Ancient History and Archaeology BA

University of Nottingham

United Kingdom, Nottingham

University RankQS Ranking

109

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Home/United Kingdom/Nottingham /University of Nottingham/Ancient History and Archaeology BA

University of Nottingham

United Kingdom , Nottingham

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

VVC4

Campuses

Nottingham

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 26,800 / year(s)

Next Intake September-2026

Ancient History and Archaeology BA

About

Course overview

Through research-led teaching, this course enables you to explore multiple cultures while discovering the lasting importance of the past in modern society. You will:

discover how ancient civilizations shaped today’s societies by looking at literature, history, material culture and modern reception
learn how to interpret different types of evidence and craft historical narratives
study a wide chronological and geographical range of topics, backed by practical archaeological training in our on-site labs
have the opportunity to learn Greek or Latin, so you can engage more critically with ancient evidence

You can also opt to do 10 days of archaeological fieldwork, gaining real-world experience while balancing both theory and practice.

Assessments go beyond the traditional, with opportunities to develop creative projects, presentations and self-directed research.

Why choose this course?

1. Top 20 for Archaeology and Forensic Science in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)

2. Top ten for Classics and Ancient History in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

3. 100% of students from the Department of Classics and Archaeology said the teaching staff were good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024)

4. Beginners welcome! You do not need any prior experience in either archaeology or ancient history – our year one modules are designed to give you a university-level foundation

5. Gain practical and professional experience in our on-campus Museum of Archaeology and volunteer with local schools through our Nottingham Classics Out-and-about (NoCOut) outreach programme

6. Develop your creative and communication skills through modules including ‘Communicating the Past’

7. Collaborate with international students in our tri-campus ‘Silk Road’ module

8. Explore real-world challenges across interdisciplinary themes with our ‘Engaged Arts’ optional modules

9. Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities

You may also progress to this course from our Arts and Humanities Foundation Year, subject to eligibility.

Engaged Arts

All students within the Faculty of Arts can select ‘Engaged Arts’ modules where you’ll approach real-world challenges across contemporary themes such as sustainability or equity and justice. These modules have been newly designed to help you gain the skills and analytical abilities that employers are looking for.

Explore more

Your department

Find out more about what it’s like to study in the Department of Classics and Archaeology.

Important information

This online prospectus has been drafted in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content) are likely to occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for the course where there has been an interval between you reading this website and applying.

Disciplines

Classics and Archaeology

Requirements

Entry Requirements

IB score: 30 Points overall or 655 in 3 Higher Level Certifcates IELTS:

6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element)

As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English. Check our English language policies and equivalencies for further details.

For presessional English or one-year foundation courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations.

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a Presessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP) course. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

High school qualifications:

Check our country-specific information for guidance on qualifications from your country

A level: ABB Required subjects:

GCSE

English grade 4 (C).

Excluded subjects:

N/A

Additional entry requirements:

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Please note: Applicants whose backgrounds or personal circumstances have impacted their academic performance may receive a reduced offer. Please see our contextual admissions policy for more information.

Non-UK entry requirements:

Alternative qualifications

We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education.

Consequently we treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A-levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis, and we gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:

Access to HE Diploma
Advanced Diploma
BTEC HND/HNC
BTEC Extended Diploma

This list is not exhaustive. The entry requirements for alternative qualifications can be quite specific; for example you may need to take certain modules and achieve a specified grade in those modules. Please contact us to discuss the transferability of your qualification. Please see the alternative qualifications page for more information.

RQF BTEC Nationals

RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma grades DDD
RQF Level 3 BTEC National Diploma grades DD plus A Level grade B
RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Certificate grade D plus A Level grades BB

Access to HE Diploma

Access to HE Diploma 24 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 21 Level 3 credits at Merit.

Mature Students

At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population. You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

Other requirements:

N/A

Work experience:

N/A

English Program Requirements

We accept a variety of English language tests and qualifications. The;International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test is one of the most common. The IELTS test includes grades in listening, reading, writing and speaking, plus an overall grade. IELTS requirements for each of our courses are listed in our;course listings.

We also accept Pearson Test of English (PTE) and TOEFL (IBT) test certificates. Check the table below against the IELTS requirement listed in our course listings to see what grade you will need. You can also;meet our entry requirements through a;presessional English course;with our Centre for English Language Education (CELE).

Career

A degree in ancient history and archaeology gives you a wide range of transferable skills, including:

communication (both oral and written)
constructing a logical argument
synthesising and evaluating information and opinions
critically evaluating data and applying theoretical and scientific principles to problems
planning a research project
thinking and studying independently
team working

Read our Department of Classics and Archaeology student and alumni profiles. Find out more about the range of skills you will gain, as well as the careers which our graduates go into

.You can learn more about subject-related careers from our Careers and Employability Services: