Archaeology and History

Cardiff University

United Kingdom, Cardiff

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Home/United Kingdom/Cardiff /Cardiff University/Archaeology and History

Cardiff University

United Kingdom , Cardiff

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

VV14

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2024

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 20,450 / year

Next Intake September-2024

Archaeology and History

About

Why study this course

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Purpose-built laboratories

Use our suite of laboratories and access our digital illustration and photographic suite.

location

Study with passion

Explore interests with subjects ranging from slavery in America to Soviet and Japanese history.

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Placements - home and abroad

Experience activities including digs, museum projects and lab activities.

Fieldwork adventures

Build practical skills and put what you'll learn into practice; discover exciting locations and uncover a past world.

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Interactive careers workshops

Hone your career skills and gain valuable insights into roles and sectors fit for you.

The BA in Archaeology and History gives students the opportunity to combining the study of History with the study of the human past from the earliest human origins through to the recent past.

Many students find joint honours degrees both stimulating and rewarding as they observe both similarities and differences between the two subjects. Often there are complementary issues and perspectives and skills that link the subjects, be they critical analysis, historical contexts or recent research. The degree provides the training necessary for students who wish to study Archaeology or History at postgraduate level, and a valuable range of intellectual and transferable skills for students who enter other professions.

Archaeology addresses big questions about the human past for much of which no written record is available. Archaeology at Cardiff University concentrates on the British Isles, Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. You will learn with staff who undertake exciting research on all periods from early human origins to the recent past. You will also benefit from our bespoke teaching and research laboratories, dedicated geophysical and surveying equipment and a range of sophisticated equipment for the analysis of artefacts.

History at Cardiff University enables you to learn about the very different worlds of people in the past and to better understand the present. It gives you an insight into the process of change from ancient Greece and Rome, through the medieval to the modern periods. You may study the history of societies in diverse parts of the globe, from India and China, through Germany and France, to Britain, Wales and Cardiff. Above all you will learn to 'do history' yourself, and will thus acquire the sorts of skills that employers prize. You will learn to think independently, and to analyse and assess a body of material, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and present your conclusions clearly.

The degree aims to develop your knowledge and critical understanding of the material evidence for a wide range of periods and societies, and to cultivate intellectual skills such as the ability to assess evidence critically, to evaluate different interpretations of the evidence, to construct arguments on the basis of evidence, and to express opinions cogently in speech and in writing. We deliver a degree which offers a challenging and diverse programme of modules, supported by a friendly atmosphere and excellent staff-student relationships within the School.

Subject area: Archaeology and conservation

academic-schoolSchool of History, Archaeology and Religion
icon-chatGet in touch
Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 4929
MarkerColum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Subject area: History and ancient history

academic-schoolSchool of History, Archaeology and Religion
icon-chatGet in touch
Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 4929
MarkerColum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Learning and assessment

The School of History, Archaeology and Religion enables you to develop in a high-quality learning environment, supported by a student-orientated approach to the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, practicals, field trips, and one-to-one tutorials. You will also undertake independent study and research, with guidance from tutors.

Lectures provide an overview of the key concepts and frameworks for a topic, equipping you to carry out independent research for the seminars and to develop your own ideas. Seminars provide an opportunity for you to explore the ideas outlined in the lecture in a small group environment.

Seminars usually consist of about 15 students and the seminar leader (a member of the teaching team). Seminars may take various formats, including plenary group discussion, small group work and student-led presentations. They offer a rewarding opportunity to engage critically with the key ideas and reading of a topic, and to explore areas of particular interest with an expert in the field.

Archaeological skills are promoted through practicals and fieldwork, including one-day site visits as well as extensive periods of excavation, laboratory analyses or museum-based study. You will also undertake independent study and research, with guidance from tutors.

Welsh language teaching

The History side of the degree provides significant opportunities for learning and teaching through the medium of Welsh. Subject to staff availability, seminar teaching in Welsh is available on some or all of the major core courses, and at least one Welsh language option is offered in Years Two and Three. Welsh language supervision is also available for long essays (Exploring Historical Debate) and dissertations, and students may elect to write all or some of their assessed work and examinations in Welsh.

How will I be supported?

All modules make extensive use of Cardiff University's Virtual Learning Environment, Learning Central, where you can access course materials and links to related reading and online resources. In addition to the main University libraries, you will have access to the Sheila White Library, which contains additional copies of books on Greek and Roman history and culture.

You will be assigned a Personal Tutor, who is able to advise you on academic and pastoral matters in a confidential and informal manner. Personal Tutors meet with you regularly to discuss progress and provide advice and guidance, and are available for consultation at other times as needed. Opportunities for you to reflect on your abilities and performance are made available through a structured programme of Personal Development Planning and through scheduled meetings with Personal Tutors.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment

Modules are assessed by various methods, including coursework essays, written reports, source criticisms, critical reviews, examinations, class tests and oral presentations.

Coursework and examinations are used not only for assessment purposes but also as a means of developing your capacities to gather, organise, evaluate and deploy relevant information and ideas from a variety of sources in reasoned arguments. Assessment, including coursework, exams, and oral presentations, will test the different skills you have learned.

Progression is built into assessment, in that you will do smaller guided tasks in Year One, as well as formative essays in Years Two and Three. Progression is also evident in the growing emphasis on lengthier, independent work culminating in an optional 10,000-word dissertation in Year Three. Final Year modules also demand deeper engagement with independent methods of working, together with greater demands on handling critically a larger number of bibliographical tasks and items.

The format of the assessed work for the second-year Independent Study is chosen by the student; possible formats include an extended essay, a piece of creative writing, sample pages from a book or magazine, a teachers' pack, a film, or a reconstruction drawing or model.

Feedback

You will receive written feedback on all your coursework assessments, and oral feedback on assessed presentations and seminar work. You will also receive oral and written feedback from your supervisor on preparatory work and drafts for the Independent Study and Dissertation. Individual written feedback is provided for exams.

What skills will I practise and develop?

Intellectual skills - such as critical thinking, reasoning, assimilating and summarising complex information and ideas, analysing and evaluating evidence, critiquing interpretations or arguments, coping with uncertainty or incomplete data, constructing arguments based on evidence, and presenting them effectively in writing and in debate;
Employability skills - such as effective communication through written reports and oral presentations, contributing to group discussions, working independently and in teams, using IT resources effectively, and time management;
Enterprise skills - such as creativity (practised especially in the Independent Study project), problem-solving, initiative, and independent thinking;
Research skills - (developed especially in the Independent Study and Dissertation): defining a project, formulating research questions, locating relevant information, and presenting the results in an oral presentation and an extended written report;
Discipline-specific skills - analysing historical and archaeological problems, locating and using appropriate evidence and bibliographic resources, handling literary and archaeological material, analysing images, and understanding the scholarly conventions used in relation to these types of evidence;
Practical archaeological skills - such as fieldwork skills, illustration, photography, surveying, geophysics, GIS, dating, scientific analysis of artefacts, bones, soils and plant remains, museum practice and public outreach.

Disciplines

School of History

Archaeology and Religion

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Undergraduate courses

You will be required to have good A-level scores or the equivalent of the International Baccalaureate Diploma to be considered for admission on to our undergraduate degree courses.

Alternatively, the successful completion of a recognised International Foundation Programme or a Community College Diploma or one or more years of undergraduate study at a recognised Jordanian University may also be considered as acceptable for entry on to our undergraduate degree courses.

Career

Careers and placements

Career prospects

In 2015/16, 94% of the School's graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduating.

We organise interactive workshops with the Careers Service to help students identify their skills and attributes. Our graduates find work in a wide range of related and non-related professional employment. Some choose to undertake postgraduate study at Cardiff or elsewhere, and some have become internationally reputed historians.

We believe in giving our graduates the best opportunities to find employment. We organise interactive workshops with the Careers Service to help students identify their skills and attributes and have our own, in-School Workplace Placements and employability officer. Some of our graduates enter professions which make direct use of their academic expertise. The majority however compete very successfully in a wide range of other fields.

Placements

The School of History, Archaeology and Religion has a dedicated Work Placements Officer who supports students with work experience opportunities both in and out of term time and careers advice.

We offer workplace experience to our students through our four-week, funded excavation, museum and heritage work placements at the end of the first and second year.

Students are also encouraged and financially supported to attend fieldwork placements abroad. Archaeology students are also encouraged to take advance of the Cardiff Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (CUROP) which provides summer placements for undergraduates in the University research environment. CUROP offers a stipend to support a student on a placement of up to eight weeks duration, working with supervision on staff-defined research projects. There are also opportunities to work with heritage industry professionals (e.g. Cadw) as part of fieldwork placements or the Heritage Communication module and to gain further experience in working with the public of all ages via a range of initiatives (e.g. the Guerilla Archaeology outreach group, the CAER heritage project and the Share With Schools scheme). Finally, there are weekly research seminars with international guest speakers, a student Archaeology Society and a range of other events (e.g. conferences, Bushcraft weekends).

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 20,450 / year

How to Apply

Before you apply Chevron right

Choose your course

Search for a course
Check the UCAS application deadlines (under 'application deadlines' on this page)
Check the specific entry requirements for your course
International students can check their qualifications by visiting the relevant country page
Some courses may involve attending an interview, sitting a test or submitting a portfolio - if required this will be stated in the entry requirements
Make sure you meet the English language requirements (non-UK only)
Read our admissions policies for more information on our application process.

Gather documents and information

Make sure you have everything you need to complete the application form (eg. education history, personal statement, referee details). This information is available from the UCAS website.

Apply Chevron right

Applications for all full-time undergraduate courses must be made through UCAS Apply. You can apply from 1 September the year before you intend to start your course.

Applicants with disabilities or specific needs

If you have a disability or a specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) make sure you note this on your UCAS form so that we are made aware of your needs in advance of arrival.

Part-time study

Some courses are available part-time. If you are interested in a part-time course you'll need to apply directly to the University, not UCAS. To find out more please visit our part-time study page.

Track your application

You can track your application with UCAS Track.

UCAS Extra

If you would like to apply to another university but have already used your five choices, you might be eligible for UCAS Extra. This service allows you to apply for courses with vacancies between the end of February and the end of June. Find out more about UCAS Extra.

Application deadlines Chevron right

UK students

There are two UCAS application deadlines:

15 October for Medicine (UCAS Codes: A100 and A104) and Dentistry (UCAS Codes: A200 and A204)
29 January for all other courses (for 2021 applications only - usual deadline is the last Wednesday of January.)

Applications after 29 January: you may apply until 30 June but your application will be marked 'late' and admissions tutors will consider it at their discretion.

Have a look at our key dates page to ensure you don't miss anything.

International and EU students

Applications from overseas students (non EU) will be accepted through UCAS up until 30 June. However, it is recommended that you apply by the 29 January (for 2021 entry) as courses may close after this date if they become full.

Medicine (UCAS Codes: A100 and A104) and Dentistry (UCAS Codes: A200 and A204) have a separate deadline of 15 October.

If you are applying after 30 June, please contact the International Office directly to discuss your application.

Taking a year out

Most academic schools will consider deferred applications but you must indicate this on your UCAS form along with your reasons for deferring. Check with the relevant academic school before you apply.

Receiving your offers Chevron right

UCAS will contact you by email or letter once you have at least one offer. If you are offered a place, your offer will be either unconditional or conditional:

Unconditional offers

This means that you have met all the academic requirements and we are happy to accept you.

Conditional offers

This means that we will offer you a place if you meet certain conditions which are usually based on your exams or an English language test. Once you have met the conditions and accepted your place through UCAS, your offer will become unconditional.

Invitations

Depending on the course, we may invite you to an interview, an information day or ask you to provide a portfolio of work. If this is the case, this will be clearly indicated in UCAS Track.

When will I hear?

The sooner you submit your application through UCAS (after it opens on 1 September) the earlier you should start to receive offers. However, bear in mind that universities and colleges have until early May to make their decision.

Replying to your offers Chevron right

You must now consider the offers you've received and inform UCAS of your choice through the Track system. The deadline by which you must reply will be displayed in Track.

You have three options:

Firm acceptance

This is your first/preferred choice. You can only have one firm acceptance.

Insurance acceptance (optional)

If your firm acceptance is a conditional offer, you can accept another offer (conditional or unconditional) as an insurance choice in case you fail to meet the terms of your firm acceptance. You can only have one insurance acceptance.

Decline

You must decline all other offers. If you do not wish to accept any offers made, you can decline them all. Depending on your circumstances, you may then be eligible to use UCAS Extra or clearing.

For detailed information on how and when to reply to offers, please visit the UCAS website.

What to do if you have no offers

If you receive no offers or choose to decline all offers, you might be able to apply through UCAS Extra for another course. You will only be able to apply to courses that still have vacancies. Extra is open from the end of February to early July. In Extra, you apply for one course at a time using UCAS Track.

To be eligible for UCAS Extra you need to have:

already made five choices
received decisions from all these choices, and
either had no offers or declined all the offers you have received.

Remember: If you decline your offers and add an Extra choice, you will not be able to accept any of your original choices later.

Please see the UCAS website for further information

How we get your results Chevron right

Many exam results are sent to us from UCAS directly, so you don't need to send us copies. You can check UCAS to see which exam results they receive.

If your results are not provided to the University by UCAS you will need to upload a copy of your official certificate or transcript via the online application service.

If you are not able to upload a copy of your results, you can email or post them to us. Please don't send us original documents in the post.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we do not recommend sending documents in the post as there will be a delay in processing. If you have any questions then please email [email protected].

Nominating someone to act on your behalf Chevron right

The University is bound by the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 in terms of safeguarding personal information. The University will not discuss your application with anyone unless you have given written permission for the University to do so.

You can authorise someone to respond to our requests for information, submit correspondence and make decisions, for example accommodation preferences, on your behalf. This can be particularly useful if gap year travel is planned. Details should be sent in writing to admissions.