BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Study Year Abroad
-
UCAS code
VL48 -
A level offer
BBB -
Year of entry
2025/26 -
Course duration
Full Time: 4 Years
-
Year of entry
2025/26 -
Course duration
Full Time: 4 Years
Explore humanity from its earliest origins to the cultures and societies of today – and gain valuable international experience – with our BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Study Year Abroad degree.
Choose the 澳门六合彩开奖记录
- The University is in the top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World Rankings by Subject, 2024, Archaeology. The 澳门六合彩开奖记录 is ranked 51-100 in the world).
- Ranked 1st in the UK for environmental and ethical performance (People and Planet University League 2023/24)
- In 2023, the 澳门六合彩开奖记录 was the first ever winner of the Times Higher Education (THE) award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership
- Ranked 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 澳门六合彩开奖记录 scored 1st for teaching quality in Archaeology and Forensic Science (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025).
- 97% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, 97.06% of responders from the Department of Archaeology)
- Overall, 96% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation. (Three-year average, based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2022-2024, Graduate Outcomes Surveys 2019/20-2021/22; includes Full-time, UK domiciled, first degree Archaeology responders).
Explore the archaeological past and cultures of today
Our BA Archaeology and Anthropology course allows you to combine two fascinating and related disciplines. Archaeology examines the material evidence from our past and present, while anthropology focuses on human development and contemporary cultures.
Studying these disciplines together will provide you with insight into what it means to be human. This will enable you to address issues that are critical to our shared global future, including:
- the relationship between humans and environmental change
- inequality, migration and identity
- population growth and development
- human diets and health
- politics, economics and sustainability.
By examining human development, behaviour and different cultures, you’ll better understand the roots of these issues. You’ll learn how other societies have tackled comparable problems and how contemporary societies are addressing them now.
Using methodological approaches from the sciences, social sciences and humanities, you’ll explore the diversity of human experience. You 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.
We’ll support you to develop a broad range of subject-specific and transferable skills that span the humanities and sciences. Your learning can include:
- the investigation of artefacts recovered through excavations and standing monuments
- how material, biological, and ethnographic evidence can be used to understand past and contemporary cultures and societies
- handling human remains to learn about burial archaeology and biological anthropology
- examining how ideas of gender vary between different times and societies today
- how climate and environmental change has impacted lives past and present.
Study Abroad
A key component of this course is a year abroad that enables you to further your studies at one of our partner universities overseas.
We have a number of partner universities in Europe as well as opportunities farther afield. For details of our current exchanges, please visit our and select ‘Archaeology’.
All classes are conducted in English and bursaries are available to help with travel and accommodation costs. Visit our for more information, and to view the full list of current partner institutions.
Further information about studying abroad is available on our Important Information page.
A supportive, collaborative learning environment
Join the 澳门六合彩开奖记录’s Department of Archaeology, a community of passionate and inquisitive staff, students and alumni.
We're an international, research-intensive department with expertise that spans the sciences, humanities and social sciences. You’ll learn about global issues, enhanced by the latest developments and thinking within social and scientific archaeology.
- Dr Mary Lewis analyses skeletal remains to uncover the health of past peoples
- Professor Hella Eckardt is demonstrating Britain’s long history of diversity
- Professor Aleks Pluskowski is using environmental archaeology to provide a different perspective on the impact of religious change
- Dr Alanna Cant studies how people make use of culture and the past in today’s world.
You'll also have the chance to join , a student-run society for those passionate about archaeology. RUined is a great way to meet people across Reading, build your network, and participate in events like club nights, quizzes, alcohol-free socials, and the annual summer and winter formals.
Field School and field trips
You will have the opportunity to put your learning into practice through your time with the Archaeology Field School. There, you will gain hands-on experience in all aspects of an archaeological excavation, including:
- excavation
- surveying
- geophysics
- mapping
- planning
- finds processing
- studying ancient plant and animal remains.
Beyond the Field School, many of our modules include field trips to sites and museums around England. You’ll be encouraged to get involved with research excavations in the UK and Europe, spanning prehistoric monuments, Roman cities, and medieval castles.
Hands-on learning
Archaeology is not just about digging – it's an academic subject that will teach you valuable theoretical and practical skills. You’ll also have the opportunity to use specialist equipment and GIS (geographical information systems), work in laboratories, and access the University’s three on-campus museums.
Flexible study options
Tailor your degree to your interests with our range of optional modules and flexible pathway structure. For example, you can pursue pathways in:
- bioarchaeology
- humanities-based archaeology
- archaeological science.
Skills for life
Throughout your degree, you’ll gain a broad range of skills and experiences that are highly regarded by employers, including:
- the ability to analyse and understand complex information
- the ability to research and present findings in a coherent manner
- empathy with others from diverse cultures, backgrounds and beliefs.
All our degree programmes include professional development training and further opportunities, supported by the University's dedicated Careers Service.
Professional placements
Combine your studies with short term placement opportunities, or take a year long placement with our four-year BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Professional Placement course.
Alternatively, you can study this course over three years by choosing our BA Archaeology and Anthropology degree.