Even though it is not a common degree, archaeology has started to become more and more popular amongst students from all over the world.
Archaeology degrees are designed to give students a wider perspective about human society throughout time, whether we talk about culture, history, or ways of life in the past.
Undoubtedly, Archaeology is a challenging degree, due to the fact that it is based on cross-disciplinary research. Thus, any student will develop various skills such as surveying, data analysis and textual criticism.
The advantage of an Archaeology course is that you are highly employable for this industry. This field, as compared to others, does not have enough human resources to meet the market’s needs. Consequently, graduates from this degree are the perfect candidates.
Additionally, archaeology graduates are equipped with transferable skills. More precisely, the skills gained during the degree can be applied to a variety of careers. One example can be business and management, an area which emphasises critical thinking, analytical and practical skills, and the ability to work in a team. These are just a few of the competencies gained from an archaeology degree.
Therefore, graduates from this field are highly sought after for their skills which can be applied not only in Archaeology but also in other specialities.
Archaeology courses are three-year commitments, although there are many institutions which now include a fourth year of studies. It can be offered either as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Sciences (BSc) degree.
If you choose Archaeology as part of a BA, it is likely to focus more on humanities. In contrast, a BSc will give you a science-oriented perspective. Regardless of your choice, you should keep in mind that the course is a combination of arts and sciences.
Lastly, every Archaeology course requires fieldwork. Some universities might even offer you the chance to conduct excavations in countries like Egypt or Greece.
The classes go, for me, at an agonizing pace. Each class meets once a week for three hours, and material goes by incredibly slowly. There are very few assignments too. It’s great to be in Athens with a ton of free time, but hard-working students looking for a challenge might find themselves bored here.
View moreThe BA Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece is a new program started by the School of Philosophy at the University of Athens, for which I am currently studying in.
Pros of this program – This program with its many classes spread over 4 years is taught in English, The professors are well-trained and experienced in the fields of research and are always available to answer questions
We have regular trips to many places in Greece-recently we went to the Theatre of Dionysus as part of our Ancient Greek Literature class, and I loved the experience! Our seniors too had gone on a recent 3-day excursion to the Island of Crete, where they visited Knossos and other important Minoan and late Classical sites of the Ancient Greek Past.
Cons-That you are not here! Follow the program and join us in classes!