for castle excavations in Spain.

You could also gain field-work experience through external organisations and placement providers, such as Grampus Heritage and Training Ltd – where students have previously worked in locations such as Germany and Cyprus – and Archaeological Research Services Ltd.  

We have a dedicated member of staff who will provide you with advice and support in your search for a placement.

Study Abroad

The Department of Archaeology has active links with universities in Europe and the USA, including Aarhus University (Denmark), the University of Florida (USA), the University of Malta, and the University of Torun (Poland).

All classes are conducted in English and bursaries are available to help with travel and accommodation costs.

For more information, visit the Study Abroad website.

Entry requirements A Level BBB

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Typical offer

BBB

International Baccalaureate

30 points

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

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.

  • Learn more about our International Foundation programme

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.

  • Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Structure

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3

Compulsory modules

Revolutions and Transitions: the Human Journey from 6 Million Years Ago to the Present Day

Discover how archaeological research has shaped our understanding and knowledge of the development of human society over the last 6 million years, from our earliest ancestors through to the present day. You’ll learn how archaeological methods are used to reconstruct the human past and identify major issues of debate in our history.  

Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice

Uncover the main methods and practices currently employed in modern archaeology, both in archaeological fieldwork and post-excavation analysis. You’ll gain essential knowledge on the variety of techniques used in modern archelogy and an understanding of current practice in the UK. 

Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome

Discover the archaeology of the world’s early empires, dating from 2500BC to AD395, focusing on the great empires of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, and the Roman Empire. You’ll examine ideology, imperial cult, trade, urbanisation, warfare, agriculture and the everyday lives of imperial subjects, as you study the rise and fall of some of the greatest, most feared, socio-political entities to have existed.  

Optional modules

Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death

Learn the archaeological methods and theories employed in the scientific study of the dead, both from the modern forensic and older archaeological contexts. Gain insight into how humans have buried their dead over the time, analyse skeletal remains, and conduct fieldwork in a cemetery survey.  

Contemporary World Cultures: an Introduction to Social Anthropology

Gain a general introduction to social anthropology – the study of human societies and cultures. You’ll explore key themes in the discipline through the study of topics including kingship and marriage, gender and sexuality, the role of religion, ritual and witchcraft in social life, and contemporary hunting and gathering societies.   

Rape in the United States: from Colonisation to Civil Rights

Become familiarised with the changing social and legal understandings of rape in the US. Apply your skills to reflect critically upon the historical basis of contemporary ideas surrounding sexual violence, gender and race.  

Warfare in Early Modern Europe, c. 1500-1715

Consider the relationship between warfare, and its ‘badges, battles and buttons’, with the wider social, economic and political contexts. You’ll be introduced to war and warfare in early modern Europe and study the consequences of war and the historical basis of our contemporary ideas on war.  

Arriving in Britain: A History of Immigration, 1685-2004 

Examine the experiences of migrant groups in Britain from the early modern period to the early twenty-first century. Consider the different reasons for migration, forms of persecution and economic motivations, the positive and negative reception to migrants, and how migrants have shaped Britain.  

Roman History

Ancient Song

Presenting the Past: an Introduction to Museum Studies

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Archaeology and Heritage: Past, Present and Future

Discover how and why archaeologists have excavated and interpreted the material remains of past societies over time. You’ll examine interpretations of the past through to the modern day, spanning the ancient Near East and Classical Greece and Rome. You’ll also examine the evolution of ideas, considering how wider society has changed archaeology and how it may continue to develop in the future.  

Ancient Objects: Materials and Meanings 

Learn the skills, techniques and interpretative frameworks specific to the study of artefacts, including how they’re recorded, analysed and interpreted. You'll be exposed to a wide range of artefacts covering two chronological periods as you explore methodological aspects and analyse data for your dissertation.  

Archaeology Field School and Professional Practice

Gain a practical, hands-on introduction to field techniques and site recording methods used on both urban and rural excavations. You’ll spend four weeks on a departmental excavation and participate in site work including excavation, finds and sample processing, geophysics, survey and aspects, and geoarchaeology.  

Optional modules

Prehistoric Europe: the First Million Years

Uncover Europe’s pre-history, from the earliest Palaeolithic through to the Iron Age c. 1,600,000 – 800 BC), from Turkey and the Balkans to Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. You’ll consider important research questions and themes such as technology, dietary strategies, life histories, hominin cognitive abilities, settlement and burial archaeology, ritual practice, and comparative anthropology.   

Bioarchaeology

Learn the key methods employed in the examination of human and animal skeletal remains from archaeological sites, and utilise skeletal collections held by the Department of Archaeology. You’ll uncover the role of the osteoarchaeologist, and learn how to identify, record and analyse human and non-human remains.  

Changing the Face of the Earth: Past, Present and Future Sustainability

Examine how archaeology, environmental science and anthropology can provide a deep-time perspective on global challenges and sustainability and how they may contribute to future solutions. You’ll explore the historical emergence, sustainability, and collapse of communities and civilisations, alongside the role of humans in changing climate and ecosystems in the future.

Summer Placement

Take the opportunity to complete a research or professional placement during the summer vacation preceding Part 2 or Part 3 of your degree. You can work alongside a member of staff on a current project based in the UK or internationally, or with a professional organisation, consultancy or government organisation.  

Museum Learning and Engagement 

Curatorship and Collections Management

Rome's Mediterranean Empire 

Medieval Europe: Power, Religion and Death

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Dissertation

Plan, organise and carry out an independent archaeological research project. You’ll undertake primary research as you critically assess previous approaches to a research question and identify or design methods relevant to its solution.  

Optional modules

The Anthropology of Heritage and Cultural Property

The Archaeology of the City of Rome

Biological Anthropology

Post-excavation: Assessment, Analysis and Publication in the Profession

Emergence of Civilisation in Mesopotamia

The Archaeology and Anthropology of Hunter-Gatherers

The Archaeology and Anthropology of Food

The Archaeology of Crusading 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £27,650

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.

Careers

Your degree will equip you with an impressive range of skills and experiences to prepare you for the job market, whether you want to move into the archaeology or heritage sectors, or apply your abilities in a different way.

Our Department has long-established links with employers in the archaeology sectors – including Oxford Archaeology, Cotswold Archaeology and Pre-Construct Archaeology – who regularly consider our graduates for vacancies.

Previous graduates have gone on to work within the archaeological sector for companies such as:

  • Border Archaeology
  • MOLA Headland Infrastructure
  • Canterbury Trust.

Your interest in the past could also lead to a career in the heritage sector, perhaps in a museum or archive. For example, our students have joined:

  • Department for Culture and Media
  • Colchester Museum
  • Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Many graduates have pursued careers in other industries, working for:

  • Royal Air Force
  • UK Space Agency
  • Environment Agency
  • Thames Valley Police.

The skills you’ll develop on this degree are also suited to roles in teaching, the media and charity and voluntary sectors. Other skills, such as data handling and attention to detail, are valued in many sectors, including publishing, financial services, forensic science, and the law.

The lecturers within the Department were passionate, endlessly supportive and dedicated to their subjects and students. This encouraged me to strive to find the same passion and dedication in my degree and future careers.

Jessica Barnsley
BA Archaeology

Pursue your passion with Archaeology at Reading

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  • Archaeology

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