BA Archaeology and History with Study Year Abroad

Explore the richness of our shared human past and gain valuable international experience with our BA Archaeology and History with Study Year Abroad 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 an integrated year of study at a partner university abroad in your third year. This is an excellent opportunity to further enhance your skills and broaden your experience. Both Departments have active links with approved partner universities in Europe, Australia, Japan and the US, including:

All classes are conducted in English and bursaries are available to help with travel and accommodation costs. Many BA Archaeology and History students choose to apply to visit Torun, and study medieval Polish archaeology.