Ancient History and Archaeology BA

Programme structure

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

The Ancient History and Archaeology degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.

Depending on your programme you can take up to 30 credits each year in another subject, for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or just widen your intellectual horizons.

Year 1

The first year gives you a foundational knowledge of archaeological and ancient history theory and concepts. You will also gain important analytical techniques that will be useful across a range of subjects and research tasks.

Compulsory modules

Please note, modules CLA1001 and CLA1002 run in alternate years; students will take whichever module is running.

CodeModuleCredits Either CLA1001 or CLA1002 CLA1001Greek History: Problems and Sources30 CLA1002Roman History: Problems and Sources30 Archaeology ARC1010 Themes in World Archaeology15 ARC1020 Essential Archaeological Methods15 Optional modules

For Ancient History you would take one from Ancient Sources (Material Evidence) or Ancient Sources (Written Evidence) and one from Ancient Sources, Text and Context or Ancient World.

CodeModuleCredits Ancient Sources (Written Evidence) CLA1303Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): Roman Historical Writing15 CLA1308Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): Comparing Empires and Imperialism15 Ancient Sources (Material Evidence) CLA1354Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Brave New Rome of Augustus15 CLA1357Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Globalisation and Identity in the Western Roman Empire15 Text and Context CLA1406Text and Context: Roman Love Elegy15 CLA1408Text and Context: Suetonius and Imperial Power15 CLA1410Text and Context: Writing Women in Ancient Literature15 Ancient World CLA1508Ancient World: Roman Philosophy15 Archaeology ARC1030 Investigating British Archaeology15 ARC1040 Artefacts and Materials15 ARC1050 Objects: Contexts and Display15 ARC1060 Ancient Civilisations of the Mediterranean and Near East15 ARC1070 Practical Skills in Archaeology30 Year 2

In the second year you will advance your grasp of archaeological and ancient history knowledge and methods through a set of compulsory modules, including fieldwork. Optional modules enable you to develop specialist knowledge on a range of topics.

Compulsory modules

Please note, modules CLA2001 and CLA2002 run in alternate years; students will take whichever module is running.

CodeModuleCredits Either CLA2001 or CLA2002 CLA2001Greek History: Problems and Sources 30 CLA2002Roman History: Problems and Sources30 Select one of the fieldwork modules: ARC2003Archaeological Fieldwork Project30 ARC2004Archaeological Field School30 Optional modules

For Ancient History you would take one from Ancient Sources (Material Evidence) or Ancient Sources (Written Evidence) and one from Ancient Sources, Text and Context or Ancient World.

Students who did not take Ancient Sources (Material Evidence) in Year 1 must take it in Year 2.

Select 30 credits of Archaeology Level 2 optional modules. 

CodeModuleCredits Ancient Sources (Written Evidence) CLA2303Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): Roman Historical Writing15 CLA2308Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): Comparing Empires and Imperialism15 Ancient Sources (Material Evidence) CLA2354Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Brave New Rome of Augustus15 CLA2357Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Globalisation and Identity in the Western Roman Empire15 Text and Context CLA2406Text and Context: Roman Love Elegy15 CLA2408Text and Context: Suetonius and Imperial Power15 CLA2410Text and Context: Writing Women in Ancient Literature15 Ancient World CLA2508Ancient World: Roman Philosophy15 Archaeology ARC2111 North American Prehistory: A Survey15 ARC2114Bronze Age Britain in its European Context15 ARC2118Lords to Lepers: Medieval Social Worlds15 ARC2119Art of the Metal Smith: Cultural Archaeologies of Technical Achievement15 ARC2126Trading Places, Towns, Royal Palaces and Fortifications: Early Medieval Centres in Europe (400-1100AD)15 ARC2127Human Origins15 ARC2128Pyramids and Elephants: The Kingdom of Kush15 ARC2404Romanization: Interaction, Conquest and Change in Late Roman and Iron Age Dacia15 ARC2504Zooarchaeology15 ARC2506AReading Stone Tools15 ARC2512Palaeobotany15 ARC2514Forensic Anthropology15 ARC2601Perspectives in Archaeology15 Year 3

The centre-point of the final year is the dissertation. This provides you with the opportunity to explore an area of interest and to demonstrate what you have learned over the previous years of your degree. You will also take up to three other specialist modules to create a programme of work fully reflecting your interests.

Optional modules

Pathway A: students take 60 credits from the list of Ancient History level 3 modules; 30 credits of Archaeology level 3 modules and ARC3000, Archaeological Dissertation.

Pathway B: students take 30 credits from the list of Ancient History level 3 modules; 60 credits of Archaeology level 3 modules and CLA3009, Ancient History Dissertation.

CodeModuleCredits Ancient History CLA3009Ancient History Dissertation 30 CLA3010Greek Mythology30 CLA3018Neronian Literature and Society30 CLA3020Sexuality and Gender in the Ancient World30 CLA3028Philip II and Alexander the Great of Macedon30 CLA3108The World of Late Antiquity30 CLA3112Medicine in Antiquity15 CLA3116Britain in the Roman World15 CLA3255Greek Political Thought15 CLA3256Impact of Greek Culture15 CLA3258The Reception of Greek Culture15 CLA3259The Ancient Greek Novel15 CLA3260Tales of the Unexpected: Paradoxography, Fiction and the Culture of Wonder15 CLA3263Being and Not-Being in Greek Philosophy: from Parmenides to Aristotle15 CLA3264Ancient Science and Society15 CLA3265Art and Visual Culture in the Roman World15 CLA3267Dialogues with the Past: Creative Interpretative Project15 Archaeology ARC3000Archaeological Dissertation 30 ARC3003Professional Placement30 ARC3006Advanced Fieldwork Project15 ARC3111North American Prehistory: A Survey15 ARC3114Bronze Age Britain in its European Context15 ARC3118Lords to Lepers: Medieval Social Worlds15 ARC3119Art of the Metal Smith: Cultural Archaeologies of Technical Achievement15 ARC3126Trading Places, Towns, Royal Palaces and Fortifications: Early Medieval Centres in Europe (400-1100AD)15 ARC3127Human Origins15 ARC3128Pyramids and Elephants: The Kingdom of Kush15 ARC3404Romanization: Interaction, Conquest and Change in Late Roman and Iron Age Dacia15 ARC3506AReading Stone Tools15 ARC3512Palaeobotany15 ARC3601Perspectives in Archaeology15 ARC3611Funerary Osteoarchaeology15 Full module descriptions

For full module descriptions please visit the Classics and Ancient History website and Archaeology website.