Archaeology and History
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
UCAS Code: VV14 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
UCAS Code: VV14 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
UCAS Tariff
Or professional experience. Grades are important; however, our offers are not solely based on academic results. We are interested in creative people that demonstrate a strong commitment to their chosen subject area and therefore we welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. To assess student suitability for their chosen course we normally arrange interviews for all applicants at which your skills, achievements and life experience will be considered as well as your qualifications.
About this course
The Archaeology and History degree programme offers students the chance to dive deep into the human past, learning both in the classroom and out in the field. This exciting course is designed to develop your skills in exploring historical evidence and archaeological evidence from ancient times to the modern day. You will gain hands-on experience through field research and practical skills as you examine material remains like stone tools, pottery, and bones. These artefacts tell the story of how past societies lived, worked, and interacted with their environments.
In Archaeology, you will focus on exploring the past through the physical evidence left behind by humans. You will study the material remains of past cultures, learning how these objects can reveal important insights into social organisation, technology, and daily life. You will also explore how human development has shaped the world we live in today. Historic buildings, monuments, and landscapes all play a part in this exploration, helping you understand the larger context in which these artefacts were created. By studying the way people used the land, how they adapted to environmental change, and how their beliefs influenced their actions, you will develop a more complete picture of human history.
This programme also explores the role of technology in archaeology. You will learn about modern technology, including the use of digital applications, ancient DNA, and advanced laboratory techniques to help study artefacts and better understand ancient societies. These tools are essential for uncovering new insights into the human body evolution and the cultural development of past communities.
In addition to the hands-on practical learning, you will engage with the theoretical and ethical questions that shape the study of the past. Issues like heritage, representation, and the impact of technology on archaeological research are critical areas of discussion. You will learn to think critically and explore these questions through both interdisciplinary approaches and the study of prehistoric to modern history.
Alongside Archaeology, this degree also offers a thorough exploration of History, from ancient history to global history. The course will teach you how to critically engage with a wide range of historical narratives, from political history to cultural history and social history. By examining primary sources and historiographical evidence, you will learn how to analyse past events and form evidence-based interpretations. You will also gain valuable communication skills, learning how to present your findings clearly and persuasively.
By the end of the course, you will have developed a range of skills that are not only useful for further study but also highly valued by employers. You will be prepared to take on a variety of exciting careers in archaeology, history, or related fields. This degree provides a solid foundation for those interested in exploring the past through both archaeological methods and historical research. It offers a unique opportunity to understand the development of human societies, and to contribute to debates about how we interpret and preserve the past for future generations.
Modules
In your first year, you will be introduced to the foundations of archaeology and history. You will study the basics of material remains, including artefacts, stone tools, and bones, and learn how to approach historical evidence through primary sources. A focus on critical thinking will be central as you start exploring ancient history, global history, and key archaeological methods.
Exploring the Humanities (20 credits)
Optional
From Egypt to the Near East: phenomena of the Mediterranean (20 credits)
Hieroglyphs 1 (20 credits)
Into the Field (20 credits)
Death, Burial and the Afterlife (20 credits)
Doing Archaeology: The Past in Practice (20 credits)
Introduction to Archaeology (20 credits)
The Modern World (20 credits)
Doing History: Past in Practice (20 credits)
Everyday Life in Athens and Rome (20 credits)
Historicising Texts (20 credits)
The Medieval World (20 credits)
People's Worlds: Interaction with the Environment (20 credits)
In your second year, you will deepen your understanding of both archaeological methods and historical analysis. You will engage in field research to explore the application of your studies in real-world settings, focusing on specific regions such as the Mediterranean, Greece, and Rome. You will also examine social history and cultural history, developing your ability to interpret complex sources and refine your research skills.
In your final year, you will specialise in areas that interest you, such as prehistoric studies or historic landscapes. You will have the opportunity to explore advanced archaeological techniques, including the study of ancient DNA and digital applications. As a history student, you will refine your ability to analyse and communicate historical narratives through independent research and the presentation of evidence-based conclusions.
Independent Project (40 credits)
Please refer to the UWTSD course webpage for a full list of module options in Years 2 and 3: https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/undergraduate/history-and-archaeology/archaeology-and-history-full-time-campus
Assessment methods
The programme is assessed in a variety of ways and will include several of the following type of assessment: essays of 1,000 to 4,000 words in length, document analysis, book/ journal reviews, short reports and reflective journals, time tests, seen and unseen tests, field journals, posters, group and individual presentations, dissertations of 10,000 words, commentaries and film evaluations. Students will engage in both directed and independent learning.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Carmarthen Campus
Humanities and Social Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
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
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
History
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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?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
History
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.
Top job areas of graduates
History is a very popular subject (although numbers have fallen of late) — in 2015, over 10,000 UK students graduated in a history-related course. Obviously, there aren't 11,000 jobs as historians available every year, but history is a good, flexible degree that allows graduates to go into a wide range of different jobs, and consequently history graduates have an unemployment rate comparable to the national graduate average. Many — probably most — jobs for graduates don't ask for a particular degree to go into them and history graduates are well set to take advantage. That's why so many go into jobs in the finance industry, human resources, marketing, PR and events management, as well as the more obvious roles in education, welfare and the arts. Around one in five history graduates went into further study last year. History and teaching were the most popular further study subjects for history graduates, but law, journalism, and politics were also popular postgraduate courses.
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.
£12k
£17k
£22k
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.
History
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£12k
£17k
£22k
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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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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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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