Program Overview

Overview

The BA Archaeology and History with Study Year Abroad degree at the University of Reading offers students the opportunity to explore the richness of our shared human past and gain valuable international experience. This joint degree program combines the study of history with invaluable archaeological training, providing a holistic understanding of our shared human past.

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). The Department of History is known for its educational excellence and research innovation, with teaching staff experts in a broad range of fields.

Explore the Past

The program combines the study of history with archaeological training, allowing students to examine historical records and explore visual and material culture through texts, paintings, photographs, films, and oral sources. Students will balance their critical evaluation of historical sources against the physical evidence of lived experience provided by archaeological finds.

Study Abroad

A key component of this course is a year abroad that enables students to further their studies at one of the university's partner universities overseas. Students can choose from a range of partner universities in Europe and beyond, with all classes conducted in English and bursaries available to help with travel and accommodation costs.

Learning Environment

The University of Reading's Department of Archaeology and Department of History offer a supportive and collaborative learning environment, with international, research-intensive departments and expertise that spans the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Students will have the opportunity to join RUined, a student-run society for those passionate about archaeology, and participate in events, field trips, and research excavations.

Field School and Field Trips

The Archaeology Field School is an optional component of the degree, offering hands-on experience in all aspects of an archaeological excavation, including excavation, surveying, mapping, planning, and finds processing. Many modules include field trips to sites and museums around England, and students will be encouraged to get involved with research excavations in the UK and abroad.

Structure

The program is structured over four years, with compulsory and optional modules in each year. Compulsory modules include:

• Revolutions and Transitions: The Human Journey from 6 Million Years Ago to the Present Day
• Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice
• Perspectives in History
• Making History and You: Practices and Possibilities

Optional modules include:

• Warfare in Early Modern Europe, c. 1500-1800
• The Rwanda Genocide of 1994
• Chivalry: The Emergence and Impact of a Medieval Ethos
• Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death
• Contemporary World Cultures: An Introduction to Social Anthropology

Entry Requirements

The typical offer for this program is A Level BBB, including a grade B in History or a humanities-based essay subject. International Baccalaureate requirements are 30 points overall, including 5 in History or a humanities-based essay subject at higher level. BTEC Extended Diploma requirements are DDM (modules taken must be comparable to A level subjects specified above).

Fees

The home tuition fee for 2026 entry is Ł9,790, with international tuition fees set at Ł25,850 for 2026/27. Additional costs may include field trips and extra resources, and students will need to budget for accommodation and living costs.

Careers

Archaeology and History are disciplines that actively prepare students for the job market, with graduates developing an impressive range of practical and academic skills. Overall, 90% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation, with past graduates going on to work for employers such as Thames Valley Archaeological Services, The Museum of London Archaeology, and Mott MacDonald. 94% of graduates from the Department of History are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation.