BA Archaeology and Anthropology (VL46)

2024 entry | view 2025 entry

Course summary

An ability to understand the diversity of human culture, behaviour and experience across space and time is critical to tackling the key challenges of our contemporary world.

Our BA Archaeology and Anthropology course offers an exciting, interdisciplinary perspective on what it means to be human, employing archaeology and social, biological, and linguistic anthropology. In this degree, we address issues of migration, sustainable development, and heritage, cultural and technological change.

Our course will provide you with practical and professional skills designed to enhance your employability through activities such as the analysis of big data on contemporary population health, the investigation of archaeological material, and the presentation of cultural heritage to the public.

Our programme is accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Accreditations

Our Archaeology and Anthropology BA is approved by major professional bodies in the UK (CIFA) so as a a graduate you can gain exemptions from a number of their examinations or credits for prior learning.

Course structure

Year one introduces the fundamental theories of archaeology and anthropology. You will take units that introduce you to the disciplines of archaeology and material culture studies as well as social, linguistic and biological anthropology. You will take part in our own departmental training excavation, developing a wide range of practical skills, from excavation to community engagement.

Years two and three allow greater specialisation in skills, regional foci and current debates, alongside further fieldwork. You will become familiar with the range of research methods and theoretical frameworks and the sorts of questions archaeologists and anthropologists ask.

A wide variety of optional units exploring different themes, periods and approaches are available in your second and third years.

The third year provides an opportunity to pursue a specialist area of interest working closely with a member of staff to write a dissertation on an original topic of your choice. There is an option to complete a work placement with an external partner such as a museum, commercial archaeological unit or national heritage organisation.

Full details about the course structure and units for this course can be viewed in the programme catalogue.

Go to programme catalogue

Entry requirements

We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.

AAB
DDD in any Applied General BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma

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34 points overall with 17 at Higher Level
31 points overall with 15 at Higher Level

Find out if you are eligible for a contextual offer
80% overall
Advanced Higher: AB and Standard Higher: AAABB
Access to HE Diploma in Humanities, Social Sciences, Law or History (or similar titles). The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include 24 credits at Distinction and 21 at Merit or above.

More about Access to HE entry requirements
Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject-specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade
Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/M2 is B, and M3 is C.
The University of Bristol welcomes applications from international students, and we accept a wide range of qualifications for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

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More about UK qualifications.