BA (Hons) Archaeology & Anthropology

This popular course gives you a solid foundation in the study of human societies across the globe, past and present. This course emphasises human history and prehistoric perspectives.

UCAS Code:
VL46
Institution:
B50
Delivery:
Full-time

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Why study BA (Hons) Archaeology and Anthropology?

Develop an in-depth understanding of the diversity and richness of contemporary and past human societies across the globe
Alongside specialist units you’ll get a comprehensive grounding in the practical elements of archaeology and anthropology through working in cutting-edge labs and out in the field
Specialise in social or biological, anthropology or archaeology, or if you’d like to take a broader focus, you can continue to study elements of all these disciplines
Undertake a five or 30- week work placement at home or abroad. It’s a great way to cultivate the experience and contacts you’ll need to secure work after you graduate
Take part in BU’s renowned field school to gain a wide range of practical skills
The course received a 90% satisfaction rating from our final year students.

Find out more about the content of this course.

For September 2023 entry: In order to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in industry to benefit our students we regularly review all of our courses. This course is currently going through this process and we will update this page in November 2022 to give you full information about what we will be offering once the review process has concluded.

Course accreditation

This course is among the first to receive joint accreditation from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), the leading professional body representing archaeologists working in the UK and overseas, and the University Archaeology UK group (UAUK). Choosing an accredited degree is widely recognised as the first step on a career path leading to professional status.

See our fieldwork, facilities and placements in the videos below

Next start date:

September 2023, September 2024

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

3 years full-time with an optional 5-week placement, or 4 years full-time with a minimum 30-week placement

Accreditations:

Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), working in partnership with University Archaeology UK

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2023 entry: 104-120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

For September 2023 entry: If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in either reading or writing and 5.5 in all other components or equivalent. For more information check out our international entry requirements.

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed by coursework culminating in your final year research project, and you will also undertake group work and written exams. The assessment methods for each unit can be found in the programme specification for your course.

Download the programme specification (pdf 2.5mb)

Year 1

Core units

AAFS Study Skills: Fundamental skills for any scientist are the ability to work with a range of field and lab data. This unit will provide you with the knowledge to perform statistical analysis, create charts, graphs & maps, and write clear and concise reports using appropriate software packages.
Ancient Peoples & Places: You will be introduced to the key thematic studies in archaeology concerning the evolution and development of ancient humans, changing technologies and material culture, and the organisation and development of past societies. You will be introduced to a range of archaeological, fossil, genetic and ethnographic evidence and develop core skills of analysis, interpretation, and reasoning using archaeological data.
Approaches to Archaeology: This unit aims to introduce students to key aspects of studying the past through the discipline of archaeology. Attention is focused on the history and development of the discipline from the sixteenth to twenty-first centuries; the principal current epistemologies and theoretical traditions; formation processes and methods of discovering archaeological sites and features; the main classes of evidence represented by artefacts and ecofacts, their characteristics, how they are studied by archaeologists, and the information they may provide; current traditions of archaeological endeavour; and the nature of key dimensions of the past including time, space, place, and society.
Archaeological Practice: The knowledge and skills essential to the aspiring archaeologist practicing within the modern professional discipline of archaeology will be covered in this unit. It will also provide you with an understanding of the interconnectedness of data derived from field situations and that recovered from archived sources in an on-going analytical process of refinement and reinvestigation. Successful completion of the unit will enable you to understand the context of archaeological data, which will support and enhance aspects of structural, artefactual and palaeo-environmental analysis delivered at all levels in the courses in which it lies.
Gathering Time: This is about the chronological framework that supports archaeological understanding and interpretation. You will be introduced to the concept of time, how it is measured and reckoned in current societies and how it has been understood by societies in the past. You will gain an understanding of current techniques in dating and what methods are appropriate for use with different archaeological materials.
Introduction to Social Anthropology: During this unit student centred activities such as discussions and short presentations will enable you to demonstrate your growing knowledge of the historical emergence and development of anthropology and some of the key theoretical and empirical debates within social anthropology. You will also be able to gain insights into social anthropological perspectives and have the knowledge and confidence to debate contemporary world problems and issues.

Year 2

Core units

Becoming Human: What makes us (as humans) unique? Where did our species come from? Starting from the divergence of the human lineage from that of other apes, this unit will demonstrate how a wide variety of different lines of evidence can inform the way in which we became human. You will learn how archaeologists and anthropologists interpret the fossil and archaeological evidence to understand the ways in which our ancestors and related species lived and how this changed over time. A key focus throughout will be on the relationship between the biological and social environments for evolution, and how the interaction between them influenced the evolution not only of our distinctive biological life histories, subsistence and foraging patterns but also our social life and culture, in the form of technology, material culture, language and symbolism.
Field & Research Skills: To ensure you gain a practical understanding of the aims, strategies and methods of fieldwork, you will participate in a fieldwork training project. During this, you will carry out practical tasks such as excavating, processing finds and samples. You will work in groups to solve problems, developing team skills and professional competencies.
Themes in Archaeology & Anthropology: If there is such a thing as ‘human nature’, then why are cultures across the world so different? Many things and practices that we think of as ‘natural’ or biologically given – for example, bodies, eating, shelter and the environment – are in fact thought about or performed in very different ways in different cultures across the globe today and in the past. How and why have cultural differences come about, and why might they change? This unit will introduce you to the diversity of contemporary and past human cultures around the world, and to some of the methods anthropologists and archaeologists use to study these differences.

Option units

Semester 1 (choose one):

Archaeological Science: This unit will develop your understanding of how thematic archaeological research questions may be addressed through the use of archaeological scientific techniques and approaches. Knowledge of case studies will be developed to promote understanding of the potential applications of archaeological science to investigate the behaviour of past human societies.
Post-excavation Skills: Providing you with practical hands-on post-excavation skills, you will gain an understanding of the planning, management and documentation of post-excavation studies. Practical experience will also be obtained in one of a range of post-excavation specialist skills, focusing on the formulation of a post-excavation research archive, retrieval and analysis of data derived from excavation and field survey, and the preparation of specialist reports. You will also acquire an appreciation of key concepts and methodological approaches including: post-excavation recording and use of archaeological assemblages to address archaeological research questions; analytical approaches; classification systems and typologies; depositional and taphonomic processes; relevant technical skills.
Growing Up & Growing Old: This unit explores sociological and anthropological perspectives and theories of childhood, youth and aging. It examines the variety and change in which the different categories of the life course, as well as how the transition from one stage to the next have been imagined, marked and constructed in different cultures and throughout history. It explores what impact such constructions have on people’s experiences of growing up and growing old. Drawing particularly on ethnographic studies from different parts of the world, the unit will explore the diverse experiences of children, young and old people in relation to, for example, economic or social circumstances including class, education, employment, and many others. It asks what impact specific contexts and structures as well as dominant representations, such as in the media, government policies or law, have on human lives; for example, how these affect the social status; or a sense of security and protection from violence and abuse; or the scope for agency and choice at different age stages across different cultures and society.

Semester 2 (choose two):

Understanding Cultures: You will explore how concepts of ‘culture’ and ‘society’ are theorized within sociology, anthropology and related disciplines. Drawing on selected key texts from these academic areas, the unit will examine the historical development and critique of the concepts of culture and society. In particular, you will explore how these ideas were developed by some of the classic theorists of social science disciplines. Following this, we will explore the continuing significance of classic thinkers to contemporary debates on issues such as class, poverty, gender, race and nation, as well as the nature of modernity. How are notions of culture and society used in current sociological and anthropological research, and what is their relevance to social relationships in the contemporary world?
Maritime Archaeology: This unit is focused on the development of maritime archaeological traditions and management regimes in the UK. You will be introduced to the archaeology of boats and ships from the past enabling you to understand the broad chronology of their development. The unit will be delivered through a combination of keynote lectures and seminars supported by a field-trip to a site relevant to the key elements (e.g. the Mary Rose, Chatham Historic Dockyard or the Cutty Sark).
Rome & Barbarian Europe: In this unit you will be taught primarily by illustrated lectures. The lecture programme will be delivered in two consecutive strands comprising the ‘Golden Age’ of the Roman Empire (1st – 3rd Centuries AD) and the Later Empire with its changing cultural reference points. Field visits will be made to British sites of significance to the periods under study, laying stress upon their importance to the historic environment. The unit provides a chronological and topographical framework within which you will develop an understanding of the history, archaeological impact, key sites, monuments, belief-systems, artistic expression, political complexity, fashions and environment of the Roman Empire from the 1st Century to the 7th Century AD in its wider European, African and Asian context. The complex interrelationship between the classical world and that of, so-called ‘barbarian’ (Celtic/Germanic/Scandinavian/Slavic) people of north and eastern Europe will, in particular, be studied from the standpoint of history, archaeology and geography. Key to the unit will be the analysis and understanding of and cultural diversification and change.
Societies of Prehistoric Europe: Keynote lectures are supported by discussion sessions to provide you with an introduction to the study of early farming societies in Temperate Europe and the northern Mediterranean (c.6000-800 BC). They will bring together evidence of settlement patterns; subsistence economies; the production, use and trade of artefacts; ritual and burial practices; and landscape change, to provide a sound understanding of how these societies inhabited and manipulated their environment. You will be required to undertake a considerable amount of supportive research.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Optional placement year

Final year

Core units

Cultural Ecology: Humans share their habitats with a multitude of other organisms and have to adapt to a variety of existing or changing circumstances of the natural environment. However, humans themselves change these basic conditions by using techniques, agreements, rules and modes of organisation in order to facilitate long-term settlement their habitat; they form and manipulate their environment as part of adaptation strategies within the framework of their personal interests and collective goals. Adaptations of human populations to their respective habitats thus always embrace cultural strategies and their biological conditions and consequences. By considering an ecosystems approach, this unit will give an overview and discuss of the diversity and correspondence of biocultural solutions, which human populations have developed to co-ordinate these two sides of their life support system.
Independent Research Project: The Independent Research Project provides you with an opportunity to gain experience of research in a topic of your choice relevant to your degree and to demonstrate your ability to report that research. Such experience is considered essential for those students interested in pursuing academic and/or professional research at a higher level of responsibility and achievement.

Option units

Semester 1 (choose one):

Anthropology of International Policy & Intervention: Following conflict, war or regime change, many populations and states have become subject to large-scale military or humanitarian intervention, policy and knowledge transfer and translation projects, globally, from West to East or North to South. The interventions in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq and Kosovo (to name a few) have led to a recognition of the importance of understanding local knowledge and involving local stakeholders in order to ensure the success of projects intending securitisation and democratisation, peace- and state-building. This unit aims to familiarise you with critical anthropological debates on international intervention policies and practices. By introducing you to existing, multi-sited ethnographic research into international and local organisations and actors, their experiences, practices, norms and perceptions as well as into the transformations of ‘Western’ intervention paradigms on the ground, the unit will provide the basis for scholarly criticism of real-life international policy transfer in global asymmetric relations of power. It will foster critical and creative thinking for improving professional, ethically-aware future practices in the applications of anthropological, sociological and policy expertise This unit aims to familiarise you with critical anthropological debates on international intervention policies and practices. By introducing you to existing, multi-sited ethnographic research into international and local organisations and actors, their experiences, practices, norms and perceptions as well as into the transformations of ‘Western’ intervention paradigms on the ground, the unit will provide the basis for scholarly criticism of real-life international policy transfer in global asymmetric relations of power. It will foster critical and creative thinking for improving professional, ethically-aware future practices in the applications of anthropological, sociological and policy expertise.
Archaeological Management: This unit will cover the principles and practice of conservation and management of the historic environment in the UK, examining the professional environment, legislative background, and organisational context. You will also cover the principles of business planning and project developments, including the costing and tendering procedures associated with the professional delivery of contracting and consultancy work; and consider ethical, professional, and health and safety issues. Working in groups, you will perform an assessment of the archaeological or historical potential of a given site, monument, building, or area, the threats posed to it, and options available to mitigate those threats, preparing you for professional employment in archaeological and conservation organisations.
Later Prehistoric Britain: By the end of this unit you will have a detailed critical understanding of the archaeology of the later Bronze Age and Iron Age Britain, broadly 1500BC-AD50, in Britain in its Continental context. The unit will provide a broad knowledge of chronological and regional variations within later prehistoric Britain and also contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the development of archaeological theory.
Seekers, Believers & Iconoclasts - Sociology of Thought: This unit explores the concept of science as a sociological phenomenon contextualised within a cultural and social analysis, as well as a philosophical and historical one. Science is considered as a social organisation dedicated to the production of knowledge that is accepted within a corpus of knowledge as conforming to that governing scientific epistemology. This position is contrasted with bodies of knowledge that lie beyond these rules and governance.

Semester 2 (choose two):

Animals & Society: This unit aims to provide you with a detailed critical understanding of humans’ interactions with animals in Britain from the Palaeolithic through to the early Post-medieval period. These interactions include the exploitation of animals for meat and other products and how animals were incorporated into burial practices and other rituals.
Primate Behavioural Ecology: Providing an understanding of how primate behaviour can be interpreted from an evolutionary viewpoint, and how human and non-human primates’ behavioural strategies are adapted to the environment (social and ecological) in which they live, the unit will stimulate discussion and the critical analysis of theories by a combination of lectures, directed reading, and discussion sessions, which will involve the analysis of scientific articles.
Roman Britain: You will be provided with the opportunity to explore in detail the practical and theoretical problems associated with the study of the material culture and archaeology of a distinct geographical area. The unit seeks to provide you with a solid understanding of the importance of archaeological data in the understanding and interpretation of historical chronologies.
Sarup to Stonehenge - Neolithic & Chalcolithic of Northwest Europe: The archaeology of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, broadly 4000-2000 BC, in the British Isles and the adjacent Continental coastlands from western France to southern Scandinavia is one of the most formative periods in the social and economic development of communities occupying northwest Europe, and includes both the transition from hunter-gatherer to farming cultures and the introduction of metallurgy. The unit will provide a broad and comparative knowledge of a selected chronological period for a selected geographical region and contribute to your knowledge and understanding of the origins and development of archaeology as a discipline. A field-visit will normally be made to allow the direct observation of a selection of field monuments we discuss. We expect you to visit a number of sites and museums during the course of the year, in order to broaden your overall experience of the Neolithic Period.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Fieldwork

We include fieldwork on a professional archaeological excavation as part of your course. You will attend an archaeological field school at the end of your first year and have the option to attend in subsequent years, too.

Participation in BU’s renowned Durotriges Big Dig allows you to gain a wide range of practical skills. We have all the equipment you’d expect to find professionals using on a dig in our field equipment stores, such as a wide range of site-surveying applications, including GPS and Total Stations for topographic surveying, remote sensing instruments such as Magentometers, Ground Penetrating Radar and Resistivity Meters and 3D laser scanners.

Scheduled learning and teaching activities

Contact hours

The hours below give an indication of how you can expect to spend your time during each year of this course. You will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and practical sessions.

Your independent learning could include reading books and journal articles, working on group projects, preparing presentations, conducting library research and writing your assignments.

Learning and teaching activities includes demonstrations both indoor and outdoor in excavation and survey technology, artefact handling and investigation. In your second year you get the chance to conduct fieldwork on a 4 week archaeological dig (the Durotriges Project, or Big Dig).

Contact time across the different years varies, ensuring an academic basis for learning prior to practice, and a reflective understanding of the task.

Year 1 – 25% of your time will be spent in timetabled learning & teaching activities

Learning and teaching: 193 hours
Independent learning: 1007 hours
Non-assessed learning and teaching: 20 hours

Year 2 – 32% of your time will be spent in timetabled learning & teaching activities

Learning and teaching: 370 hours
Independent learning: 830 hours
Non-assessed learning and teaching: 6 hours

Year 3 - 14% of your time will be spent in timetabled learning & teaching activities

Learning and teaching: 192 hours
Independent learning: 1008 hours

Programme specifications

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Placements

At BU, we recognise that placements are extremely valuable and can give you a head start when it comes to your future career, therefore we now offer every new student the opportunity to undertake a work placement as part of their course. A placement year is a vital part in developing well-rounded and industry-ready graduates.

Find out about BU students’ experiences on placements All you need to know about placements

How placements benefit you

A placement should be a highly rewarding experience for you and the employing organisation and we do our best to ensure that everyone involved feels that they have got the most that they can from the experience.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
Make contacts; it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

How long will your placement be?

What support will be available?

We will provide a great deal of help and support to ensure you achieve a rewarding and satisfying placement. We have strong links to outside agencies and organisations to best support your professional development, and dedicated Placement Officers.

They’ll help you plan your placement so make sure you get the right experience for you. That includes offering help and support if you need to move to another part of the UK – or even another country – to get the most out of your time. Work placements are a great way to improve your employability. It is an opportunity for you to experience the life of an archaeologist or anthropologist in the UK or abroad.

We’ve also built close industry links over the years so our network of employers who are keen to work with placement students is always growing. Or if you’d prefer to arrange your placement independently, we can offer advice on how to do that too.

Entry requirements

For 2023 entry: This course requires 104–120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent. We are happy to consider a combination of qualifications and grades to meet the overall tariff, for example A-levels A*CC, ABC, BBB or BCC, BTECs DDM or DMM. You can use the UCAS calculator to see how your qualifications equate to UCAS tariff points.

Calculate your UCAS tariff points

2023 entry
Numeracy and literacy requirements (e.g. GCSEs)	GCSE English Language or English Literature and Mathematics grade 4 (or grade C in the old grading system). We also accept iGCSEs, Key Skills and Functional Skills and other qualifications at Level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework. See all of the equivalencies.
A-level and AS levels	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two A-levels.
Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate – Skills Challenge Certificate	We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.
Access to HE Diploma	102–118 UCAS tariff points with any combination of Distinction, Merit, Pass grades.
BTEC National	Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points) Diploma: Distinction, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points) Foundation Diploma/90-credit Diploma:* We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff Extended Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff
Cambridge International Pre-U Diploma	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two principal subjects.
Cambridge Technical	Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points) Diploma: Distinction, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points) Subsidiary Diploma:* We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff Introductory Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.
Extended Project Qualification	We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by two A-level sized qualifications to meet the overall UCAS tariff.
International Baccalaureate Certificates	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Higher Level certificates.
International Baccalaureate (Diploma)	An overall score of 28–31 points.
Scottish Highers	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of four Scottish Highers.
Scottish Advanced Highers	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Scottish Advanced Highers.
T Levels	Merit (120 UCAS tariff points).

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.	You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page. Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2023 entry: Chinese Senior High School Graduation Certificate (Huikao) average 80%, or Gaokao 61-71%. Grade depends on the course Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma (4,4,3 to 4,4,4 from three subjects). Grade depends on the course All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Standard XII) 60-70% Italian Esame di Stato with 60-70%. Grade depends on the course Titulo de Bachillerato with 6 or 7. Grade depends on the course English language requirements If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally: For September 2023 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in either reading or writing and 5.5 in all other components, or equivalent. View further information about our English language requirements. If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2023 entry:

Chinese Senior High School Graduation Certificate (Huikao) average 80%, or Gaokao 61-71%. Grade depends on the course
Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma (4,4,3 to 4,4,4 from three subjects). Grade depends on the course
All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Standard XII) 60-70%
Italian Esame di Stato with 60-70%. Grade depends on the course
Titulo de Bachillerato with 6 or 7. Grade depends on the course

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

For September 2023 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in either reading or writing and 5.5 in all other components, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

Other useful information

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

Your application

This course will suit students with:

An understanding of what archaeology and anthropology are
Enthusiasm for applying science to solve problems both in the study of the past and the present
An interest in both laboratory and field sciences
Good written and oral communication skills, and the ability to think analytically
An interest in archaeology or anthropology (e.g. from attending an excavation, visiting museums, entering science competitions, school project work, or relevant volunteer work).

How to apply

What we're looking for

Students on this course will have a lively interest in the application of science in archaeological and anthropological contexts. The study and practice of archaeological and anthropological sciences involves a variety of skills, including those used in the field, in the laboratory, and based on wide reading, so applicants should be happy learning to work in all these areas.

We look for innovative thinkers who are interested in understanding the past and present through practical and scientific investigation.

Applicants will have strong analytical problem-solving and communication skills, both written and oral, as being a scientist involves working well as an individual and also as part of a multidisciplinary team.

We seek students with enquiring minds who are comfortable using science, technology and creative thought to apply in their studies and would encourage applicants who are interested in exploring new ideas and concepts and applying knowledge across disciplines.

Selection methods

How we assess your application

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Our offer-making process

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

Supporting your study

These courses have compulsory elements involving working with dangerous substances in laboratory conditions and/or undertaking field trips in less accessible environments. Students must complete a health and safety risk assessment taking part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely.

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

Careers

Throughout your degree, you will learn skills to enable you to work in professional practice and you will be in a position to join fieldwork and other projects all over the world.

There is an increased demand for archaeologists and the profession has been placed on the government list of skilled occupation shortages. Within fifteen months of completing the course, 90% of our students are in employment or further study.

Potential job roles

Our graduates go on to a large variety of roles, using their transferrable skills in positions and areas listed below:

Archaeologist
Commercial Heritage, museums, conservation trusts and tourism
Data management and analysis
Education, higher education, research and academia
Historical preservation
Commercial archaeology excavation and consultancy
Local government services, charities, social research and policy, health and social work, development,
Law, law enforcement, forensic science, scene of crime and police forces
Overseas agencies and international organisations

Industries worked in

Whilst many of our graduates are working for organisations such as English Heritage, Border Archaeology, National Trust or other local and national museums, collections and archaeology services, we also prepare our graduates for careers in a variety of other sectors, such as media, TV production, journalism, marketing, financial services, science and laboratory work, as well as chartered surveying and the construction industry.

Further study

Where are they now? Alumni updates

There are lots of exciting careers you can embark on once you've graduated from BU. Below is a list of what some of our graduates are up to now.

Rachel Holmes

Rachael graduated from BU in 2018. She completed a BSc (Hons) Anthropology. Rachael is now a postgraduate researcher on a CENTA DTP scholarship at the University of Leicester, researching past environments by investigating biological changes in the past (such as the introduction of invasive plant species and the resilience of mangrove communities) with the aim to inform future policy decisions.

Russel Harris

Russel graduated from BU with an undergraduate degree BSc (Hons) Archaeology in 2002 and stayed at BU to complete a MSc degree in Forensic Archaeology which he graduated from in 2004. Russel then went on to be employed by Lincolnshire Police as a Crime Analyst before specialising as an Financial Investigator.

Sasha Houghton

Is a recent BA (Hons) Archaeology & Anthropology graduate who graduated in 2020. She conducted her dissertation project focussing on Zooarchaeology. Sasha now works for Oxford Archaeology which is one of the biggest Commercial archaeology companies in the UK.

Bernice Jones

Bernice is a former undergraduate obtaining a BSc (Hons) Archaeological and Forensic Sciences degree in 2019 and a recent MSc Bioarchaeology degree in 2020. Her MSc dissertation focused on Zooarchaeology. Bernice now works for Oxford Archaeology which is one of the biggest Commercial archaeology companies in the UK.

Sam Walker

Sam is a former BU Archaeology undergraduate and obtained his MSc Osteoarchaeology degree in 2014. Sam was a student member of one of our Zooarchaeology research projects in Russia. Sam also worked for Bournemouth Archaeology on commercial projects before starting his PhD in Norway (some of which he has spent as a visiting PGR here at BU). He specialises in bird bone remains.

Lawrence Shaw

Lawrence graduated from BU in 2008 with a BSc (Hons) Archaeology degree. He is currently the lead environment advisor for Forestry England and regularly collaborates with departmental staff on research projects. Lawrence works with our Deputy Head of Department Derek Pitman to present podcasts and videos about archaeology.

David Cranham

Dave graduated from BU in 2009 with a BA (Hons) Archaeology and Prehistory degree. Dave initially worked for Thames Valley Archaeological Services (TVAS) but went on to use the skills he obtained from his degree to manage and run a successful construction company ‘Pear Tree Solutions Limited’ which creates bespoke renovations. Dave runs the company which involves ultilising a wide range of skills including budgeting, communication and correspondence with clients, staffing, as well as the hands-on construction side of the business.

Lizzie Bryant

Lizzie graduated from BU in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) Heritage Conservation degree after completing an Foundation degree in Applied Architectural Stonework at Weymouth College. Previously, Lizzie had worked in the film industry in production and as script editor and producer. After her undergraduate degree at BU she worked in building conservation and heritage education, then pursued a MA in Creative Writing for Children at Winchester University. Lizzie’s career is now embedded in oral storytelling and writing and much of her work is linked with archaeology, cultural astronomy, history, museums and heritage landscapes (e.g. Avebury, Stonehenge, Cranborne Chase ANOB).

Sadie Watson

Sadie graduated from BU in 1995 and went on to work in field archaeology in the City of London for MOLA, directing large multi-phase excavations. During this time Sadie did a PhD in Applied Archaeology at the University of Lampeter and is currently a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow based at MOLA. Her four-year Fellowship is titled ‘Measuring, Maximising and transforming public benefit from UK Government infrastructure investment in archaeology’. The focus of her project is to ensure that public spending on archaeology leads to relevant research and community participation.

Gabrielle Delbarre

Gabrielle graduated from BU in 2014 with an MSc in Osteoarchaeology. While completing her MSc she worked part-time at the National History Museum in London as a Curation Assistant and Documentation Officer within the Anthropology Collections in the Earth Sciences Department. She went on to work as a Curator and Collection Manager at Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre and Kingfisher Barn Visitor Centre in Bournemouth. Gabrielle has returned to work at BU in the Archaeology & Anthropology Department as a Demonstrator where she manages the Anthropology and Zooarchaeology laboratories, one of the largest collections of human remains and faunal skeletal material in the South of England.

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be. You’ll also find you could benefit from a range of discounts as a student.

Find out more about budgeting and living expenses

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team
Loan of lab coats and safety glasses

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses.
Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas), if this is part of your course of study. Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

Repeat units

Our staff

You can visit our department pages to read more about the specialist interests of our Archaeology & Anthropology staff, or register for an Open Day to meet us.

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Dr Ellen Hambleton - Programme Leader

Dr Ellen Hambleton is an archaeologist specialising in the study of animal remains. After studying Archaeological Science at Sheffield, she obtained a NERC research studentship at Durham University and completed her PhD in 1998. She was Principal Investigator for the review of late Bronze Age and Iron Age faunal remains from Southern England, commissioned by English Heritage. She has a strong interest in the exploitation and social significance of animals and animal products to past societies.

View Dr Ellen Hambleton’s staff profile

Professor Timothy Darvill – Professor of Archaeology

Tim Darvill is a Professor of Archaeology, and a prehistorian. His research takes him to many parts of Europe in order to answer key questions such as: Why were ceremonial monuments first constructed? And what symbolic meanings did particular materials have for those who selected and used them? These issues have contemporary relevance and inform the role of the past in shaping places and people’s lives today.

View Tim Darvill’s staff profile

Course changes

Changes for 2022 entry

Date	Changes to this course
29/03/2022	Where the change was made: L6 Archaeological Management unit Change: Unit listed as optional unit. Previous text: Incorrectly listed as core unit.
29/03/2022	Where the change was made: Placement options. Change: Short placement within the 3 year full-time programme is optional. Previous text: Just stated the 3 year full-time programme included a 5 week placement.
01/10/2021	Where the change was made: Fees box. Change: Placement fee for September 2022 entry amended to £1,850. Previous text: £850.

Changes in 2018

Date	Changes to this course
14/05/2018	Where the change was made: Course details content Change: Removal of Level 5 unit Bonobos, Bones & Bottlenecks
19/02/2018	Where the change was made: Course details content Change: Removal of Level 5 option unit Community Histories

Changes in 2017

Date	Changes to this course
14/11/2017	Where the change was made: Fees Change: After an annual review of the placement year tuition fee, a price increase in line with current inflation, equating to 3% has been introduced. Previous text: £790
06/09/2017	Where the change was made: Key information and 2018 entry requirements Change: Changed to: Entry requirements changed to 104 - 120 tariff points including a minimum of 2 A- levels or equivalent Previous text: 104 - 120 tariff points including a minimum of 3 A-levels or equivalent
06/09/2017	Where the change was made: 2018 entry requirements Change: Changed to: 2018 GCSE entry requirements have changed to This course requires GCSE English and Mathematics grade C (or grade 4 in the reformed GCSE grading) or equivalent qualifications. Previous text: This course requires a minimum of 4 GCSEs grades A* - C (or grade 4 or above in the newly reformed GCSE grading) including Maths and English or equivalent qualifications.

Changes in 2016

Date	Changes to this course
14/06/2016	Where the change was made: Course details content Change: Change of title to first year unit: Introduction to Social Anthropology Previous text: Introduction to Anthropology

What our students say

Amber Williams

The facilities are amazing – the bone labs and anthropology labs are really good, they’ve got so many casts and specimens.

What our staff say

Dr Martin Smith

What we are most proud of is the way our past students have gone on to make a difference in the world in a wide range of roles and locations both here in the UK and internationally.

What our graduates think

Rachael Holmes

The Archaeology & Anthropology department at Bournemouth University were incredibly supportive of my interest to gain practical experience as well as develop a theoretical understanding during my undergraduate degree.

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

BA (Hons) Archaeology & Anthropology

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No hidden extras

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Repeat units

Our staff

Dr Ellen Hambleton - Programme Leader

Professor Timothy Darvill – Professor of Archaeology

Course changes

Changes for 2022 entry

Changes in 2018

Changes in 2017

Changes in 2016

What our students say

Amber Williams

What our staff say

Dr Martin Smith

What our graduates think

Rachael Holmes