Overview

Understanding what it means to be human across different times, places and cultures is at the heart of both archaeology and anthropology, and few questions matter more as societies grapple with migration, heritage and cultural change. The BA Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Bristol brings these two disciplines together, combining archaeology with social, evolutionary and linguistic anthropology to build a rounded picture of human behaviour and experience. Students gain training in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, alongside direct experience of fieldwork and laboratory analysis. The course is shaped around original research throughout, and suits those who want to explore human diversity and material culture through practical, evidence-based investigation rather than classroom study alone.

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What You'll Learn

• The fundamental theories and methods of archaeology and anthropology, including social, linguistic and evolutionary anthropology and archaeological science

• Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies used in archaeological and anthropological investigation

• Descriptive, analytic, interpretative and visual approaches to studying archaeological and anthropological material

• Practical excavation and fieldwork skills, developed through a departmental training excavation

• Key issues of migration, sustainable development, heritage, and cultural and technological change

• Specialist research methods and theoretical frameworks as you progress into your second year

• Opportunities to pursue a self-directed area of interest through an original final-year dissertation

• The option to build employability further through a work placement with an external partner such as a museum or heritage organisation

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to analyse human culture, behaviour and experience across different periods and societies, drawing on archaeological evidence and anthropological theory in combination. They will be equipped to apply a range of qualitative and quantitative methods to real archaeological and anthropological material, and to interpret findings using descriptive, analytic and visual approaches. Through fieldwork, laboratory work and an original dissertation, students will develop the practical and research skills needed to design and carry out independent investigations, from data collection through to critical analysis and presentation. Graduates will be able to apply this interdisciplinary understanding to contemporary issues such as migration, heritage and sustainable development, and will leave with transferable research and fieldwork skills relevant to further study or employment.