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Archaeology BA

University Park Campus, Nottingham, UK

Course overview

As an Archaeology student at Nottingham, you will:

  • gain a critical understanding of archaeological methods and why they matter in today’s world  

  • explore the development of human societies, from ancient times to the modern day, spanning Britain, Europe, the Mediterranean and beyond

  • develop practical skills that employers value – from analytical thinking and communication to teamwork and hands-on experience 

  • support your studies in our specialist teaching and research laboratories for archaeological science, with the opportunity to work with the British Geological Survey and the University Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre 

Indicative modules

Mandatory

Year 1

Comparative World Prehistory

Mandatory

Year 1

Interpreting Ancient Art and Archaeology

Mandatory

Year 1

Studying the Human Past

Mandatory

Year 1

Introduction to Practical Archaeology

Mandatory

Year 1

Themes in Heritage and Museums

Mandatory

Year 1

World Historical Archaeology

Optional

Year 1

Arts Engaged in Health (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Data, Culture and Society (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Digital Projects: Data and Text (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Digital Projects: Sound and Vision (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Disease and Society (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Exploring Digital Arts (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Exploring Sustainability (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Sustainability Action (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

The Critical Citizen: Modes of Thinking in Contemporary Society (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 1

Writing and Being: Academic, Activist, Professional, Creative and Personal (Engaged Arts)

Mandatory

Year 2

Analysing Archaeology

Mandatory

Year 2

Communicating the Past

Mandatory

Year 2

Archaeology: Theory and Practice

Optional

Year 2

Applying the Digital Humanities (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Arts Work Placement Module (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Community Engagement and Social Impact (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Decolonisation and Justice (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Employing the Arts (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Issues in the Health Humanities (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Living and Working in a Multi-Lingual World (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Made in Nottingham (Engaged Arts)

Optional

Year 2

Mediterranean Prehistory

Optional

Year 2

Osteology

Optional

Year 2

At Home with the Greeks and Romans

Optional

Year 2

Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean c. 500-1500 CE

Optional

Year 2

The Lives of Ancient Objects

Optional

Year 2

Archaeological Finds

Optional

Year 2

Italy before the Romans

Optional

Year 2

Ancient Metallurgy

Optional

Year 2

Conquerors, Caliphs, and Converts

Optional

Year 2

Employing the Arts

Optional

Year 2

Arts Work Placement Module

Mandatory

Year 3

Research Project

Optional

Year 3

Life and Death in the Medieval City

Optional

Year 3

Heritage and the Media

Optional

Year 3

Life and Death in the Medieval City

Optional

Year 3

Coins, Cults and Cities

Optional

Year 3

The Bronze Age Aegean

Optional

Year 3

Italy before the Romans

Optional

Year 3

Ancient Metallurgy

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About modules

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Monday 24 March 2025. Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

You will be taught via a mixture of large-group lectures and smaller, interactive seminars.

You will also have practical teaching:

  • In our suite of archaeology labs – dedicated to the study of materials, bones, zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, and isotope preparation.
  • Out in the field – as part of the compulsory fieldwork project and also via practical training at nearby Wollaton Hall.

Support

All new undergraduate students are allocated a peer mentor, to help you settle into life at Nottingham.

You are also assigned a personal tutor at the start of each academic year. Your personal tutor oversees your academic development and personal welfare.

Find out more about the support on offer.

Teaching quality

100% of our class of 2020 graduated with a 1st or 2:1 degree classification. Source: UoN student outcomes data, Annual Monitoring (QDS) Analyses 2020.

Nine academics from the Department of Classics and Archaeology have received Advance HE recognition for their contribution to education, becoming Teaching Fellows.

Teaching methods

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Workshops
  • Field trips
  • Placements
  • Lab sessions

Our courses are modular, and range from full-year to semester-long modules. Assessment normally takes place towards the end of each semester, while beginners’ language modules are usually assessed by a coursework portfolio running throughout the semester.

Assessment is based on a combination of coursework, (including essays, research projects and the dissertation), oral presentations, and formal examinations. The precise assessments vary between modules and across the years of your degree. Some of our modules include the option of producing more artistic or creative coursework.

"I designed several T-shirts and hoodies which conveyed information about the site’s art and architecture, history, and its eventual ruination by ISIL in 2015. I wanted to combine my interest of fashion with my love for the Classical world, and this project gave me the opportunity to do so."

– Alexander Gadd, on the 'Communicating the Past' module

Feedback

We offer detailed written comments on all coursework, and the opportunity to discuss ideas and coursework with your tutor is an integral part of your studies at Nottingham. Whether by giving feedback on an essay plan or discussing the results of an assessment, we help you work to the best of your ability. There are appointed days in each semester to get feedback from tutors and module convenors, as well as other opportunities to discuss pieces of work.

Assessment methods

  • Essay
  • Lab report
  • In-class test
  • Portfolio (written/digital)
  • Presentation
  • Research project
  • Written exam

You’ll have at least the following hours of timetabled contact a week through lectures, seminars and workshops, tutorials and supervisions.

  • Year one: minimum of 12 hours
  • Year two: minimum of 10 hours
  • Final year: minimum of 8 hours

Your tutors will also be available outside these times to discuss issues and develop your understanding. We reduce your contact hours as you work your way through the course. As you progress, we expect you to assume greater responsibility for your studies and work more independently.

Your tutors will all be qualified academics. Sizes of lectures and seminars vary according to topic. A popular lecture may be up to 75 participants, with specialised seminars of 10.

As well as scheduled teaching you’ll carry out extensive self-study such as:

  • reading
  • locating and analysing primary sources
  • planning and writing essays and other assessed work
  • collaborating with fellow students

As a guide, 20 credits (a typical module) is approximately 200 hours of work (combined teaching and self-study).

On this course, you will also undertake 20 days of fieldwork. This usually takes place during the summer break and can involve up to five days in a museum or similar environment.

A degree in archaeology gives you a wide range of transferable skills, including:

  • ability to process and critically evaluate data
  • applying theoretical and scientific principles to problems
  • critical analysis and argument
  • experience of fieldwork, post-excavation and laboratory techniques
  • ability to interpret spatial data numerical, statistical, IT and analytical skills
  • strong team working
  • written, oral and visual communication

Read our Classics and Archaeology student and alumni profiles for more about the range of skills you will gain, as well as the careers which our graduates go into.

You can learn more about subject-related careers opportunities from our Careers and Employability Services.

Average starting salary and career progression

78.8% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Arts secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £23,974.

HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017 to 2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.

Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.

Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).

University undergraduate student studying in Nightingale Hall accommodation's library, University Park

One of the most important skills that I gained from my degree was the ability to critically analyse and interrogate data. This is an invaluable skill for anyone, and in my role it's important as it allows me to confidently challenge reports and understand these on a deeper level. 

David Hanks

Archaeology BA graduate, now working as Collections Manager for English Heritage

Course data

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