Program Overview

Introduction to Archaeology BA (Hons)

The Archaeology BA (Hons) program at the University of Liverpool is a three-year undergraduate degree that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the practice and theory of archaeology. This program is accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) and is designed to produce graduates with a broad knowledge of archaeology and a range of practical skills.

Program Structure

The program is divided into three years, with each year building on the previous one to provide a progressive and in-depth understanding of archaeology.

• Year One: Provides a broad introduction to archaeological methods and the archaeology of particular times and places around the world. All modules in Year One are compulsory.
  • Modules include:
    • PRINCIPLES OF ARCHAEOLOGY (ALGY101)
    • THE ORIGINS OF HUMANITY (ALGY105)
    • BRONZE AGE CIVILIZATIONS: MESOPOTAMIA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN (ALGY106)
    • FROM VILLAGE TO CITY: THE ORIGINS OF CHINESE CIVILISATION (ALGY112)
    • THE PRACTICE OF ARCHAEOLOGY (ALGY102)
    • EMPIRES AND CITIZENS: THE CLASSICAL MEDITERRANEAN AND THE NEAR EAST (ALGY131)
    • ISSUES IN EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY (ALGY141)
    • VISUAL CULTURE (CLAH114)

Year Two

Builds on the foundational modules of Year One, introducing specialist modules that provide training in key concepts and techniques from inorganic and organic archaeological evidence. Students take a combination of compulsory and optional modules.

• Compulsory Modules:
  • WORKING WITH THE PAST (ALGY248)
  • ARTEFACTS AND TECHNOLOGY (ALGY250)
  • RETHINKING STONEHENGE (BRITISH AND IRISH PREHISTORY) (ALGY283)
• Optional Modules:
  • PLANTS AND PEOPLE IN THE PAST: METHOD AND PRACTICE OF ARCHAEOBOTANY (ALGY220)
  • NOMADS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF EURASIA (ALGY223)
  • ANCIENT WARFARE (ALGY210)
  • AKKADIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (ALGY213)
  • CONQUEST, CONFLICT AND CULTURE: SICILY FROM PROTOHISTORY TO THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD (CLAH225)
  • INDIGENOUS AMERICAS (ALGY258)
  • HUMAN OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY (ALGY266)
  • ACE WORK PLACEMENT (CLAH222)
  • MUSEUMS AND MONUMENTS (HLAC206)
  • DEATH AND MORTUARY PRACTICES (ALGY224)
  • SUMERIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (ALGY288)
  • THE FIRST CIVILISATION: MESOPOTAMIA AND THE SUMERIANS (ALGY386)
  • EXPLORING THE ANCIENT CITY: HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE (CLAH263)

Year Three

Students take core modules, including a compulsory dissertation, which is a subject of the student's choice researched in depth under the guidance of a staff member. Optional modules must be chosen from at least two pathways: Archaeological Methods and Practice, Prehistory, Ancient Near East, and Classical and pre-Classical Mediterranean.

• Compulsory Modules:
  • ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: ETHICAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES (ALGY399)
  • DISSERTATION (ALGY450)
• Optional Modules:
  • ARCHAEOMATERIALS: ANALYTICAL METHODS AND PRACTICAL ANALYSIS (ALGY397)
  • EVOLUTION OF THE HUMAN MIND (ALGY240)
  • PALAEOLITHIC ART IN EUROPE (ALGY361)
  • THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE UPPER PALAEOLITHIC IN EUROPE (ALGY268)
  • AKKADIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (ALGY213)
  • THE ORIGINS OF AGRICULTURE AND SEDENTISM IN THE NEAR EAST (ALGY356)
  • SETTLEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY IN EGYPT (ALGY376)
  • INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE ANCIENT WORLD (ALGY364)
  • ARCHAIC GREEK COLONISATION AND BRITISH COLONIAL THOUGHT (ALGY336)
  • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE: GLOBAL QUESTIONS AND INSIGHTS FROM THE PAST (ALGY383)
  • HUMAN ORIGINS: ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE (ALGY229)
  • SUMERIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (ALGY288)
  • THE FIRST CIVILISATION: MESOPOTAMIA AND THE SUMERIANS (ALGY386)
  • BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY (ALGY342)
  • THE CELTS (IRON AGE EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN) (ALGY358)
  • SOCIAL LIFE IN EGYPT (ALGY377)

Combined Degree

Students can choose to study Archaeology as part of a combined degree, allowing them to study two subjects as part of the same degree program. This provides flexibility and a broader range of career opportunities.

Teaching and Assessment

Modules are delivered through a mixture of lectures and seminars, with an increasing focus on student-led seminars in the later years. Assessment includes exams, essays, portfolio submissions, presentations, and in-class tests.

Careers and Employability

Graduates of the Archaeology BA (Hons) program are well-equipped for a wide variety of careers, including those in finance, journalism, teaching, law, the police or Civil Service, tourism, and heritage management. The program's emphasis on practical skills, research, and critical thinking prepares students for employment in these sectors.

Fees and Funding

• UK Fees: Ł9,790 per year for full-time study, with reduced fees for years spent in industry or abroad.
• International Fees: Ł27,000 per year for full-time study, with reduced fees for years spent in industry or abroad.
• Scholarships and Bursaries: Available to support students, including the Liverpool Bursary, Asylum Seekers Scholarship, and subject-specific scholarships.

Entry Requirements

• A Levels: BBB, with adjustments for students with the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or other qualifications.
• T Levels: Considered in relevant subjects.
• BTEC: Applications are encouraged, with evaluation on a case-by-case basis.
• International Baccalaureate: 30 points overall, with no score less than 4.
• GCSE: 4/C in English and Mathematics.
• English Language Requirements: IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5, or equivalent qualifications.

Conclusion

The Archaeology BA (Hons) program at the University of Liverpool offers a comprehensive and accredited education in archaeology, providing students with a broad range of skills and knowledge that can be applied to various careers. With its flexible structure, including the option for a combined degree, and its commitment to practical experience and research, this program is ideal for students looking to pursue a career in archaeology or related fields.