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Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the Archaeology course at University of Reading.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
B,B,B
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,535 per year |
| Scotland | £9,535 per year |
| Wales | £9,535 per year |
| Northern Ireland | £9,535 per year |
| Channel Islands | £9,535 per year |
| Republic of Ireland | £9,535 per year |
| EU | £25,250 per year |
| International | £25,250 per year |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: V400
Here's what University of Reading says about its Archaeology course.
Explore the material remains of past societies – from the first hominins millions of years ago to the modern day – with our accredited BA Archaeology degree.
Learn how to investigate, interpret and present our human past through the study of artefacts, sites, landscapes and cultures. Our wide range of modules allows you to shape your learning, focusing on the topics and periods that most interest you.
You'll examine archaeological issues critical to our shared global future, such as diets and health, climate and environmental change, inequality, migration, and identity.
This programme includes a compulsory four-week field school in the summer before Year 2, where you'll develop essential practical archaeological skills through hands-on excavation experience.
The University of Reading is ranked 1st in the UK for research quality and research outputs in Archaeology (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of REF 2021). It is in the top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World Rankings by Subject 2023).
100% of students in the Department of Archaeology said our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2023).
For more information, please visit the programme page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/archaeology-ug/ba-archaeology
Course details
Qualification
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Department
School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science
Location
Main Site | Reading
Duration
3 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Archaeology
Start date
October 2025
Application deadline
January 29, 2025
The modules you will study
The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2025/26. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change. Core modules for this course: Revolutions and Transitions: The Human Journey from 6 Million Years Ago to the Present Day Archaeology Today: Methods and Practice Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome Archaeology Field School and Professional Practice Ancient Objects: Materials and Meanings
The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of the final approved modules will be available in the summer of 2024. We suggest you regularly revisit our course page during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.
Check our website for more details about the course structure.
University of Reading reviews
Showing 105 reviews
1st year student
Four stars: Great
1 year ago
1st year student
Three stars: Good
1 year ago
1st year student
Three stars: Good
1 year ago
1st year student
Three stars: Good
1 year ago
1st year student
Four stars: Great
1 year ago
1st year student
Four stars: Great
1 year ago
National Student Survey (NSS) scores
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
Here you can see ratings from University of Reading students who took the Archaeology course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
93%
med
Teaching on my course
93%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
88%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
98%
med
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
90%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
95%
med
Learning opportunities
91%
high
Learning opportunities
91%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
98%
high
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
88%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
88%
med
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
88%
med
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
91%
high
Assessment and feedback
94%
high
Assessment and feedback
94%
high
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
92%
high
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
97%
high
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
91%
high
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
93%
high
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
100%
high
Academic support
98%
med
Academic support
98%
med
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
98%
med
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
98%
med
Organisation and management
92%
high
Organisation and management
92%
high
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
87%
med
How well organised is your course?
98%
high
Learning resources
97%
high
Learning resources
97%
high
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
95%
high
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
100%
high
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
96%
high
Student voice
91%
high
Student voice
91%
high
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
80%
high
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
95%
high
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
98%
high
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
79%
high
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
95%
high
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
78%
med
Student information
See who's studying at University of Reading. These students are taking Archaeology or another course from the same subject area.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| History | C | |||||
| English Literature | B | |||||
| Classical Civilisation | B | |||||
| Religious Studies | C | |||||
| Sociology | B | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
Facts and figures about University of Reading graduates who took Archaeology - or another course in the same subject area.
Graduate statistics
40%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
60%
Say it fits with future plans
45%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
20%
Administrative occupations
15%
Business and public service associate professionals
10%
Sales occupations
10%
Teaching Professionals
Graduate statistics percentages are determined 15 months after a student graduates
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Reading graduates who took Archaeology - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£20.1k
First year after graduation
£24.1k
Third year after graduation
£27k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Archaeology.
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
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Reading on The Student Room.
Chat with University of Reading
Our award-winning green campuses are at the heart of our university community, providing world-class facilities alongside a sustainably-conscious backdrop of nature. Recently awarded Sustainable University of the Year 2025 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025, the University is proudly committed to climate change and environmental sustainability.
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Visit us in person to find out what University of Reading has to offer. Discover what living and learning here is like. Explore our campuses, attend subject talks, tour facilities and halls of residence, meet academic tutors and current students. Ask the questions that matter to you.
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Source: University of Reading