Undergraduates

Why choose Archaeology at Durham?

Archaeology at Durham is fascinating and fun...

Archaeology is the study of humanity from its evolutionary origins in Africa over 5 million years ago to the present day. It explores and examines the remains of the past, enabling new local and global histories to be written. Archaeology encompasses many sciences, social sciences, and humanities, the subject is very broad and as such, is perfect for all rounders and archaeology enthusiasts. You will have the chance to study a wide range of topics from human origins to the Industrial Revolution, from late-medieval Britain to ancient India, or to select modules on a more specialised basis. Your teachers will be the leaders in their fields, the authors of the most widely used archaeology textbooks, and the editors of the major journals. The subject is adapted constantly to include new discoveries and the development of innovative techniques, with research produced at Durham having been judged the best in the UK.

During your time with us you will learn about fieldwork, finds, historic buildings, scientific methods, archaeological theories, computer techniques and how they all help us to understand the past. At the end of your first and second years, you will undertake work placements on real excavations.

Find out more about us, our undergraduate courses or our research.

A Durham Archaeology degree increases your employability...

The graduate job market is fiercely competitive, but an Archaeology degree from Durham gives our graduates an edge over all others. Whether you are interested in a career specific to archaeology or want to climb a different ladder, such as media, finance, law, or management, employers in all industries value our graduates because of their good academic training, their broad perspective and attention to detail, as well as their well developed practical skills in organisation, teamwork and leadership, fieldwork, presentation and computing. Durham University is ranked in the top 20 worldwide by employers for the quality of its graduates and our department has been awarded the place of joint first for graduate prospects by the Complete University Guide 2013, with an astounding 78% of our recent graduates in graduate level employment six months after leaving Durham. Such high figures reflect the transferable skills you can learn by studying Archaeology here at Durham, but also the confidence you will gain, allowing you to shape your own future.

Find out more about career options and employability.

We have professional links that other departments don’t...

Durham is home to one of only three commercial archaeology units based in university departments left in the UK, which means that you will have experts on hand for your fieldwork queries. We have relationships with the University Museums: the Old Fulling Mill Museum of Archaeology, and The Oriental Museum. The Old Fulling Mill Museum was founded in 1833 and houses a permanent exhibition concentrating on material from Durham, as well as temporary exhibitions of archaeological interest. The Museum is the venue for a number of practical classes and provides opportunities for students to gain experience of museum work. The Oriental Museum has one of the finest art and archaeology collections in the UK outside of London. These range from prehistoric Egypt and China to the work of living artists. The Museum opened in 1960 and also serves as a teaching and research resource used by university staff and students as well as researchers throughout the world.

We have close links with the main professional archaeological organisations in the region and elsewhere in Britain such as The National Trust, National Geographic, Historic Scotland, and the British Museum.

Find out more about our Archaeological Services, the University Museums, and our internationally significant Binchester excavation.