Archaeology and Anthropology with Professional Placement

Archaeology and anthropology are natural intellectual companions: both are fundamentally concerned with what it means to be human, one through the study of material remains and the deep past, the other through the study of living and recent societies in their full cultural complexity. Archaeology asks how we can understand societies that left no written records, using physical evidence from excavation and survey to reconstruct how people lived, what they believed, and how they organised themselves. Anthropology brings direct engagement with human diversity in the present and recent past, examining culture, kinship, ritual, economy, and the ways in which societies make meaning out of the circumstances in which they find themselves.

The University of Reading's four-year full-time Archaeology and Anthropology with Professional Placement programme combines these two disciplines in a curriculum that takes both seriously and explores the rich connections between them. You will develop skills in archaeological fieldwork and analysis, learning to excavate, record, and interpret material evidence, as well as engaging with theoretical frameworks in social and cultural anthropology, including ethnographic methods and the analysis of cross-cultural variation. The professional placement is a structured period of applied experience in an archaeological, anthropological, or related professional context, giving you practical insight into how the disciplines function outside the university and strengthening your professional skills and network.

A typical entry tariff of 104 points makes the programme accessible to students with a range of prior qualifications.

Graduates pursue careers in archaeology, museums and cultural heritage, community engagement, development and humanitarian work informed by cultural understanding, international organisations, environmental assessment, education, and the civil service. Many also proceed to postgraduate study in archaeology, social anthropology, heritage management, or museum studies.