BA
Ancient History and Archaeology BA (Hons)
Immerse yourself in the ancient world and study all aspects of ancient history and archaeology. Gain a greater understanding by combining these interrelated areas, and then focus on what interests you the most.
How to apply Apply via UCAS
Course details
Start date
Degree Type
BA
UCAS Code
VF14
Course length
3 years full-time
Typical offer
AAB
Tuition Fees
- Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
- Overseas (Full-time): £28,000 per year
Overview
This Joint Honours degree enables you to combine Ancient History modules from the Department of Classics and Ancient History with archaeology modules in the Department of Archaeology. The balance is broadly equal, but as you progress through your course you will have several opportunities to follow your particular interests in one or both areas. Your dissertation provides a further opportunity to concentrate your studies in an area that captures your imagination. Studying on this course will give you a wider perspective on these related subject areas, allowing you to fully explore the connections between archaeological discovery and historical context. The course offers an optional study abroad element, where you may spend the third year of a four-year course studying at a European university. You can also put your learning into practice by applying to add a placement year to your degree.
Course details
Start date
Degree Type
BA
UCAS Code
VF14
Course length
3 years full-time
Typical offer
AAB
Tuition Fees
- Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
- Overseas (Full-time): £28,000 per year
What you'll study
In Year 1 you will be introduced to the world of the ancient Greeks and early Imperial Rome, seen from a variety of perspectives and through different forms of evidence. This will prepare you for a wide range of topics including more specifically historical modules about politics and society in the ancient world, and more specialist modules on material culture and archaeology.
Core modules
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Archaeology in Britain
gives you a wide-ranging introduction to how archaeologists work, how sites are found and excavated, how archaeological information is generated, theorised and interpreted, and the issues facing archaeology today. It will give you the study skills needed for library work, essays, tutorials and computing. The module also gives a brief overview of British archaeology by period, from the Neolithic to the present day.
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Cities in Antiquity
gives you a broad overview of the archaeology of the Greco-Roman world from 800 BC to AD 400. It also gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and to practice your evaluative skills through essay writing and a written examination.
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Introduction to the Greek World
introduces ancient Greek history, society, and thought, by focusing on how classical Athenians engaged with their past. It explores the central themes, topics and terminology in the study of Archaic and Classical Greece.
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Monuments and Memory in the Age of Augustus
provides an introduction to, and a basis for further study of, Roman history and culture and Latin literature. It investigates a central, transitional epoch in the history of ancient Rome from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Intermediate Latin/GreekEarly Greek PhilosophyLanguage, Translation, InterpretationThe Craft of the Ancient HistorianLives of Objects – Greek and Roman AntiquityAncient Civilisations: Sources, Approaches and MethodsDiscovering World PrehistoryAncient Civilisations of the EastMedieval to Modern: An Introduction to the Archaeology of the Medieval to Post Medieval World
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Ancient Political Thought and ActionEmperors and DynastiesLiving in the Classical WorldThe City of AthensBeginners’, Intermediate or Advanced Latin/GreekInterpreting Greek Tragedy TodayClassical Receptions and Contemporary CulturesDialogues with AntiquityPrehistoric Europe: From Foragers to State FormationBecoming Roman: From Iron Age to Empire in Italy and the West.Professional Training (Archaeology)
Core modules
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Dissertation
In your final year, you will design and carry out your own which will develop your skills of independent research and project management by pursuing a substantial research project in a topic of your choice.
Optional modules
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Fieldwork
Fieldwork is not compulsory for Joint Honours, but some options (Professional Training; Advanced Professional Training) open up the chance to take part in archaeological excavation and fieldwork.
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Greeks and Persians (c. 560-336 BC)The Later Roman EmpireThe History of Writing in the Ancient MediterraneanIntermediate, Advanced or Higher Latin/GreekThe Origins of CivilisationComedy and Tragedy, Laughter and SorrowLives and Afterlives of The Greek and Roman PoetsSpecialised Aspects of ArchaeologyMuseum RepresentationCurrent ArchaeologyInterpreting HeritageArchaeology and Global Sustainable Development.Advanced Professional Training (Archaeology)
Learning
You will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes with informal one-on-one support alongside self-directed research and reading. Modules can incorporate digital learning resources as well. We also offer an extensive programme of research-focused seminars where staff and visiting scholars present their cutting-edge research. The small-group and practical work prioritises your learning experience over the number of formal sessions, with increasing focus on independent research as you move from your first to your final year. As such, the course transforms you from a consumer of knowledge in a classroom to a generator of knowledge in the field, ready for professional or postgraduate life.Assessment
On this course you will be assessed through coursework, examinations and presentations, as well as through hands-on practical exercises. You progress from more exams in your first year, to proportionally more coursework in upper years. In the final year you will write a dissertation on a special interest topic, developing your knowledge and research skills, supported by one-on-one supervision, and this makes up one-third of your final-year marks.Entry requirements
Fees & Funding
Choose which fees you want to see:
Home / Island students
£9,535 per year
International / EU Students
£28,000 per year
Home / Island students
Part Time - £ per year
International / EU Students
Part Time - £ per year
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
Find out moreDepartment Information
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Archaeology at Durham is an exciting and diverse discipline that delves into the past to inform our understanding of the modern world. Covering a wide range of topics from early human development and ancient civilisations to colonialism and slavery in the early modern world, this broad-based discipline can take you into many different careers. We are an inclusive and vibrant international teaching and research community that offers plenty of opportunities for you to get involved, from research seminars and reading groups to field-based projects. Our research-led approach to learning means you will be taught by subject specialists whose wide-ranging interests span World, European and British archaeology from the last ice age to the post-medieval period. Combining practical work with traditional academic study, you will explore archaeological sites and historic buildings, study scientific methods, archaeological theories and computer techniques. Fieldwork takes you around the world, with previous projects ranging from Africa to the Lebanon. Closer to home you will learn about the rich and varied heritage of the UK. Our location in Durham is ideal for the study of archaeology with UNESCO World Heritage Site, such as Durham Cathedral and Hadrian's Wall on our doorstep. We offer a range of single and joint honours BA and BSc degrees with flexible pathways to suit your interests and career goals, and most courses include the possibility of a work placement or year abroad. For more information see our department pages.
Read moreFacilities
We are based in the Dawson Building at the heart of the Durham city campus. We are one of the most comprehensively equipped archaeology departments in the UK with research laboratories in DNA, conservation, isotope analysis, environmental archaeology, luminescence dating, paleopathology and bone chemistry. The Department is also home to a leading commercial archaeological fieldwork unit. This enables us to provide expert training in excavation and fieldwork techniques from working archaeologists. In addition, we have a number of dedicated library collections and a gallery which hosts our extensive collection of archaeological artefacts. Fieldtrips are an important part of the student experience at Durham. First year students undertake a two-week placement, with most working on our internationally significant excavations at Auckland Castle. Second- and third-year undergraduates join us on digs around the world to gain international experience, with recent projects in France, Spain, Kuwait, Nepal and Egypt.
Find out more -
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When you study at the Department of Classics and Ancient History you will join a large, forward-looking department. We offer an intellectually stimulating learning environment in a welcoming community, and consistently rank highly for teaching, graduate employability and research. We offer a range of flexible and challenging degree courses designed with the twenty-first-century student in mind. Each with a different emphasis, depending on which area you prefer to put at the centre of your studies: ancient languages, ancient history or ancient culture. We also offer joint honours courses with the departments of Archaeology and History. Our degrees offer both academic rigour and an outstanding student experience, taught by a team of academic staff who between them specialise in the languages, literature, history, and culture of the Greco-Roman world, as well as its impact on later centuries up to the present day. The breadth of knowledge in the Department allows us to offer a wide range of study areas including ancient Greek and Latin languages from beginner to advanced level, literature in translation, history of various areas of the ancient Mediterranean, and many more aspects of classical culture, including philosophy, art and science. For more information see our department pages.
Read moreFacilities
We are situated in the beautiful and historic centre of Durham next to the Cathedral and Castle and just two minutes’ walk from the city centre, at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The friendly and welcoming Department is housed in eighteenth-century buildings which include dedicated study space and a library with an extensive collection of ancient texts and reference works. The student body is a large, close-knit and highly engaged community. Our student-led Classics Society organises regular social and academic events, often in conjunction with staff from the Department.
Find out more -
Career Opportunities
Of those students who graduated in 2021-22
94%
HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. This survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. We here highlight destinations of specifically first-degree graduates. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk
Employability
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