Program Overview

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BA Archaeology and Anthropology

The BA Archaeology and Anthropology degree at the University of Reading is a comprehensive program that combines two fascinating disciplines. Archaeology examines the material evidence from our past and present, while anthropology focuses on human development and contemporary cultures.

Overview

This course allows students to explore humanity from its earliest origins to the cultures and societies of today. By studying these disciplines together, students will gain insight into what it truly means to be human and will be able to address issues that are critical to our shared global future.

Choose the University of Reading

The University of Reading is ranked 49th in the world for Archaeology (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025) and 1st in the UK for research quality and research outputs in Archaeology (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of REF 2021).

Explore the Archaeological Past and Cultures of Today

Studying Archaeology and Anthropology together will provide students with a broad range of subject-specific and transferable skills that span the humanities and sciences. Students will learn about the biological evolution of our earliest ancestors, the pre-historical and historical development of different cultures, and present-day ways of life and social issues.

Accreditation

The BA Archaeology and Anthropology degree is accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA). The course was among the first to be recognized for providing key skills relevant to careers in the historic environment.

A Supportive, Collaborative Learning Environment

The University of Reading's Department of Archaeology is a community of passionate and inquisitive staff, students, and alumni. The department is international, research-intensive, and has expertise that spans the sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

Field School and Field Trips

The program includes a compulsory four-week field school in the summer before the second year, where students will develop essential practical archaeological skills through hands-on excavation experience.

Hands-on Learning

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

Flexible Study Options

Students can tailor their degree to their interests with a range of optional modules and varied learning opportunities, covering cultural and social diversity, inequality and sustainable living, biological and evolutionary anthropology, environmental and climatic change, and material culture, heritage, and museums.

Placements and Study Abroad

Students can build their portfolio of experience with short-term placements or study abroad opportunities. Placements are a great way to enhance employability and develop a network.

Skills for Life

Throughout the degree, students will gain a broad range of skills and experiences that are highly regarded by employers, including skills to analyze and understand complex information, the ability to research and present findings in a coherent manner, and empathy with others from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs.

Entry Requirements

• A Level: BBB
• International Baccalaureate: 30 points overall
• Extended Project Qualification: In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study
• BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM
• English language requirements: IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

Structure

The course is divided into three years, with compulsory and optional modules.

Year 1

• Compulsory modules:
  • Revolutions and Transitions: The Human Journey from 6 Million Years Ago to the Present Day
  • Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice
  • Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death
  • Contemporary World Cultures: An Introduction to Social Anthropology
  • Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome
• Optional modules:
  • Presenting the Past: An Introduction to Museum Studies
  • Landscapes and Natural Resources
  • Approaching Human Geography
  • Geographical Imaginaries
  • Optional Language or University-Wide Module

Year 2

• Compulsory modules:
  • Archaeology and Heritage: Past, Present and Future
  • Archaeology Field School and Professional Practice
  • Changing the Face of the Earth: Past, Present and Future Sustainability
  • Methods and Approaches in Ethnographic Practice
• Optional modules:
  • Prehistoric Europe: The First Million Years
  • Medieval Europe: Power, Religion and Death
  • Entertainment and Leisure in Roman Society
  • Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Analysis
  • Ancient Objects: Materials and Meanings
  • Bioarchaeology
  • Summer Placement
  • Encountering Political Geographies
  • Museum Learning and Engagement
  • Curatorship and Collections Management
  • Optional Language or University-wide Module

Year 3

• Compulsory modules:
  • Dissertation in Archaeology
• Optional modules:
  • The Anthropology of Heritage and Cultural Property
  • Objects and Identities in the Roman Empire
  • Biological Anthropology
  • Emergence of Civilisation in Mesopotamia
  • The First Europeans: Archaeology of the Lower Palaeolithic
  • The Archaeology and Anthropology of Food
  • Living in Medieval Towns
  • Cities in the 21st Century
  • Reimagining Development in Africa
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Putting Theory into Practice
  • Summer Placement

Fees

• New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,790 (2026 entry)
• New international students: £30,650 (2026/27)
• Tuition fees are subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study.

Careers

• 90% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation.
• Archaeology is more than studying the past: it's a discipline that actively prepares students for the job market.
• Past graduates have gone on to work for employers such as Thames Valley Archaeological Services, The Museum of London Archaeology, Wessex Archaeology, Mott MacDonald, Ashmolean Museum, and ORCA.
• Anthropology can be a path into the civil service, international development, agriculture, social research, the arts, and social policy.