Archaeology with a Year Abroad BA

Course overview

Core modules in the first year provide a grounding in the practical and theoretical methods in archaeology and an introduction to major issues in world prehistory.

The second and final year provide a more advanced understanding of archaeology and theoretical approaches, and allow you to develop your own specialised interests by choosing optional modules in particular subject areas.

Your third year is spent studying abroad at one of our partner institutions, where you will study modules in archaeology and related subjects. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your understanding of the theory and practice of archaeology outside the UK. You will benefit from the expertise and advice of UCL’s Study Abroad Office as well as our departmental Study Abroad Tutor. You will need to be in good academic standing and linguistically competent for your exchange destination.

In the final year you are given the chance to reflect critically on your fieldwork experience and the skills you have been developing during the degree through a portfolio, and write a 10,000-word dissertation on a detailed subject that you will choose, research and write up with the support of a supervisor.

Throughout the degree you will be able to select optional modules that provide an in-depth study of particular geographical regions, time periods and archaeological materials. Optional modules will help you develop practical skills in a range of areas, from topographical surveying to archaeological photography. There are archaeology optional modules that run on a biennial basis and range from Roman Art and Architecture to Pottery Analysis; from Geoarchaeology to Zooarchaeology; from Amazonia or the Aztecs to Stonehenge, China and Early Islamic Archaeology.

This degree offers all the flexibility of the Archaeology BA programme combined with the opportunity to study abroad.

In this programme some of the world's leading researchers introduce archaeological concepts, issues, and analytical techniques. Through your selection of optional modules, field projects and dissertation topics you will also develop knowledge of particular chronological periods, geographical areas and specialist skills to support your own interests and development.

The third year of the degree is spent at an approved partner university. In previous years students have spent the year studying in Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

The foundation of your career

Students learn to communicate effectively verbally, visually and in writing to diverse audiences and develop a sensitivity to different cultures. They also develop excellent transferable skills providing the experience necessary to work both within the archaeology, heritage and museum sector and in numerous sectors outside of the discipline.

Our graduates go on to work in a diverse range of fields from archaeology (fieldwork, research and academia), heritage, museums, the UK civil service and police, law, engineering, business - the possibilities are extremely wide and varied. (Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2020/2021 cohort: Graduate Outcomes surveys, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21).

Employability

Throughout the degree, students develop highly desirable transferable skills valuable across a range of job sectors. This includes both independent working and teamwork skills, research and analytical skills, planning and project management, and an understanding of the importance of recovering primary data through practical experience.