Program Overview

BA Museum Studies and Archaeology with International Foundation Year

The BA Museum Studies and Archaeology with International Foundation Year course enables students to combine the study of museology with the excitement of archaeological discovery. This programme is designed for international students who want to study museum studies and archaeology at a British university but don't have the correct qualifications.

Overview

Our BA Museum Studies and Archaeology with International Foundation Year course enables students to combine the study of museology with the excitement of archaeological discovery. This programme is designed for international students who want to study museum studies and archaeology at a British university but don't have the correct qualifications.

Choose the University of Reading

• Top 50 in the world for Archaeology (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025, Archaeology)
• 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)
• 7th for teaching quality in Archaeology and Forensic Science (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026)
• 100% of research in History is of international standing (Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), combining 4, 3 and 2* submissions – History)
• 100% of students said that teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2025, Department of Archaeology)
• Three on-site museums enable students to gain practical, hands-on experience

Course Structure

• International Foundation Year
• Year 1
• Year 2
• Year 3

Compulsory Modules

• Academic Skills
• Revolutions and Transitions: The Human Journey from Six Million Years Ago to the Present Day
• Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice
• Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome
• Presenting the Past: An Introduction to Museum Studies

Optional Modules

• Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death
• Contemporary World Cultures: An Introduction to Social Anthropology
• Optional Language Modules

Entry Requirements

• A Level: See entry requirements
• AS and A Levels: 72 UCAS tariff points
• International Baccalaureate: 24 points from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or International Baccalaureate Certificate
• GCSE: Grades 9–4 (A*–C) in five subjects, or equivalent qualifications
• IELTS: A minimum overall score of 5.5 in IELTS, with no component below 5.5

Fees

• New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £5,760 for 2025/26, then rising to £9,535 per year for the standard duration of bachelor's level study
• New international students: £22,500 per year for 2025/26, then rising to £25,250 per year for the standard duration of bachelor's level study

Careers

This degree can lead to a variety of careers, including heritage management, commercial archaeology, and research, as well as disciplines such as teaching, business, publishing, and marketing. Overall, 90% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation. 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.