Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Archaeology

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-B,B,C

Extended Project

A

For applicants taking the EPQ qualification, an A in the EPQ can be recognised to lower the entry requirements by a single grade. For example, an AAB offer would be "AAB from 3 A-levels or ABB from 3 A-levels and a grade A in the EPQ". Please note that any subject specific requirements must be met.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

You must have or be working towards: - English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Tier 4 visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30-31

31-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM-DMM

Accepted subjects: Applied Science, Computing, Humanities, or Social Science. We will consider BTECs in alternative subjects alongside other academic qualifications and any relevant work or volunteer experience.

Acceptance of T Levels for this programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic School. Consideration will be given to the T Level grade/subject and grades/subjects achieved at GCSE/Level 2.

The Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in place of one A-level at the A-level grades specified, excluding any subject specific requirements.

UCAS Tariff

112-120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Archaeology

Immerse yourself in the study of the remains of past societies, from the tiny objects worn on the body to monumental complexes such as Stonehenge with our BA Archaeology.

Archaeology is the only discipline that allows you to study humanity from the earliest hominids five million years ago to the present day. It enables all of us to better understand what it is to be human and explore the richness of the human experience.

Blending the sciences, social sciences and humanities, our BA Archaeology will equip you with the skills you’ll need to study the past through material evidence and will introduce you to the archaeology of Britain and the Mediterranean World. Building on your passions and curiosity, you’ll have the opportunity to specialise in the study of the periods and regions which interest you, ranging from the prehistoric to post-medieval periods. In addition to developing an understanding of specific archaeological contexts, we’ll also ensure you can place this research and knowledge into a contemporary context including how archaeology can inform debates in today’s society and how heritage sites and collections are managed.

You will be introduced to a variety of key archaeological skills relating to the study of artefacts and environmental evidence and help you develop your field skills with eight weeks of placement, typically on an archaeological excavation, developing your skills in an authentic context. These memorable placements take place in the summers following Year One and Year Two, in the UK and overseas.

As well as practical skills, honed in the field and in our excellent facilities, you’ll gain and develop special research skills through a second-year independent study module. Supported by one of our expert staff, you’ll plan and undertake an archaeological research project on a topic of your choice. The optionality and increased specialisation as you progress through your degree means you will enjoy a programme of high integrity, tailored to furnishing you with skills of value within and beyond the heritage sector.

BA Archaeology provides the ultimate all round degree and is an excellent way to develop a range of skills valued by employers, for example through developing teamworking and leadership skills in the field and learning how to analyse evidence and communicate complex stories about the past to a range of audiences.

Distinctive Features of the Programme

Placements – home and abroad
Eight weeks of placement on archaeological excavation or with a heritage organisation.

Tailored exploration
Develop an in depth knowledge and understanding of the regions, periods and themes which interest you, whilst placing this knowledge into the bigger picture.

Established networks
Benefit from strong links with local, national and international heritage organisations.

Practical expertise
Hands-on sessions and fieldtrips allowing you to develop key skills in working with archaeological materials.

Tuition fees

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

Channel Islands
£9,000
per year
England
£9,000
per year
EU
£22,700
per year
International
£22,700
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,000
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,000
per year
Scotland
£9,000
per year
Wales
£9,000
per year

Extra funding

Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.

The Uni


Course location:

Main Site - Cardiff

Department:

School of History, Archaeology and Religion

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

80%
Archaeology

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

Teaching and learning

77%
Staff make the subject interesting
88%
Staff are good at explaining things
81%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
79%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

76%
Library resources
85%
IT resources
86%
Course specific equipment and facilities
56%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

93%
UK students
7%
International students
36%
Male students
64%
Female students
72%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section 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

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
98%
high
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

12%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
10%
Other elementary services occupations
8%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

Want to do a job in the arts - with lots of the great outdoors? Try archaeology! There don't tend to be many archaeology undergraduates out there (just under 700 graduated in 2015) - but it's quite a popular subject at postgraduate level. In fact, over a quarter of archaeology graduates take some kind of further study when they graduate - usually more study of archaeology. When you look at the stats, be aware that junior jobs in archaeology are not always well paid at the start of your career, and that temporary contracts are not uncommon. Thankfully, though, unpaid work, whilst not completely gone, is less common than it used to be. The archaeology graduates of 2015 found jobs in archaeology, of course, but also management and heritage and environment work, as well as more conventional graduate jobs in marketing and the finance industry.

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.

£19k

£19k

£24k

£24k

£29k

£29k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
Cardiff University | Cardiff
Archaeology and History
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 120-128
Lower entry requirements
University of Nottingham | Nottingham
Historical Archaeology
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 96-135
Same University
Cardiff University | Cardiff
Archaeology and Ancient History
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 120-128
Nearby University
University of Bristol | Bristol
Archaeology and Anthropology
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-153

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here