BA Archaeology and History with Professional Placement

Explore the richness of our shared human past and gain valuable hands-on experience with our BA Archaeology and History with Professional Placement degree.

At the University of Reading, you will join a community of passionate and curious staff and students from both the Department of History and the Department of Archaeology which 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). Archaeology also achieved the highest score for overall student satisfaction in the UK in 2022 (National Student Survey 2022).

You’ll gain an awareness of the development of differing values, systems and societies, working to address issues critical to our shared global future – including human diets and health, environmental change, inequality, migration and identity.

In your archaeological studies, you’ll study material remains to uncover our human past, from as early as the first hominins millions of years ago. Your historical studies will then take you on a journey through Britain, Europe, Africa, America, the Middle East and South Asia, spanning the past thousand years. You’ll interrogate historical records and explore visual and material culture through texts, paintings, photographs, films and oral sources.

Through the lens of these two complementary subjects, you’ll gain a richer, more holistic understanding of our shared human past, balancing your critical evaluation of historical sources against the physical evidence of lived experience provided by archaeological finds.

This four-year degree features a year-long professional placement between your second and final years of study. It’s an excellent opportunity to enhance your work-related skills and develop a network of contacts, as well as strengthen your employability prospects.

We provide placement opportunities in a variety of contexts within the archaeological, heritage, planning and museum sectors. The University has strong links with organisations such as:

Alternatively, you can apply for a placement in a non-related business or industry, exploring different career options and enhancing your employability by drawing on the many non-vocational, transferable skills you obtain from an archaeology degree.

As a placement year student, you are responsible for finding your placement. We have a dedicated member of staff who will provide you with advice and support throughout the process.

For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.