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.
Having done my undergraduate at Exeter in History and Archaeology and now a PhD there, I have had a mixed experience. The teaching is very good though support is sometimes lacking. I enjoyed being combined between two subjects but this does come with added complications. There is a lot of flexibility for study even within single honours. There are lots of opportunities for career development, the career services are excellent. Also for extracurriculars through societies. The campus is very nice and there are many good facilities though there is a clear favouring towards the subjects prioritised by the university. The general student experience can be very mixed, the nightlife can be good but is not as varied as in a larger city. The city and wider area provide lots of things to do in spare time and there is also a good supply of part-time jobs. Overall I would recommend it for undergraduates.
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