BA Archaeology
About this course
BA in Archaeology, investigating human societies through their physical remains from earliest hominins to the present day. Core topics include Research Methods, Fieldwork, and Ethics & Professional Practice. The course holds Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) accreditation, and offers students CIfA membership with access to specialist networks and e-learning modules. A four-week departmental excavation provides hands-on experience in field techniques and site recording.
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
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What students say
Based on about 7 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 82%
- Learning opportunities: 76%
- Assessment and feedback: 75%
- Academic support: 91%
- Organisation and management: 86%
- Learning resources: 92%
- Student voice: 73%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 15 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 95%
- Left higher education: 5%
What graduates do next
Based on about 7 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 60%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 15%
- Unemployed: 15%
Most common jobs
- Natural and social science professionals: 15%
- Conservation and environment professionals: 15%
- Elementary occupations: 10%
- Leisure, travel and related personal service occupations: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 65%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 65%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 45%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 275 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 2%
- North West: 3%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 3%
- East Midlands: 4%
- West Midlands: 3%
- East of England: 13%
- London: 21%
- South East: 31%
- South West: 14%
- Wales: 4%
- Scotland: 1%
- Northern Ireland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 10 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 90%
- Access course: 10%
Accreditation & quality ratings
- Accreditation by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), working in partnership with University Archaeology UK (UAUK), recognises academic programmes which provide students with appropriate workplace skills relevant to both a career in the historic environment and CIfA membership at Practitioner grade.
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Revolutions and Transitions: The Human Journey from 6 Million Years Ago to the Present Day
- Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice
- Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome
- Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death
- Contemporary World Cultures: An Introduction to Social Anthropology
- Warfare in Early Modern Europe, c. 1500-1715
- Roman History: The Rise and Fall of the Republic
- Ancient Song
- Presenting the Past: An Introduction to Museum Studies
- Chivalry: The Emergence and Impact of a Medieval Ethos
- The Rwanda Genocide of 1994
- Optional Language or University-Wide Module
- Archaeology and Heritage: Past, Present and Future
- Ancient Objects: Materials and Meanings
- Archaeology Field School and Professional Practice
- Prehistoric Europe: The First Million Years
- Medieval Europe: Power, Religion and Death
- Entertainment and Leisure in Roman Society
- Bioarchaeology
- Changing the Face of the Earth: Past, Present and Future Sustainability
- Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Analysis
- Methods and Approaches in Ethnographic Practice
- Human Activities in Settlements and Landscapes
- Summer Placement
- Museum Learning and Engagement
- Curatorship and Collections Management
- Optional Language or University-Wide Module
- Dissertation in Archaeology
- The Anthropology of Heritage and Cultural Property
- Objects and Identities in the Roman Empire
- Biological Anthropology
- Post-excavation: Assessment, Analysis and Publication in the Profession
- Emergence of Civilisation in Mesopotamia
- The First Europeans: Archaeology of the Lower Palaeolithic
- The Archaeology and Anthropology of Food
- Living in Medieval Towns
- Summer Placement
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Archaeology at University of Reading earn?
The median salary is £29,500 after 15 months, £23,000 after 3 years, £27,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £23,000 and £34,500. The £27,500 median after five years is £2,000 more than the UK median for Archaeology.
What do graduates of BA 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 Archaeology at University of Reading?
82% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Archaeology at University of Reading?
The typical offer is BBB at A level, or 30 points in the IB. The average entrant had 111 UCAS points.
Is BA Archaeology at University of Reading accredited?
Yes. Accreditation by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), working in partnership with University Archaeology UK (UAUK), recognises academic programmes which provide students with appropriate workplace skills relevant to both a career in the historic environment and CIfA membership at Practitioner grade.
Does BA 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 Archaeology at University of Reading?
95% of students continued into their second year, and 5% left higher education.