Anthropology and Archaeology, BA (Hons)

There are numerous areas of overlap between Anthropology and Archaeology, making them particularly suitable for combination in a joint honours degree. The BA (Hons) Anthropology and Archaeology course combines modules from the BA/BSc (Hons) Anthropology degrees and BA (Hons) Archaeology, providing a comprehensive understanding of humanity both past and present.Students also have the opportunity to study a foreign language by taking a module from the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Study in any year.As a student on the BA (Hons) Anthropology and Archaeology degree, your learning will be supported by formal teaching sessions, such as lectures and smaller-group teaching in seminars and practical classes, as well as fieldwork and excavation opportunities.The Anthropology Department and Archaeology Department have a large range of resources including skeletal collections, a fossil cast collection, and a material culture collection that are used in relevant modules, and you may also be able to use these independently, to supplement your learning or for project work.As you move through your BA (Hons) Anthropology and Archaeology course, you will shift from being a consumer of knowledge in the classroom to a generator of knowledge, ready for professional or postgraduate life. To help develop this independence, you will spend part of your time engaged in self-directed study, which will include reading, project work and preparation for classes. In your third year, you will undertake a dissertation on an anthropological or archaeological topic of your choice, preferably one that overlaps the two subjects, giving you the chance to engage in a major piece of independent work.Assessment on the BA (Hons) Anthropology and Archaeology degree varies by module, but may include written examinations, podcasts, museum displays and outreach activities, coursework in the form of essays or research projects, and presentations.You will be given a Year Tutor when you start your degree, and will normally keep the same Tutor for the duration of your studies. Where possible, you will be given an Year Tutor who has an interest or background in both anthropology and archaeology. Year Tutors are there to support your academic work by providing advice about such things as study skills, module choices, dissertation topics, and applications for further study or employment. As well as discussing your academic work with your nominated tutor, you are encouraged to make use of the drop in hours provided by academic staff during term-time. These drop in hours give you the opportunity to discuss your work with module tutors, for example, to seek clarification on complex ideas, get suggestions for additional readings, and receive further feedback on assessments.As a student in the Anthropology and Archaeology Departments, you will be welcomed into the wider departmental communities, for example being able to attend an extensive programme of research-focused anthropological seminars where academic staff, postgraduate students and visiting scholars present their cutting-edge research, which may provide inspiration for your dissertation topic and even future study or employment.