Archaeology and Anthropology with Year Abroad

Archaeology and anthropology together constitute one of the most complete approaches to understanding what it means to be human. Archaeology investigates the material remains of past human activity, from the earliest stone tools and cave paintings through to the recent past, using a combination of excavation, analysis, and interpretation to build pictures of how people lived, thought, and organised themselves across millennia. Anthropology asks similar questions about human diversity, but in the present and the recent past, comparing societies and cultures across the world to understand what is universal about human experience and what varies.

At the University of Southampton, this four-year full-time programme combines the humanities and sciences in a genuinely interdisciplinary way. You will study global human diversity in time and space, engaging with both the theoretical frameworks and the practical methods of both disciplines. Fieldwork is central to the degree: you will participate in active research projects in the UK or abroad, developing the hands-on archaeological and ethnographic skills that are central to both disciplines.

A year abroad is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to study or undertake research in an international context. The typical entry tariff is 136 UCAS points.

Graduates of archaeology and anthropology programmes find careers in heritage management, archaeological contracting, museum and archive work, international development, the charity and NGO sector, cultural resource management, journalism, education, and research. The combination of scientific and humanistic training, and the practical skills in fieldwork and research methods that both disciplines develop, gives graduates a versatile profile that is relevant across a wide range of professional contexts. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in archaeology, anthropology, museum studies, or development studies, deepening their expertise in the areas where their interests are strongest.