BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Study Year Abroad

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

University RankQS Ranking

173

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Home/United Kingdom/Reading /University of Reading/BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Study Year Abroad

University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

VL48

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 30,650 / year

Next Intake September-2026

BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Study Year Abroad

About

Explore humanity from its earliest origins to the cultures and societies of today – and gain valuable international experience – with our BA Archaeology and Anthropology with Study Year Abroad degree.

Choose the University of Reading

The University is in the top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World Rankings by Subject, 2024, Archaeology. The University of Reading is ranked 51-100 in the world).
Ranked 1st in the UK for environmental and ethical performance (People and Planet University League 2023/24)
In 2023, the University of Reading was the first ever winner of the Times Higher Education (THE) award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership
Ranked 1st in the UK for research quality and research outputs in Archaeology (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of REF 2021)
The University of Reading scored 1st for teaching quality in Archaeology and Forensic Science (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025).
97% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, 97.06% of responders from the Department of Archaeology)
Overall, 96% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation. (Three-year average, based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2022-2024, Graduate Outcomes Surveys 2019/20-2021/22; includes Full-time, UK domiciled, first degree Archaeology responders).

Explore the archaeological past and cultures of today

Our BA Archaeology and Anthropology course allows you to combine two fascinating and related disciplines. Archaeology examines the material evidence from our past and present, while anthropology focuses on human development and contemporary cultures.

Studying these disciplines together will provide you with insight into what it means to be human. This will enable you to address issues that are critical to our shared global future, including:

the relationship between humans and environmental change
inequality, migration and identity
population growth and development
human diets and health
politics, economics and sustainability.

By examining human development, behaviour and different cultures, you’ll better understand the roots of these issues. You’ll learn how other societies have tackled comparable problems and how contemporary societies are addressing them now.

Using methodological approaches from the sciences, social sciences and humanities, you’ll explore the diversity of human experience. You will learn about the biological evolution of our earliest ancestors, the pre-historical and historical development of different cultures, and present-day ways of life and social issues.

We’ll support you to develop a broad range of subject-specific and transferable skills that span the humanities and sciences. Your learning can include:

the investigation of artefacts recovered through excavations and standing monuments
how material, biological, and ethnographic evidence can be used to understand past and contemporary cultures and societies
handling human remains to learn about burial archaeology and biological anthropology
examining how ideas of gender vary between different times and societies today
how climate and environmental change has impacted lives past and present.

Study Abroad

A key component of this course is a year abroad that enables you to further your studies at one of our partner universities overseas.

We have a number of partner universities in Europe as well as opportunities farther afield. For details of our current exchanges, please visit our Study Abroad Find A University website and select ‘Archaeology’.

All classes are conducted in English and bursaries are available to help with travel and accommodation costs. Visit our Study Abroad website for more information, and to view the full list of current partner institutions.

Further information about studying abroad is available on our Important Information page.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

BBB

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

English Program Requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

Career

Archaeology careers

Overall, 96% of graduates from Archaeology are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation. (Three-year average, based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2022-2024, Graduate Outcomes Surveys 2019/20-2021/22; includes Full-time, UK domiciled, first degree Archaeology responders)

Archaeology is more than studying material culture and the past: it’s a discipline that actively prepares you for the job market. You’ll develop an impressive range of practical and academic skills, whether you want to move into the archaeology or heritage sectors or enter a wide range of other industries and careers.

Currently, there is a rising demand for archaeologists in the UK. More than 40 major infrastructure projects are planned over the next 17 years, and archaeologists are required for exploratory excavations and analysis before construction begins. In 2021 David Connolly, Director of British Archaeological Jobs and Resources, said: "For all the infrastructure projects the government is pushing forward... the country is anywhere from 500 to 1,000 archaeologists short."

Previous graduates have gone on to work within the archaeological and heritage sector for companies such as:

Museum of London Archaeology
Thames Valley Archaeological Services
Cambridge Archaeological Unit
Victoria and Albert Museum

Read how Rizwan Ahmad has used the skills he developed during his Archaeology degree to pursue a career in the heritage sector.

Our graduates have also found careers with a diverse range of employers outside the heritage sector, including:

Mott MacDonald (engineering consultancy)
Hargreaves Lansdown (financial consultancy)
RPS Group

Many graduates from the Department of Archaeology have used their expertise across the humanities and sciences to enter careers such as teaching, policing, industry and commerce.

Based on HESA data © HESA 2020 - 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18 - 2021/22; includes undergradate responders from the Department of Archaeology.

Anthropology careers

Anthropology can be a path into the civil service, international development (with governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations), agriculture, social research, the arts, and social policy.

As an anthropology graduate, your communication and analytical skills could be employed in a variety of sectors, including:

education
the civil service and local government
not-for-profit
arts and development charities
marketing and advertising
law
PR and the media.

Other skills you’ve gained, such as data handling and attention to detail, are valued in many sectors – including publishing, financial services and forensic science.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 30,650

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

You can apply online for all of our courses, including courses with an Integrated Foundation Year, via the national admissions service, UCAS. You can choose to apply for up to five courses in total, including more than one course at the same institution.

1. Find a course

Browse our undergraduate courses and identify which ones you'd like to apply for. Make sure to check your course's entry requirements before you apply.

2. Begin your application

Our UCAS code is R12. The University does not have a campus code.

3. Write your personal statement

As part of your application, you'll be asked to submit a personal statement to support your application. This is your opportunity to tell us more about why you want to study the course and what interests, skills and experience you have that demonstrate your passion for the subject.

4. Submit your application

When you're happy with your application and have added the required information such as qualifications, personal statement and reference, you can submit your application.

A small charge is made by UCAS for applying to university. The application fee for 2024 entry is £27.50 for up to five choices.

Make sure to check the UCAS website for the most up-to-date application deadlines. If you have missed the January deadline, there is still the opportunity to apply (via UCAS), and we are happy to consider late applications until 30 June 2024 (all applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing). Please be aware that some of our courses may be full after the January UCAS deadline, so we recommend early applications where possible.