BA Archaeology and Anthropology (VL46)

2026 entry | view 2025 entry

Course summary

Our BA Archaeology and Anthropology course offers an exciting, interdisciplinary perspective on what it means to be human, employing archaeology alongside social, evolutionary, and linguistic anthropology.

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 course will provide you with the essential skills needed to explore issues of migration, sustainable development, and heritage, alongside key questions of cultural and technological change.

You will receive training in qualitative and quantitative archaeological and anthropological methodologies and gain vital archaeological experience in field and laboratory work. You will also be introduced to a range of descriptive, analytic, interpretative and visual approaches to the investigation of archaeological and anthropological material. This will prepare you to undertake fieldwork in communities locally and further afield, providing you with key transferable skills for future employment. Original research inspires all our teaching, and your degree culminates in you producing a substantial final-year dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Accreditations

Our programme is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CiFA) and University Archaeology UK (UAUK).

Accreditations

Our Archaeology and Anthropology BA is accredited by CIFA.

Course structure

Your first year introduces you to the fundamental theories of archaeology and anthropology. You will take units that introduce you to each of the disciplines and their specialist fields such as social, linguistic and evolutionary anthropology and archaeological science. You will take part in our own departmental training excavation, developing a wide range of practical skills, from excavation to community engagement.

Your second year allows greater specialisation as you become more familiar with the range of research methods and theoretical frameworks deployed by archaeologists and anthropologists, as well as the key questions they ask.

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 also an option to build your employability skills further by completing 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 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales or 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.