Learn about the ancient world and find ways to understand the foundations of how we live today. On BA Archaeology and Ancient History, you'll develop specialist knowledge in your chosen areas of study and learn in an engaging and supportive research environment. Your research and archiving skills will prepare you for further study, or for a variety of career options. These include heritage management and archaeological research.
Studying archaeology and ancient history will give you an insight into both subjects and you'll be able to explore the topics that interest you through optional modules.
You'll have the choice of a wide range of historical topics, from Ancient Egypt to the rise of Islam in the Middle East. You can also learn what happened during the conquests of Alexander the Great and at the end of the Roman Empire.
The complementary subject of archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains. These include buildings, monuments, artefacts, biological remains, written sources and landscape. On this ancient history and archaeology degree you can:
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
This course is based at Avenue.
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.
AAB to ABB including a Humanities subject*
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. * Related subject includes subjects such as English, History, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer: ABB including a Humanities subject* and grade A in the EPQ
We are committed to ensuring that all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise an applicant's potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
Pass, with 34 to 32 points overall with 17 to 16 points at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in a Humanities subject*
*A Humanities subject includes subjects such as History, English, Philosophy, Geography, Law, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
Offers will be made on the individual Diploma Course subject(s) and the career-related study qualification. The CP core will not form part of the offer. Where there is a subject pre-requisite(s), applicants will be required to study the subject(s) at Higher Level in the Diploma course subject and/or take a specified unit in the career-related study qualification. Applicants may also be asked to achieve a specific grade in those elements. Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Diploma plus A to B in an A level Humanities subject*. Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Diploma plus A to B in an A level Humanities subject* Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Certificate plus AA to AB to include an A level Humanities subject*
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
The University aims to recruit students from a wide range of backgrounds who we believe have the potential and motivation to succeed on our challenging programmes. We are committed to fair admissions and strive to ensure we give equal consideration to all applicants who possess the necessary knowledge and skills. To support the BTEC we also ask for a complementary humanities subject A Level. *A Humanities subject includes subjects such as History, English, Philosophy, Religious Studies or Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Extended Diploma plus A to B in an A level Humanities subject*. or Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Diploma plus A to B in an A level Humanities subject* or Distinction in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus AA to AB to include an A level Humanities subject*
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, of which 39 must be at Distinction and 6 credits at Merit, to include 6 Distinctions in a Humanities subject* OR 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit, to include 6 Distinctions in a Humanities subject*
*A Humanities subject includes subjects such as History, English, Philosophy, Geography, Law, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 to H1 H2 H2 H2 H3 H3 including a Humanities subject*
A2 A2 A2 B1 B1 B1 to A2 A2 B1 B1 B2 B2 including a Humanities subject* at B1
*A Humanities subject includes subjects such as History, English, Philosophy, Geography, Law, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
Offers will be based on exams being taken at the end of S6. Subjects taken and qualifications achieved in S5 will be reviewed. Careful consideration will be given to an individual’s academic achievement, taking in to account the context and circumstances of their pre-university education.
Please see the University of Southampton’s Curriculum for Excellence Scotland Statement (PDF) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
D3 D3 M2 to D3 M2 M2 in three principal subjects including a Humanities subject*
*A Humanities subject includes subjects such as History, English, Philosophy, Geography, Law, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
AAB to ABB from 3 A levels including a Humanities subject* or AA to AB from two A levels including a Humanities subject* and B from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *A Humanities subject includes subjects such as History, English, Philosophy, Geography, Law, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
Not accepted for this course.
Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)
Find the equivalent international qualifications for our entry requirements.
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
You might meet our criteria in other ways if you do not have the qualifications we need. Find out more about:
Find out more about our Admissions Policy.
Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
In your first year studying archaeology and ancient history, you'll focus on discovering the nature of archaeology and ancient history and the relationship between these two disciplines.
In year 2 you'll enhance your knowledge of the human past and study historical and archaeological methodology. In your final year, you'll specialise in the study of selected periods, regions or themes.
You'll also be able to broaden your experience beyond ancient history and archaeology by choosing:
You do not need to choose your modules when you apply. We'll guide you through the process before you start.
Compulsory modules will give you an introduction to the ancient world and to archaeological fieldwork and analysis.
You'll also be able to choose optional modules. These include topics such as human origins, death in the ancient world, and debates in archaeological science.
You'll deepen your understanding of archaeology with at least 3 weeks of practical experience in a field school or research project in the UK or overseas.
You'll delve deeper into the issues and debates surrounding contemporary archaeology, as well as examining professional and academic practice in archaeology.
Optional modules include studies of:
You'll be able to follow your interests and complete a research project and dissertation on either ancient history or archaeology. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your planning, research, analysis, and communication skills. You'll also show how you engage with primary source materials.
You can choose from specialist module options, including:
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
You must study the following modules in year 1:
The history of the ancient world is hugely significant for understanding subsequent periods of history and the origins of ideas and institutions of global significance. However, the nature of the ancient world continues to be highly debated due to the sou...
How do archaeologists find sites, gather data and proceed to make sense of archaeological traces? This module provides a detailed introduction to fieldwork methods and analysis, covering site prospection techniques (e.g., aerial photography and geophysica...
In a common analogy where the c.4.5 billion years of Earth's geological history are equated to a 24-hour day - modern humans appearing only within the last 4 seconds - written human history begins only in the last 100 milliseconds. That time, though, saw ...
The Ancient World has profoundly influenced subsequent generations of history, and helps us to understand the foundations of today’s world. This module provides an introduction to this momentous period of history from Dark Age Greece to the emergence of I...
You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:
In both public and private life, we face difficult and pressing ethical questions every day. Should we give a proportion of our wealth to those in developing countries? Should we allow doctors to perform abortions or euthanasia and, if so, under what circ...
The application of scientific techniques is increasingly embedded in archaeological studies and is an area where the UK currently leads the world. Techniques such as dating methods, the use of isotopes to reconstruct past diet or human migrations and the ...
The 4th century CE was a time of upheaval and change. Christianity became established as the state religion of the Roman empire, the split between the eastern and western empire was cemented, and the first large group of Goths crossed the Roman border. In...
History is not just about studying written documents and sources; historians examine the ‘stuff’ of history, including objects, images, and buildings which were made and used by people in the past. We can also ‘read’ these sources, if we know how to appro...
Biological science tells us what items in our world are potentially edible, but culture decides what constitutes food. Culture informs us as to whether a specific item is appropriate, appetising, valued, desirable, prohibited, restricted, staple or medici...
The landscapes and seascapes of Britain play host to one of the world’s most varied and intriguing archaeological records. With an occupational history spanning one million years, it tells a complex inter-twined story of social, physical and environmenta...
States impose many demands upon their citizens through the law and the magistrates and police who enforce it. But are there good reasons why citizens should comply with these demands, or do they act merely out of a fear of punishment? Some states we seem ...
Both individuals and society attach great importance and value to certain works of art, including poems, novels, films, plays, symphonies, and paintings. Most of us spend a considerable amount of our limited time and resources acquiring, creating, experie...
In this module, you will examine one of the greatest armies in European history. The Roman army has long excited interest, whether out of an interest in the past, or as a model for more recent military powers. The far-flung province of Britain hosted the ...
You must study the following modules in year 2:
This module will prepare you for study abroad and also take you through the application process for study abroad. Before you travel, you are required to take out appropriate insurance policies and engage in on-going monitoring of risk and this module will...
History has a life which stretches far beyond the ivory tower of academia and university study. This module encourages you to reflect on how historians translate academic knowledge into public history. It introduces you to the many different audiences for...
This non-credit bearing module is a required element for all Humanities students on a Year Abroad Programme. It builds on the Year Abroad preparation module, HUMA2012. It is taken as a long thin single module whilst on the Year Abroad with a two hour prep...
The Year in Employment (YiE) is an opportunity for undergraduate students across a range of programmes to undertake a placement year whilst remaining enrolled to the University of Southampton. Students complete their placement after their second year of s...
You must also choose from the following modules in year 2:
‘Ancient Greek 1B’ is designed to build on the knowledge acquired by students who have taken ‘Ancient Greek 1A’, but may also be appropriate for those with some previous alternative experience (e.g. a GCSE). The module will improve your ability to read, c...
From the legendary tales of the Trojan War up to the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, warfare played a central role in ancient Greek history and society. This module allows you to examine ancient Greek warfare from a range of different sources a...
This module focusses on the city of Rome and its development from its early foundation through to the third century AD. It explores the evidence for one of the most important cities of the ancient world, which at its height was home to approximately a mil...
This module examines the variation within the mammalian skeleton from an evolutionary and functional perspective. Additionally, it gives an overview of the main methodological and theoretical issues in the retrieval, treatment and interpretation of bone f...
This module is concerned with how people in different cultures make sense of their world. The spiritual beliefs and ritual practices of a range of different cultures across the world are considered together with some of the ways in which anthropologists ...
Archaeology is an immensely data-rich activity that records the characteristics of sites, landscapes and artefacts, sometimes in great detail. Making sense of that data often relies on quantitative or statistical methods to identify patterns, associations...
This module explores human evolution in the context of expanding and contracting populations. We shall review the evolutionary landscape and the big questions that face archaeologists. We shall cover the hominin fossil record, learning about the major spe...
This module will discuss Chinese history from its mythical beginnings to the 19th century (the time when China encountered the West). We will encounter famous figures like the philosopher Confucius, discuss the origins of the Silk Road and the Great Wall,...
This fifteen credit module will introduce you to the theoretical, logistic, technical and legislative issues that have to be addressed if the theory and practice of archaeology are to be successfully applied in the investigation of sites underwater - thes...
The ability to understand Latin enables direct access to a wealth of primary source material across a vast chronological span, from the ancient world to the early modern period, on subjects ranging from history and literature to philosophy and science. ‘L...
This course aims to give students a sound introduction to the way archaeology is carried out underwater.
What are myths and what do they do? In “Myth and the Ancient World” you will explore how the Ancient Greeks used myths to make sense of the world and their position in it. The module covers a time span of some 900 years, from the time of Homer and Hesiod ...
Late Antiquity can be narrated as a period of powerful emperors, domineering bishops, and barbarian warlords. In this module we will be looking, instead, at the lives and agency of women during the same period. We look at women’s legal and social status a...
Blood, violence, terror, raids, pirates, rape and pillage are just some of the words associated with the Vikings in both the medieval and modern imagination. Their fearsome reputation is underlined by nicknames such as ‘Blood Axe' and ‘Skull-splitter', bu...
You must choose your modules from the following modules in year 3:
Wars have been fought throughout the history of mankind. Ethical concerns that they raised, or, in other words, the rights and wrongs of waging war, have been discussed from time immemorial. War has often been seen as an evil, a necessary evil, to be avoi...
The dissertation is a key component of your degree; in it you have a chance to show the skills of analysis and research you have learned during the three years of your programme.
The dissertation is a key component of your degree, and the culmination of your programme of study. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate the skills of planning, research, data collation, analysis, and communication that you have learned during your p...
Seafaring lies at the heart of human activity across the world and has taken place from the earliest times to the present day. Reflecting this, in recent years the study of seafaring has become an increasingly important area in our understanding of the hu...
Ancient History goes beyond Greece and Rome. The ancient world was incredibly diverse, inhabited by different cultures, religions, and societies which were closely connected and left their mark on each other, through interaction, conflict, and exchange. I...
This module explores the Roman Empire, but from the perspective of those who resisted it, fought it, and rebelled against it. The study of the ancient world, throughout its different periods, is greatly influenced by Rome. Starting from its expansion duri...
This module explores human evolution in terms of physiological, social and cultural adaptations. It explores human ecology in the broad sense, combining not just cultural and social variability, but also physiological adaptations in past and present-day h...
This module aims to acquaint you with Geographic Information Systems including their use for mapping and analysing archaeological sites and landscapes, and to explain the broader context of their application to a range of archaeological research and manag...
In this module we will examine how knowledge about the past is presented in museum exhibition and display. We will look at current practices in exhibition design and discuss the contemporary literature on communicating heritage to a range of audiences. Yo...
The culmination of your history degree at Southampton will be the completion of your final year independent research dissertation (HIST3021 for History programmes or HIST3210 for Ancient History programmes). In this module you will learn how to apply the ...
The learning activities for this course include the following:
How you'll spend your course time:
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 1:
Year 1:
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 2:
Year 2:
You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.
John McNabb is the course leader.
You'll graduate with transferable skills including the ability to:
Our graduates have secured roles including:
This degree is also a good foundation for further study at master's or PhD level.
We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:
We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.
Fees for a year's study:
The Government has recently announced changes to UK tuition fees from September 2025 onwards. We will update our website to reflect this shortly.
Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.
Find out how to:
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.
Explore:
If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.
If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.
Get in touch for advice about student money matters.
You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.
We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.
The Student Hub offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
We will assess your application on the strength of your:
We'll aim to process your application within 2 to 6 weeks, but this will depend on when it is submitted. Applications submitted in January, particularly near to the UCAS equal consideration deadline, might take substantially longer to be processed due to the high volume received at that time.
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Archaeology and Ancient History (BA) is a course in the History and Archaeology subject areas. Here are some other courses within these subject areas:
