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Department of Archaeology

Undergraduate Courses in Archaeology

To ensure that you can choose a course that suits you perfectly, we offer you a choice of seven undergraduate courses.

Note: These links will direct you to the University's central course tool. Use the link provided to return to the Archaeology Department homepage.

Single Honours

BA in Archaeology [F400]

BSc in Archaeology [F402]

BA in Archaeology and Ancient Civilisations [VQ48]

Joint Honours

Joint Honours Anthropology (with Department of Anthropology) [LF64]

Joint Honours Ancient History (with Department of Classics and Ancient History) [VF14]

Combined Honours

BSc Natural Sciences (Archaeology) [CFG0]

BA Combined Honours in Social Sciences (Archaeology) [LMV0]

Which is the right degree course for you?

Each degree takes a different approach and is designed for students with different aims, priorities and preferences. It is important to give careful consideration to choosing the right degree course before applying. Your choice of degree will determine how much archaeological theory you will study, how much practical archaeology you will undertake, and who you study with.

Some questions you should ask yourself are:

  • Do I want the focus of a single honours degree or the variety of joint honours?
  • Do I want access to practical teaching and to participate in fieldwork?
  • Does this course provide the range of modules and learning styles that I require?

We have provided you with more information below, which should help you to answer these questions.

"The practical, hands-on teaching and fieldwork element of archaeology is important to me."

Then you should consider the Single Honours degrees: BA or BSc in Archaeology (F400/ F402) or "Archaeology and Ancient Civlisations" (VQ48) rather than a Joint Honours degree.

If this is not you, you might consider a joint honours degree with Anthropology (LF64) or Ancient History (VF14), in order to study archaeology with another subject.

"I am particularly interested in Classical archaeology."

Then you should look at Single Honours "Archaeology and Ancient Civlisations" (VQ48), which allows you to take a number of modules in the Department of Classics and Ancient History and also includes the practical and fieldwork elements of an archaeology degree, or Joint Honours with Ancient History (VF14). VF14 does not include the practical teaching and fieldwork requirement of a Single Honours archaeology degree but allows you to take half of your modules from the Department of Classics and Ancient History each year.

"I don't know whether a Single or Joint Honours degree would be a better fit for me."

The advantages of a Joint Honours degree are:

  • the chance to study two subjects together in order to combine elements of both subjects;
  • the opportunity to cover a wider subject matter.

The disadvantages are:

  • the wider subject matter has a trade-off in terms of depth of study in each subject;
  • you will have less choice when it comes to selecting your optional modules;
  • you will not have access to the practical aspects of archaeology teaching.

"I am particularly interested in archaeological science and laboratory work."

The BSc in Archaeology (F402) is probably the best degree for you. You need to be taking two science A levels in order to be eligible for this degree.

"I'm unsure of the advantages and disadvantages of a Combined Honours degree."

The advantages of studying for either a BSc Natural Sciences (Archaeology) [CFG0] or a BA Combined Honours in Social Sciences (Archaeology) [LMV0] degree are:

  • you will have a great deal of flexibility to build a degree course tailor-made to your interests and ambitions, including options from a wide range of departments across the University.

The disadvantages are:

  • due to your unique module choices, you may miss out on the camaraderie and support of a group of students studying the same course;
  • as you will be studying in different department you may find that you do not get to know the staff and students in each department as well as you would if you were to study for a Single Honours degree.

Contact us for more information about specific programmes, or find out about student life here at Durham.