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Archaeology with Foundation Year

Entry requirements


UCAS Tariff

48

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About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

4years

Full-time including foundation year | 2024

Other options

6 years | Part-time | 2024

Subject

Archaeology

Do you have a genuine passion for the material culture of the past? On our BA Archaeology you will study from a broad chronological and geographical perspective, with topics ranging from European prehistory to the Roman Middle East to medieval Armenia.

In studying archaeology you will develop the ability to understand how people lived, thought and acted with their physical environment. You will be able to choose from a wide variety of option modules across a span of prehistoric, ancient and medieval periods, from Britain to the Near East.

You will learn the essential analytical techniques of archaeology to develop your understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in the interpretation of material remains. Practical archaeological experience is a key element of this degree. It will involve you learning through the resources of archives, collections and practice in the field, including alongside professionals from Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) on the Thames through Time field school.

The BA Archaeology is ideal if you have a keen interest in understanding the past through people’s relationships with things and places. You will develop the ability to construct and present convincing archaeological arguments through text and image by:

- accessing and interpreting written, graphic and material evidence

- honing your skills in dealing with data

- questioning accepted histories.

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.

**Highlights**

- You will gain valuable experience of working with professionals from Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) on the Thames through Time field school module. This is an intensive, week-long fieldwork experience you will take in the summer term of Year 1 that gives you practical exposure to archaeological finds and features. It will also give you an insight into possible future careers.

- We are an international centre of excellence. Since 2001 we have consistently been in the top ten departments evaluated by the Research Excellence Framework (REF).

- Situated in historic Bloomsbury, we are at the heart of academic London with access to unparalleled research resources. Situated very close by are: the Institute of Historical Research and the Institute of Classical Studies, with their specialist libraries, training facilities and seminars; the British Museum and other world-class galleries and museums; and the British Library, the largest national library in the world.

- The School of Historical Studies at Birkbeck at Birkbeck is home to thriving student societies and a number of affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research.

- Get a flavour of our teaching and research in this area through a wide range of free online and in-person seminars, workshops and tasters; also check out events at the Raphael Samuel History Centre, a leading centre for public history.

**Careers and employability**

Graduates can pursue career paths in archaeology, conservation and education, as well as in UK Government Offices, publishing and journalism. Possible professions include:

- heritage manager

- archaeologist

- museum/gallery curator

- higher education lecturer.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment methods

Examinations, taken at the end of each academic year, coursework and a dissertation written in the final year.

Every module you take includes some form of assessment and, in addition, an attendance requirement, so you will need to attend at least 60% of classes in order to pass.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
International
£17,620
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Birkbeck, University of London

Department:

School of Historical Studies

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What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Archaeology

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

96%
UK students
4%
International students
53%
Male students
47%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
25%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

D
C
D

After graduation


We don't have more detailed stats to show you in relation to this subject area at this university but read about typical employment outcomes and prospects for graduates of this subject below.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Archaeology

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£24k

£24k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Higher entry requirements
Birkbeck, University of London | Camden
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UCAS Points: 96-120
Same University
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Ancient History and Archaeology
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UCAS Points: 96-120

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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