Program Overview

Archaeology

Archaeology is the only discipline to study more than three million years of human history in all its facets.

About the course

The UWA Archaeology major brings together specialist units of study such as archaeobotany, archaeozoology, dating methods, DNA analysis, fieldwork, heritage, human origins and symbolism, Indigenous archaeology, and rock art. You will develop practical skills through laboratory classes and fieldwork units, with three field schools held each year.

UWA archaeologists are actively engaged in fieldwork around the world, from Australia to Africa, America and Asia – even Europe! We are also part of the Indian Ocean research area. In your second and third years, you'll have the opportunity to take part in a rock art and/or archaeological field school.

Quick details

• Status: Available
• Locations: Perth (Crawley campus)
• Attendance: Full-time, Part-time
• Delivery: On-campus
• Starting dates: February, July
• Weekly contact time: 12 hours per unit which includes contact hours, personal study and examinations
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Course Code: MJD-ARCGY
• Full time/part time duration: 3 years (BA); 4 years (BPhil [Hons])
• Degrees course is available in: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Course Structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Level 1

• Core: Take all units (12 points):
  • ARCY1001 Think Like an Archaeologist (6)
  • ARCY1002 Experimenting with Archaeology (6)

Level 2

• Core: Take all units (24 points):
  • ARCY2000 Think like a Neanderthal: The Archaeology of Human Origins, Rock Art, and Creativity (6)
  • ARCY2006 Archaeology of Death (6)
  • ARCY2100 Heritage Futures (6)
  • ARCY2220 Doing Archaeology: Fieldschool (6)

Level 3

• Core: Take all units (24 points):
  • ARCY3003 Doing Archaeology: Analytical Skills (6)
  • ARCY3011 Australia in the Indo-Pacific: The last 65,000 years (6)
  • ARCY3012 Australia in the Indo-Pacific: 500 years of Historical and Maritime Archaeology (6)
  • ARCY3100 Doing Archaeology: Advanced Fieldwork and Collections Research (6)

You'll learn to

• Demonstrate essential cognitive and social skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, ethical conduct and working in groups
• Display essential practical skills such as OHS practices, understanding legislation and ethics, and working with diverse stakeholders
• Display discipline specific skills for archaeological fieldwork and lab-work
• Build a professional network with leading experts in archaeology and heritage

Working with our Partners

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the wide range of partners UWA has productive partnerships with, including heritage professionals, industry, government, museums, and Aboriginal organisations. Examples include Fremantle Prison, Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, National Trust, Rio Tinto, and the WA Museum. These partnerships play a vital role in delivering transferable skills to our students.

Why study this course?

• Work with industry, government, Indigenous groups and the broader community to better understand the past and create sustainable heritage futures
• Gain a comprehensive range of transferable skills that give you a competitive advantage in the job market
• Participate in internationally recognised, research-led, hands-on training in global and Australian archaeology, with access to the internationally recognised Centre for Rock Art Research and Management and Centre for Forensic Anthropology
• Gain practical skills through labs and field schools labs and field schools, including specialist training in environmental archaeological sciences not widely offered in Australia

Why take a second major

• Expand your skills - Taking a second major either in a complementary area or in something like Economics or Business Law will show you have developed transferable skills such as, teamwork, critical thinking, digital literacy and presentation skills – which are highly sought after in the workforce.
• Add it to your resume – Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in a variety of areas. Two majors will expand your career prospects and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
• Study your passion alongside your interests – Do you love Marketing? Law? History of Art? Pursue a career while studying something else you love! Your second major can be from any other school across the university.
• No additional time – Choosing two majors instead of one won’t add any additional time to your undergraduate degree. A standard bachelor degree consists of the same amount of units either way.
• Discover what you want to do while you’re doing it – Not sure what career you want when you graduate? It’s very common for undergraduate students to be unsure. Choosing two majors in different areas will give you the opportunity to explore multiple interests and see what fits best. Majors can be switched until the end of your first year without adding any time onto your degree.

Admission requirements

• Minimum entry requirements: Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
  • All India Senior School Certificate (CBSE): 9
  • Canadian High School (except Quebec): 68
  • French Baccalaureate: 10
  • Gao Kao (PR China NCEE)/750: 507
  • GCE A-Levels: 8
  • German Abitur: 3.6
  • Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education: 14
  • Indian Senior School Certificate (CISCE): 45
  • Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65: 75.5
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB): 24
  • Malaysian STPM: 10
  • Monash University Foundation Year: 254
  • NCUK Foundation Program: 8
  • Norwegian Vitnemål: 3.5
  • Singapore - Cambridge A Levels: 6.5
  • South African National Senior Certificate: 4
  • South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT): 324
  • Sweden Slutbetyg: 14.5
  • Trinity College Foundation: 280
  • Unified Examination Certificate (UEC): 14
  • University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program: 61
  • US College Board Advanced Placements: 7
  • US College Board SAT: 1130
  • Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP): 56
  • Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards: 75

English competency

• Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

Fees and scholarships

• Domestic Student Fees: For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation. Refer to the Handbook to identify the units required.
• International Student Fees: Annual course fee (2025): $48,300.00. Onshore international students are charged an annual course fee, charged per credit point at a rate dependent on the course in which the student is enrolled. Annual course fees are calculated based on an annual study load. Check the handbook to confirm the annual study load for your course.
• Scholarships: Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area. Search Scholarships.

Careers and further study

• Career Pathways: As an Archaeology graduate, you can apply your skills in a wide variety of workplaces, including Aboriginal corporations, government heritage agencies (state and commonwealth), heritage consulting firms, museums, resource industry advisors, and universities. Potential career opportunities include:
  • Heritage Officer
  • Museum Curator
  • Consultant Archaeologist
  • Native Title Worker
• Further Study: Honours is the minimum qualification required to call yourself an archaeologist. At UWA we have honours, masters, and PhD programs in Archaeology.