Ancient History and Archaeology with Foundation year BA (Hons)

This BA Ancient History and Archaeology is ideal if you have a keen interest in understanding the past through people’s relationships with texts, things and places. Combining the study of textual sources and material evidence, it enables you to understand the vibrant nature of the ancient past and gain hands-on experience with archives, collections and archaeological practice.

Why choose this course?

• You will gain valuable practical experience through our London-centred archaeological field school, which you will attend alongside professionals from Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA).
• Modules on this course offer you the opportunity to work directly on textual sources, collections of artefacts and records of archaeological excavations with the experts who excavated those sites.
• You will also learn to think critically about how we know past worlds while benefiting from our close links with the heritage sector, including London museums.

What you will learn

You will learn about the practice of ancient history and archaeology including how and why we know what we know about past societies.

This course also helps you to better understand, but also question, accepted narratives about the ancient past, and how to engage with those narratives by analysing textual sources and archaeological data sets. In doing so, you will learn about the wide range of methods and sources used by ancient historians and archaeologists, including texts, objects, buildings and landscapes.

How you will learn

This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening. There is also a week-long field school in Year 1 summer term.

You will learn through lectures and seminars, hands-on experience with archives and collections in museums, and fieldtrips. Alongside this, you will learn how to work with artefacts, images, maps and texts, and use digital sources for the study of the ancient past.

Working with a dedicated supervisor, you will also design your own dissertation project and put your newly developed skills into practice.

Foundation Year

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Find out everything you need to know about Foundation Years.