Archaeology and History BA (Hons)

Explore the richness and variety of past human experience, and discover its influence on our present and future, with our BA Archaeology and History. This degree combines the study of history – and its political, social and cultural contexts – with invaluable archaeological training.<br/><br/>In your archaeological studies, you’ll study material remains to uncover our human past, from as early as the first hominins millions of years ago. Your historical studies will span the last thousand years, with a broad geographical spread that covers Britain and Europe, Africa, America, the Middle East and South Asia. You’ll examine historical records and explore visual and material culture through texts, paintings, photographs, films and oral sources.<br/><br/>Studying these complementary subjects together will provide a richer, more holistic understanding of our shared human past. You’ll balance your critical evaluation of historical sources against the physical evidence of lived experience provided by archaeological finds.<br/><br/>The University of Reading is ranked in the Top 100 in the world for Archaeology (QS World Rankings by Subject 2023). 100% of students in the Department of Archaeology and 100% of students studying BA History said our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2023).<br/><br/>For more information, please visit the programme page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/archaeology-ug/ba-archaeology-and-history

There are so many reasons to choose the University of Reading in Clearing this year. Join a diverse and supportive community where lecturers will inspire you with their discoveries and guide you in making your own. Reading’s award-winning parkland campus offers the spaces and places you need to make the most of your studies and student life.<br/><br/>The University of Reading is a research-intensive university. It works with governments, international agencies, businesses, and charities to tackle some of the biggest problems facing the world today, such as climate change, heart disease, and international conflict.<br/><br/>Named The Sustainable University of The Year, 2025, this year Reading launched one of the UK's largest ever undergraduate scholarship schemes, designed to develop future Global Sustainability Leaders Scholarships. The scholarship offers £6000 per year (for up to 4 years of study) towards living expenses and will be available to apply to, for those entering Clearing and who meet the scheme's criteria. With over 150 clubs and societies, Reading knows how important life is beyond your studies too and with the student union in the heart of the campus, there's little doubt making the University of Reading your first call in Clearing will be one of the best decisions you ever made.