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BA Ancient History and Archaeology

Start date
September
Duration
3 years
UCAS code
VVC4
Course Type
Undergraduate, Single Honours
Fees

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK)
£24,470 (International)
More detail.

Uncover the ancient world by combining both historical and archaeological approaches with our undergraduate BA Ancient History and Archaeology degree at the University of Birmingham. Gain practical and theoretical experience with this exciting degree that unites both disciplines in the study of prehistoric Europe, Egypt, and ancient Greece and Rome.  

We place a distinctive emphasis on the combination of archaeological and historical approaches in the study of the ancient world, including modules in field Archaeology, Material Culture Studies and Historical Interpretation, with exciting opportunities for specialisation in Archaeology, Ancient History, or both disciplines. 

Our degree offers you an exciting opportunity to undertake field work, where  you will gain core practical skills and first-hand knowledge of archaeological fieldwork methodology. In your second year, you will be financially supported by the department for your Study Tour – an opportunity to travel abroad with your fellow students and academics on a guided tour of archaeological sites and monuments relevant to your studies.

International undergraduate scholarships available in the College of Arts and Law

We are proud to offer 10 scholarships to international students in the form of £3,000 tuition fee awards for year one entry only.

Learn more about our scholarships and apply

Over the last three years I have studied a variety of topics including human remains, ritual activities and excavated a medieval hunting lodge. Studying at the University of Birmingham has enabled me to challenge my understanding of social behaviours and explore ideologies and belief systems of differing cultures across millennia. I have developed a variety of transferable skills which means I'm well equipped to join the graduate job market.

Evadne

Why study this course?

BA Ancient History and Archaeology is right for you if…

  • You are interested in gaining hands-on experience - Develop your skills in field work and practical archaeology experience in the CAHA archaeological field school, led by expert academic staff. Recent undergraduate digs include excavation and survey at an Iron-Age site in nearby Shropshire, and a long-term project at Stonehenge.  
  • You want access to a wide range of learning resources - Including environmental and material culture teaching collections and our on-campus Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology Museum, where teaching takes place. 
  • You want to experience history in person – Take advantage of site visits to some of the most important archaeological sites of the ancient and classical world and major international collections of ancient artefacts. Our unique Study Tour module is funded by the department and enables you to travel abroad with your fellow students and academics to locations such as Greece, Italy and beyond.  
  • You want to gain marketable skills that are highly sought-after by employers - Pursue your career goals with one of our bespoke internships, offered exclusively to University of Birmingham students. Past placements have included the National Trust, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery  and West Midlands Transport.  
  • You want to tailor your own undergraduate degree - Select from the wide variety of optional modules offered across the department and create a degree that matches your interests.

Modules

Please note: You will take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

First year

Compulsory modules

  • Rethinking the Ancient World A: Mythology and Identity (10 credits)
  • Rethinking the Ancient World B: Other Voices (10 credits)
  • Project A (10 credits)
  • Project B (10 credits)
  • Understanding Archaeology (20 credits)
  • Practice of Archaeology (20 credits)
  • Greek World (20 credits)
  • The Roman World (20 credits)

Descriptions of first year modules

Second year

Compulsory modules

  • CAHA Study Tour (20 credits)
  • Understanding Ancient Societies (20 credits)
  • Material Culture and Heritage (20 credits) 

Optional modules

  • 60 credits of optional modules provided by the Department, including Ancient Languages modules and if you wish, one Future or Professional skills module

Descriptions of second year modules

Year Abroad

You can apply to study abroad for a year in an approved university around the world. If you achieve a grade of 2.1 or above in your first year, you will be eligible to apply for a Year Abroad in your second year. If your application is successful, you will go abroad in your third year and return to us for your final year.

More about a Year Abroad

Final year

Compulsory modules

  • CAHA Dissertation (40 credits)

Optional modules

Students choose 80 credits of optional modules

Descriptions of final year modules


Fees

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Fees for 2025/26 are as follows:

  • UK: £9,535
  • International: £24,470

Eligibility for fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

For further information on tuition fees, living costs and available financial support, please see our pages on undergraduate fees and funding.

Tuition fees when studying abroad

For those spending a whole academic year abroad (where available):

  • Students who are classed as UK for fees purposes are required to pay 15% of their normal annual tuition fee
  • Students who are classed as International for fee purposes are required to pay 50% of their normal annual tuition fee

For those studying abroad for just one semester (where available), normal annual tuition fees apply.

Note - Study abroad opportunities vary between courses; please see the course description for details of study abroad options offered.

Additional Course Costs

Approximately 33% of the cost of the study tour to a European country to visit sites and museums relevant to the study of the Ancient World.

How To Apply

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
ABB
Required subjects and grades:
ABB
General Studies:
Accepted.

IB Diploma:
6,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall.

BTEC qualifications:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma: DDD.
  • BTEC Diploma: DD, plus B at A-level.
  • BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A-level.

T Levels:
Distinction overall with B in the Core Component; all subjects considered.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

The Ancient Greeks believed that the gods were angry with humans and decided to wipe them all out in a great flood. One man survived, Deucalion. His son Hellen was born from the Earth and he is the first Greek.

Dr Andrew Bayliss

Support

You will have access to a comprehensive support system to help you make the transition to higher education when you start at Birmingham. 

Personal tutors – You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.

Wellbeing Officers –You will also have access to dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or to talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond if you need it.

Our Academic Skills Centre helps you to become a more effective and independent learner through a range of high-quality support services. The centre offers workshops on a range of topics, such as note-taking, reading, academic writing and presentation skills.

The Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) provides guidance on writing essays and dissertations if you need it. You can receive individual support from an academic writing advisor and meet with postgraduate tutors who specialise in particular subjects too.

Our Student Experience Team will help you get the most out of your academic experience. They offer research opportunities, study skills support, and help you prepare for your post-university career. They also organise social events, including trips.

Teaching staff

Students at the University of Birmingham are taught by a mixture of professors, senior lecturers, lecturers and doctoral researchers, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience. Many of our teaching staff have published important works about their areas of expertise, whilst others have taught at international institutions and can offer unique perspectives of their subjects.

You can find out more about the members of staff (including their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest) in their academic profiles linked below.

Contact Hours

All Birmingham degrees are set within a credit framework designed to measure your academic achievements. We expect all students to accumulate 120 credits in each full year of study which is equivalent to 40 hours of learning a week. Learning is considered to include contact learning (lectures and seminars), private study, revision and assessment.

For this programme, those 40 hours are estimated to be broken down and split into lectures, seminars and other guided teaching opportunities and then independent study. This is a general rule across the entire academic year and may change week by week.


Year 1: 24% Lectures, seminars or similar and 76% Independent study
Year 2: 14% Lectures, seminars or similar and 86% Independent study
Year 3: 10% Lectures, seminars or similar and 90% Independent study

Assessment Methods

Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways to help you transition to a new style of learning. At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed. Assessments methods will vary with each module and could include:

  • coursework, such as essays
  • group and individual presentations
  • and exams

Feedback - you will receive feedback on each assessment within three weeks, so you can learn from each assignment. You will also be given feedback on any exams that you take. If you should fail an exam, we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is provided to help you prepare for future exams.

 

Our unique degrees are designed to provide both academic excellence and vocational development – a balance that is highly sought after by employers in today’s competitive graduate market.

The skills of an historian in archaeology and ancient history – research, analysis, organisation, self-management and reasoning – are highly attractive to graduate employers. Graduates from BA Archaeology and Ancient History are capable of working independently and as part of a team, and eloquently articulate judgements and arguments, which makes them highly sought-after employees. For this reason, 88% of our graduates enter work or further study after graduation (Graduate Outcomes survey 2019).

You will be in high demand and well placed to forge a rewarding career in a variety of spheres, including:

  • Law
  • Education
  • Media
  • Publishing
  • Local government
  • Museums and charities
  • Cultural and heritage organisations

Therefore studying Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Birmingham opens doors to a wide range of  careers. Some graduates will go onto undertake further study and research in pursuit of higher degrees.

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.  You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences.  As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.  

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.