Program Overview

Archaeology in the World (ARCL0077)

Key Information

• Faculty: Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences
• Teaching department: Institute of Archaeology
• Credit value: 15
• Restrictions: Only available to final-year students enrolled on undergraduate degrees at the Institute of Archaeology, for whom the module is compulsory.

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

This final year module asks students to draw on their knowledge and experience to reflect upon the relevance and impact of archaeology and heritage work for wider public debates about the past, present and future. We will explore how archaeology can shape vital questions about how to protect our world and care for its people. This includes critical thinking on how archaeology has created, influenced and challenged "big themes" and "grand challenges", and the responsibilities and opportunities that come with this.

Students will explore how their archaeological knowledge can reach wider public audiences, and understand how it can inform significant, impact-driven, questions relating for example to social justice, migration, climate change, conflict and future making. They will gain valuable skills in communicating their knowledge in an accessible and relatable way, using different media including writing, social media, and audio storytelling.

The course will be taught through lectures that provide examples of some of the big themes to which archaeology can contribute, as well as workshops on public communication and group discussion.

Module Aims

• Develop skills that will allow students to map their archaeological knowledge onto bigger public debates and themes.
• Build understanding of the relevance of archaeology beyond the academy, including how it can contribute to wider set of careers such as international development, the heritage sector, policy, or journalism.
• Provide opportunities for students to practice writing for and communicating with a wide public audience.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand how archaeology can contribute to significant public debates and broad themes, and the responsibilities that come with this.
• Be able to apply this to a theme of your choice, and demonstrate how knowledge and skills you have acquired in other modules are relevant to it.
• Feel confident articulating your archaeological knowledge to a broad non-specialist audience.

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term: Term 1

• Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 6)

Teaching and Assessment

• Mode of study: In person
• Methods of assessment: 100% Coursework (2 assessments)
• Mark scheme: Numeric Marks

Other Information

• Number of students on module in previous year: 77
• Module leader: Professor Gabriel Moshenska