BA Ancient History and Archaeology
About this course
BA in History, Archaeology and Classics. Core topics include Research Methods, Fieldwork, and Ethics & Professional Practice. The programme is jointly delivered with the Department of Classics and includes a four-week field school excavation on a departmental site. A year-long professional placement or study year abroad is available as an alternative to the standard three-year route.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: BBB IB: 30 points overall
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What students say
Based on about 8 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 95%
- Learning opportunities: 92%
- Assessment and feedback: 88%
- Academic support: 95%
- Organisation and management: 90%
- Learning resources: 97%
- Student voice: 93%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 15 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 85%
- Left higher education: 15%
What graduates do next
Based on about 5 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 65%
- Working and studying: 15%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 5%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 35%
- Sales occupations: 20%
- Teaching Professionals: 15%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Business and Financial Project Management Professionals: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 65%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 55%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 50%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 65 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 3%
- North West: 2%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 2%
- East Midlands: 4%
- West Midlands: 3%
- East of England: 19%
- London: 25%
- South East: 29%
- South West: 11%
- Wales: 2%
- Northern Ireland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 15 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 100%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice
- Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome
- Greek History: War, Society and Change in the Archaic Age
- Roman History: The Rise and Fall of the Republic
- Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death
- Contemporary World Cultures: An Introduction to Social Anthropology
- Ancient Song
- Presenting the Past: An Introduction to Museum Studies
- Ancient Greek
- Latin
- Optional Language or University Wide Modules
- Archaeology Field School and Professional Practice
- Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians
- Prehistoric Europe: The First Million Years
- Medieval Europe: Power, Religion and Death
- Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander
- Roman History: From Republic to Empire
- Archaeology and Heritage: Past, Present and Future
- Ancient Objects: Materials and Meanings
- Bioarchaeology
- Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Analysis
- Changing the Face of the Earth: Past, Present and Future Sustainability
- Methods and Approaches in Ethnographic Practice
- Ancient Epic
- My Mother's Sins and Other Stories
- Ancient Drama
- Ancient Egyptian Language and Hieroglyphs
- Entertainment and Leisure in Roman Society
- Celts and Romans: Northern Europe and Britain
- Curatorship and Collections Management
- Optional Language or University Wide Modules
- Dissertation in Archaeology
- Dissertation in Classics
- Independent Project in Classics
- The Anthropology of Heritage and Cultural Property
- The Archaeology and Anthropology of Food
- Biological Anthropology
- Post-excavation: Assessment, Analysis and Publication in the Profession
- Emergence of Civilisation in Mesopotamia
- The First Europeans: Archaeology of the Lower Palaeolithic
- Objects and Identities in the Roman Empire
- 'Race' in the Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds
- Beyond Barbarians and Bishops: Late Antiquity, 300-800 CE
- Ancient Ethiopia: The Aksumite Kingdom
- History, Culture and Society in the time of Nero
- Xenophon's Anabasis
- Leadership Skills and Values from Antiquity
- From Classroom to Courtroom: Mastering the Art of Persuasion
- Summer Placement
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Reading earn?
The median salary is £25,000 after 15 months, £22,000 after 3 years, £27,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £22,500 and £34,000. The £27,000 median after five years is £3,500 less than the UK median for History.
What do graduates of BA Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Reading do next?
85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Reading?
95% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Reading?
The typical offer is BBB at A level, or 30 points in the IB. The average entrant had 106 UCAS points.
Does BA Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Reading include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year and an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Reading?
85% of students continued into their second year, and 15% left higher education.