BA Archaeology and Anthropology

Explore humanity from its earliest origins to the cultures and societies of today with our BA Archaeology and Anthropology degree.

The University of Reading is in the top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, Archaeology. The University of Reading is ranked 51-100 in the world and is the joint 9th highest placed UK university) and 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 the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021), and we achieved the highest score for student satisfaction in the UK in 2022.

This joint honours course combines archaeology’s examination of material evidence from our past and present with anthropology’s focus on human development and contemporary cultures and societies. Studying these two disciplines together allows you insight and understanding of what it means to be human.

This understanding will be crucial in addressing issues critical to our shared global future, including:

By examining human development, behaviour and different cultures, you will better understand the roots of these issues, and learn how other societies have tackled comparable problems – and how contemporary societies are addressing them now.

Using methodological approaches from the sciences, social sciences and humanities, you will examine the diversity of human experience. You will learn about the biological evolution of our earliest ancestors, the pre-historical and historical development of different cultures, and present-day ways of life and social issues. 

During your studies you will analyse:

Your studies in the Department of Archaeology will encompass ethnographic approaches and case studies, and the study of social and scientific archaeology, including:

On this course you will learn through a combination of field classes and fieldwork projects, lectures and seminars, laboratory and other practical work, and placements.

Depending on your module choices, methods of assessment can range from fieldwork diaries and laboratory-based practical tests to article critiques and presentations.

Find out more about this programme by reading our story about Mia Dare, a first-year BA Archaeology and Anthropology student who's gaining new perspectives on our world while studying at Reading.