BA
Ancient History and Archaeology BA (Joint Hons)
Immerse yourself in the ancient world, gaining the skills of both ancient historian and archaeologist in our outstanding joint honours degree. 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): per year
- Overseas (Full-time): 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 from 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 gain expertise in using both textual and material evidence to understand the cultural history of antiquity. 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): per year
- Overseas (Full-time): 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. In Years 2 and 3 you deepen your knowledge with modules that address politics and society, art, urbanism and reception of antiquity.
Core modules
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Archaeology in Britain
introduces you to how archaeological information is generated, theorised and interpreted, and the issues facing archaeology today through the lens of of British archaeology from the Neolithic to the present day. It will give you the study skills needed for library work, essays, tutorials and computing.
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Cities in Antiquity
introduces you to the formation of major cities in the ancient Mediterranean world, including their architectural forms, locations, cultures and economies, from the Iron Age to Early Christianity, circa 800 BC to AD 400.
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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, 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/GreekClassical Receptions and Contemporary CulturesAncient Mediterranean CivilisationsBecoming RomanAdvanced Skills in Archaeology (multiple sub-options)
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, concentrating on archaeology, ancient history, or combining both in an interdisciplinary project.
Optional modules
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Fieldwork
Fieldwork is not compulsory for Joint Honours, but some options (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 CivilisationSpecialised Aspects of Archaeology (multiple sub-options)Advanced Professional Training in Archaeology Museum RepresentationInterpreting Heritage
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. 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 more traditional course work essays, presentations and exams, but also through more hands-on practical exercises and alternative projects. In the final year you will write a dissertation on a topic of special interest to you, allowing you independent research 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
per year
International / EU Students
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 and informs our understanding of the present. It brings together multiple techniques and methods, and covers a wide range of themes and periods, from the earliest human development through classical civilisations to colonialism, the built environment and heritage in the modern world. We are an inclusive international scholarly community offering opportunities for you to get involved, from seminars and reading groups to field projects. Our research-led approach to learning means you will be taught by world specialists and explore archaeological sites and historic buildings, cutting-edge scientific methods, theories, debates and computing techniques. Fieldwork takes you around the world, with previous projects ranging from Iceland to Africa. Closer to home you will learn about the rich and varied past of the UK. Our location provides a great environment for studying archaeology and heritage, with UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Durham Cathedral and Hadrian's Wall on our doorstep. We offer single and joint honour BA and BSc degrees to suit your interests and career goals. 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, the historic original science building on the Science Site, at University's main Mountjoy Campus. We are close to other departments, colleges, the Bill Bryson library and the Teaching and Learning Centre. Our building houses teaching rooms, and a suite of state-of-the-art laboratories for precision techniques including ancient DNA and isotope analysis, Geographic Information Systems and digital visualisation, as well as a common room for social activities of staff and students. Our teaching allows students hands on experience in labs, and our library holdings and digital resources are world-class.
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Commercial archaeological fieldwork
The Department is also home to a leading commercial archaeological fieldwork unit, enabling expert training in excavation and fieldwork techniques from working archaeologists.
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Fieldwork
Single honours students gain experience through summer placements on module-linked projects around the world, from County Durham to France, Spain, Egypt and Nepal.
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Extensive resources
We are one of the most comprehensively equipped archaeology departments in the UK in terms of staffing, laboratories, equipment and library resources.
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.
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Extensive collection of ancient texts and reference works
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.
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Events
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.
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REF 2021
In the latest UK-wide research assessment (REF 2021) we were ranked 4th for overall research quality. Our research informs our undergraduate degrees, so as to keep courses highly relevant and up to date.
Find out more -
Career Opportunities
Of those UK/EU students who graduated in 2022/23:
91%
91%
£25,083
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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