Archaeology and Anthropology

Archaeology and anthropology together encompass the study of humankind from the origins of the human species to the present day.

Both disciplines have a long history: archaeology grew from 18th-century antiquarianism, while anthropology began even earlier in the first days of colonial encounter.

A typical week

Your timetable will be divided into lectures, tutorials and practical classes. These will cover topics such as dating, isotope analysis, and the analysis of plant, animal and human remains, as well as artefacts.

In the first year you will spend around six hours a week in lectures, which focus on the course’s core papers. In Years 2 and 3, lectures for core and optional papers take up around ten hours a week. Throughout the course, there are one or two tutorials a week, (typically a total of twelve in each term).

Tutorials are usually two students and a tutor, but may include up to three students depending on circumstances.

Lectures will include the whole year group of around 25 students, although they are sometimes shared with Human Sciences students and/or postgraduates, and are therefore larger. Lecture sizes for optional courses are normally smaller and could be as low as 3-6 students.

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are studying at doctoral level.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Courses

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Assessment

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• Four core courses are taken:
  • Introduction to world archaeology
  • Introduction to anthropological theory
  • Perspectives on human evolution
  • The nature of archaeological and anthropological enquiry
• Practical classes
• Fieldwork

First University examinations: four written papers

Archaeology and Anthropology opens up a wide range of career opportunities. This is in part because the degree offers a unique perspective on how human societies operate and develop and on how people interact with each other. This range of career opportunities is also due to the intellectually demanding requirements of an Oxford degree, and to the combination of independent study and tutorial teaching. Graduates of this course have found opportunities in heritage management, international development, education, the law, the media and the Civil Service among other careers.