Education and humanities · Environment and geography
Archaeology
BA or BSc
Overview
Archaeology studies past societies through material remains. A BA may emphasise history and interpretation. A BSc may emphasise scientific analysis of remains and landscapes. Fieldwork, including excavations, is a normal part of training. Many professional roles also expect a postgraduate degree or substantial field experience. Students who enjoy it like evidence you can hold or map, and they are willing to work outdoors.
You want the material past, not only history essays.
History uses texts more than excavations. Museum studies is often postgraduate.
People who like fieldwork, detail and reconstructing a past from incomplete evidence.
What you will study
Universities do not teach the same modules. The lists below are a general shape, not a syllabus.
Year 1
- Methods
- World or British archaeology
- Field skills
Later years
- Periods or scientific methods
- Fieldwork
- Dissertation
Skills
Useful before you start
- Writing
- Practical care
- A science if you want the BSc route
Developed during the degree
- Excavation
- Recording
- Interpretation
Teaching and assessment
Teaching often includes Lectures, Laboratory or finds practicals, Fieldwork.
Assessment often includes Essays, Practicals, Field reports, Dissertation.
Typical weekly commitment
Estimate. Excavation weeks are full-time and sit outside this average.
Entry requirements
Indicative patterns from published UK admissions information. Not an offer. Actual requirements vary by course, university and year. Pearson Edexcel International A Level and Cambridge International A Level are not treated as the same qualification as GCE A level.
Indicative requirements by qualification
The A-level band is the catalogue reference. IB and American lines come from the named university guides under the table. They are not a conversion every university uses, and they are not an offer.
| Qualification | Indicative requirements |
|---|---|
| A Levels | BBB–ABB. No specific A-level is universal. History, geography or a science can all be relevant. |
| IB Diploma | UCL publishes 34 points for ABB. The other end of this band is not in that table. A required A-level subject must be Higher Level in UCL's rule. Each Higher Level subject in that table is at least 5. UCL equates A* to 7, A to 6 and B to 5. This is one university's table. |
| American curriculum | That Manchester guide gives AP 5, 4, 4 for ABB. The other end of this band is not in the guide. Bristol publishes a GPA of 3.2, or 3.4 for competitive courses, and does not use one AP pattern for every degree. |
- University College London: Undergraduate entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, School of Social Sciences: Americas country guide. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, Civil Engineering: USA country entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Bristol: USA international qualifications. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
A-level subjects
No specific A-level is universal. History, geography or a science can all be relevant.
Often recommended: History, Geography.
Useful preparation: Biology, Chemistry.
GCSE and IGCSE
English at GCSE or IGCSE is commonly expected. Other subject grades vary. No single national threshold is stored.
Indicative only.
Other ways in
- A postgraduate degree is common for specialist archaeological jobs.
Admissions tests and extra requirements
No admissions test is stored as usual for this course. A university can still set one for a particular year.
Course costs
For many standard full-time courses in England, the home-fee maximum in 2026 to 2027 is Up to £9,790. This is the maximum standard full-time fee published for approved English providers with a TEF award and an access and participation plan. It is not the fee a named university charges, and it does not decide whether you pay home or international fees.
Clinical, laboratory and studio courses are not given a different home-fee figure here, because the regulated maximum is not the same thing as an international or clinical fee.
International tuition is set by each university and is not stored here. Clinical courses are often much higher than classroom-based courses. A school in Qatar does not decide home-fee status.
Source: Changes to tuition fees: 2026 to 2027 academic year. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Living costs, field trips and professional fees are not included.
Where you could study
UK degrees in this subject are numerous. This page does not list every university, because a list without a checked entry requirement would look more certain than it is.
No individual UK course page is stored yet for this subject. Use the university site.
No overseas course has been checked for this subject yet.
Where could this degree take you?
Archaeologist
Common route
The usual first degree. Postgraduate study or long field experience is often needed for professional posts.
Museum curator
Alternative route
A possible background. Curatorial posts often expect a postgraduate museum qualification.
Archivist
Related, but not enough on its own
Archives usually expect a postgraduate archives qualification. Archaeology is not that course.
Explore your pathway
A course sits between school subjects and a career. It does not guarantee either admission or a job.