Archaeology and History (BA)

Why study this course

History at Cardiff will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural structures of past societies. Our expertise reaches an extraordinary breadth of societies, periods and places, spanning the British Isles, Europe (east and west), Africa, Asia, and the Americas. You will have the opportunity to study both well-established areas, such as political, social, cultural and gender history, or explore areas that might be new to you, such as environmental history or digital history.

In Archaeology, you will be introduced to the archaeology of Britain and the Mediterranean and can pursue specialist study in these areas. The programme also offers opportunities to develop proficiency in a range of archaeological skills. You will develop practical and professional skills through a 4-week placement in Year Two.

Criss-crossing a wide range of time spans and perspectives, our highly respected programme will cultivate intellectual skills such as the ability to assess different forms of evidence critically, to evaluate different interpretations of the evidence, to construct arguments based on evidence, and to express opinions cogently in speech and in writing. Through our degree you will develop the skills advantageous in our digital age: creativity, empathy, critical thinking, persuasive communication skills and the ability to challenge and question

By combining Archaeology and History, you will gain a wealth of transferable skills and knowledge, and creative, critical and employability skills that are of crucial importance in an increasingly competitive jobs market, which opened the doors to a variety of career paths. The time spent on each subject is equally shared, allowing you to study the human past through material, written and visual evidence.

Building on your passions and curiosity, you’ll have the opportunity to specialise in the study of the periods and regions which interest you, ranging from the prehistoric to the twentieth century.

Careers and placements

Career prospects

Placements

As a History and Archaeology student, you will undertake four weeks of placement on an archaeological excavation or with a heritage organisation in the summer between your first and second years. We ensure that placements can be incorporated into your learning in other ways.

Further opportunities for diverse, bespoke placements are offered in Year Two on a module which focuses on translating the skills you gain through your degree into the workplace. In your final year, we offer the opportunity to take a module through which you can develop your enterprise skills, and which equips you with the skills to communicate and collaborate with external organisations. Staff also have close links with a range of local heritage and other organisations, which offer placement opportunities both in and outside semesters.

Through our links with the Student Futures, you can source placements and on-campus internships from 35 hours part-time placements to fit in around your studies to paid summer placements. In addition, Go Wales provides additional support to help you gain work experience.