Program Overview

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Archaeology BA

Overview

We are constantly making new discoveries that change our understanding of past human societies.

At Nottingham, archaeology covers the human story from prehistory to the development of the modern world. Using your foundation knowledge from year one, you will select specialist modules such as human bones or medieval castles to complete your degree.

On this course, you will complete 20 days of archaeological fieldwork. This includes taking part in an approved excavation project, or a related placement, in the UK or overseas.

Course Structure

• Year one: Comparative World Prehistory, Interpreting Ancient Art and Archaeology, Rome to Revolution: Historical Archaeology of Britain, Great Discoveries in Archaeology, Greek and Roman Mythology, Studying the Greek World, Studying the Roman World, Interpreting Ancient History, Interpreting Ancient Literature
• Year two: Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Extended Source Study, Communicating the Past, The Silk Road: Cultural Interactions and Perceptions, Mapping the Humanities, Commodities, Consumption and Connections the Global World of Things, Archaeological Finds: from Field to Publication, Pompeii: Art and Culture in a Roman Town, Human Osteology, Archaeology of Anglo Saxon England, Themes in Near Eastern Prehistory, The World of the Minoans, Italy before the Romans, Ancient Metallurgy, Conquerors, Caliphs, and Converts: The Making of the Islamic World, c.600-800, Employing the Arts, Arts Work Placement Module
• Year three: Classics and Archaeology Dissertation, The Silk Road: Cultural Interactions and Perceptions, Mapping the Humanities, Heritage and the Media, Pompeii: Art and Culture in a Roman Town, Human Osteology, The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England, Themes in Near Eastern Prehistory, The World of the Minoans, Italy before the Romans, Ancient Metallurgy, "Otherness" in Classical Art

Entry Requirements

• Qualification: BA Hons
• Entry Requirements: BBB
• Start Date: September 2025
• UCAS code: V400
• Duration: 3 Years full-time
• Fees: £9,535

English Language Requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element)
• TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English also accepted

Additional Entry Requirements

• All candidates are considered on an individual basis
• We accept a broad range of qualifications
• The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry

Non-UK Entry Requirements

• Check our country-specific information for guidance on qualifications from your country

Alternative Qualifications

• We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education
• We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A-levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis
• We gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:
  • Access to HE Diploma
  • Advanced Diploma
  • BTEC HND/HNC
  • BTEC Extended Diploma

Mature Students

• At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population
• You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage

Visa Restrictions

• International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK
• Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses
• The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses
• The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases
• Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options

Other Requirements

• N/A

Study Abroad

• On this course, you can apply to study abroad at one of our partner institutions or at University of Nottingham China or University of Nottingham Malaysia
• If you are successful in applying to study abroad, you will get the opportunity to broaden your horizons and enhance your CV by experiencing another culture
• Teaching is typically in English, but there may be opportunities to study in another language if you are sufficiently fluent

Optional Placement Year

• If your course does not have a compulsory placement, integrated year in industry or compulsory year abroad where there is already an opportunity to undertake a work placement as part of that experience, you may be able to apply to undertake an optional placement year
• While it is the student’s responsibility to find and secure a placement, our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout this process
• Contact us to find out more

Key Information

• Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university’s control
• Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur

Fees

• £9,535 per year
• For full details including fees for part-time students and reduced fees during your time studying abroad or on placement (where applicable), see our fees page

Additional Costs

• All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus
• For more information, please check the equipment advice
• Essential course materials are supplied
• Books: You'll be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to buy your own copies of core texts
• We recommend that you budget £100 per year for books, but this figure will vary according to which modules you take and what you decide to buy
• The Blackwell's bookshop on campus offers a year-round price match against any of the main retailers (e.g. Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith)
• They also offer second-hand books, as students from previous years sell their copies back to the bookshop
• Compulsory archaeological fieldwork: Many of our excavations incur some expenses, including flights to overseas destinations, and training fees
• Where costs are incurred, you will need to pay in advance
• You can claim back a proportion of your costs from the department on completion of your fieldwork
• In the academic year 2021 to 22 students were entitled to claim back £30 of expenses per day of fieldwork; this amount is subject to change
• More information on fieldwork
• Volunteering and placements: For volunteering and placements e.g. work experience and teaching in schools, you will need to pay for transport and refreshments
• Optional field trips: Field trips allow you to engage with source materials on a personal level and to develop different perspectives
• They are optional and costs to you vary according to the trip; some require you to arrange your own travel, refreshments and entry fees, while some are some are wholly subsidised

Scholarships and Bursaries

• Faculty of Arts Alumni Scholarships: Our Alumni Scholarships provide support with essential living costs to eligible students
• Find out more about eligibility and how to apply
• International students: We offer a range of international undergraduate scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers
• International scholarships

Language Study

• You may be able to choose to study a language as part of this degree
• Learning another language can open career opportunities around the globe and enriches your CV
• It could also help you in your studies by being able to access learning materials in other languages
• If you are planning to travel or work abroad it will help you to broaden your cultural understanding
• Our Language Centre offers many languages, and you may start as a beginner or at a more advanced level
• Find out more about learning a language as part of your degree

Module Information

• Year one:
  • Comparative World Prehistory
  • Interpreting Ancient Art and Archaeology
  • Rome to Revolution: Historical Archaeology of Britain
  • Great Discoveries in Archaeology
  • Greek and Roman Mythology
  • Studying the Greek World
  • Studying the Roman World
  • Interpreting Ancient History
  • Interpreting Ancient Literature
• Year two:
  • Archaeology: Theory and Practice
  • Extended Source Study
  • Communicating the Past
  • The Silk Road: Cultural Interactions and Perceptions
  • Mapping the Humanities
  • Commodities, Consumption and Connections the Global World of Things
  • Archaeological Finds: from Field to Publication
  • Pompeii: Art and Culture in a Roman Town
  • Human Osteology
  • Archaeology of Anglo Saxon England
  • Themes in Near Eastern Prehistory
  • The World of the Minoans
  • Italy before the Romans
  • Ancient Metallurgy
  • Conquerors, Caliphs, and Converts: The Making of the Islamic World, c.600-800
  • Employing the Arts
  • Arts Work Placement Module
• Year three:
  • Classics and Archaeology Dissertation
  • The Silk Road: Cultural Interactions and Perceptions
  • Mapping the Humanities
  • Heritage and the Media
  • Pompeii: Art and Culture in a Roman Town
  • Human Osteology
  • The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England
  • Themes in Near Eastern Prehistory
  • The World of the Minoans
  • Italy before the Romans
  • Ancient Metallurgy
  • "Otherness" in Classical Art

How You Will Learn

• You will be taught via a mixture of large-group lectures and smaller, interactive seminars
• You will also have practical teaching:
  • In one of our archaeology labs – dedicated to the study of materials, bones, zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, and isotope preparation
  • Out in the field – as part of the compulsory fieldwork project and also via practical training at nearby Wollaton Hall

Support

• All new undergraduate students are allocated a peer mentor, to help you settle into life at Nottingham
• You are also assigned a personal tutor at the start of each academic year
• Your personal tutor oversees your academic development and personal welfare
• Find out more about the support on offer

Teaching Quality

• 100% of our class of 2020 graduated with a 1st or 2:1 degree classification
• Source: UoN student outcomes data, Annual Monitoring (QDS) Analyses 2020
• Nine academics from the Department of Classics and Archaeology have received Advance HE recognition for their contribution to education, becoming Teaching Fellows

Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Workshops
• Field trips
• Placements
• Lab sessions

How You Will Be Assessed

• Our courses are modular, and range from full-year to semester-long modules
• Assessment normally takes place towards the end of each semester, while beginners’ language modules are usually assessed by a coursework portfolio running throughout the semester

Assessment Methods

• Essay
• In-class test
• Portfolio (written/digital)
• Presentation
• Reflective review
• Written exam

Contact Time and Study Hours

• You’ll have at least the following hours of timetabled contact a week through lectures, seminars and workshops, tutorials and supervisions
• Year one: minimum of 12 hours
• Year two: minimum of 10 hours
• Final year: minimum of 8 hours
• Your tutors will also be available outside these times to discuss issues and develop your understanding
• We reduce your contact hours as you work your way through the course
• As you progress, we expect you to assume greater responsibility for your studies and work more independently

Careers Overview

• A degree in archaeology gives you a wide range of transferable skills, including:
  • Ability to process and critically evaluate data
  • Applying theoretical and scientific principles to problems
  • Critical analysis and argument
  • Experience of fieldwork, post-excavation and laboratory techniques
  • Ability to interpret spatial data numerical, statistical, IT and analytical skills
  • Strong team working
  • Written, oral and visual communication

Job Prospects

• Average starting salary and career progression:
  • 78.8% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Arts secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation
  • The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £23,974
  • HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017 to 2021 cohorts)
  • The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology
  • The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK

Careers Advice

• Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take
• Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers
• Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students
• The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in , High Fliers Research)