WHERE TO START
archaeology degree courses in the uk
Choosing a degree course in Archaeology is quite a daunting task - there are 49 universities and colleges that offer it; and there are so many combinations to choose from.
You can be any age from 18 upwards. Depending on where you come from - United Kingdom, European Union or non-EU - there are different scales of fees. Typically, someone from the UK or EU will pay £3000 per year.
The starting place for UK degree courses is UCAS.
A search for archaeology degrees will take you to a list of 387 of them for 2011 in 49 locations.
how to choose
Many students choose the area of the UK first - you might not want to be too far from friends and family. Some will make a list of places they would like to stay for three years or more - a lively city perhaps, or somewhere by the seaside where you can surf, swim and sail.
You'll be looking for a good course - good modules and good staff. This isn't so easy to find out. Some universities are great at research - their lecturers and PhD students producing loads of quality books and articles in journals. But this does not always mean that the lecturers take a keen interest in their students, or that they are good communicators. The best trick is to go on some excavations in the summer and talk to students who are already studying at the universities on your shortlist. Ask them which modules they find most interesting, and who are the good lecturers.
There are 26 universities that offer archaeology as a subject on its own - as "Single Honours". The other 400 or so courses are just combinations with other subjects - "Combined Honours". It's up to you - but my personal opinion is that "Single Honours" is best - it's the fact that you've got a degree that will get you a job later, not so much the subject you studied. And sticking with one group of friends/students for all your lectures is much nicer.
If you want to know about British and European archaeology - Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman, Medieval - most courses cover it.
If you want to do something a little more exotic - like Egyptology or Classical Archaeology for example, then the choices are much more limited.
If you want practical skills, like excavation, "geophys" and surveying, most courses do some, but there are some that specialise in practical archaeology preparing students for one of over 5000 jobs in the UK archaeology 'industry'.
There's a great course-finder website at the British Archaeology Jobs Resource.
studying archaeology at gce 'a' level
It will soon be possible for you to study Archaeology online through this website. Using "Moodle" a Virtual Learning Environment, you will be able to access online lessons, submit essays, enter quizzes and get feedback on your work. The course prepares you for the UK's GCE 'A' Level qualification.
