Archaeology

BSc (Hons) Archaeology

Delivery method: Full-time
Course Reference: BSARC

Course Overview

This degree is unique within the UK: it concentrates on professional training.

The course's innovative fieldwork produces highly skilled practitioners. It also draws on the School's scientific strengths to provide a multidisciplinary, theoretical framework. Bournemouth is ideally situated with major sites from all time periods within easy travelling distance.

Students have the opportunity to gain work experience with placements on archaeological excavations in the UK and abroad that have recently included excavation experience in the USA, Greece and Russia. Graduates have gone on to work with English Heritage, Historic Scotland, Wessex Archaeology, the Oxford Archaeological Unit, as well as a host of museums, archaeological consultancies and programmes of postgraduate study.

The teaching of Archaeology at Bournemouth achieved an "Excellent" rating from the Subject Review carried out by QAA in 2001.

Candidates lacking relevant qualifications to enter at Level C may be considered for entry through the FdSc Field Archaeology. Mature student entry is encouraged, candidates being considered based on relevant professional experience and/or qualifications.

The Student experience
At Bournemouth, our interests range from Prehistory, Roman and Medieval through to artefacts and environmental archaeology, all based within our Centre for Archaeology, Anthropolgy and Heritage. Our research findings are integrated with our teaching.

Our high quality research was rated "3A" following the RAE assessment in Dec 2001 and our teaching achieved an "Excellent" rating of 22/24 by the QAA.

The course differs significantly from a traditional archaeology course. As well covering all the theoretical subjects, the course contains extensive fieldwork, including a training excavation in Year 1 and placement in Year 2, and covers the core curriculum of the Institute of Field Archaeologists. The course also includes transferable skills so that graduates possess a range of expertise in areas that are in high demand by potential employers.

Archaeology is not just about working to explore the past. Here at Bournemouth University, it is also very much about working in the present as the skills learnt can be applied to 20th century history. Our students may follow a path after graduation that leads to working in the recently established field of forensic archaeology in which the School is world leading. Our staff and postgraduate students have recently been working in arenas that range from the discovery and repatriation of remains from First World War graves to providing evidence for the prosecution of war crimes in The Hague.

We are part of the Erasmus/Socrates programme so you may be able to undertake a period of study at one of the participating overseas universities as apart of your degree course.