Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

Learn about the ancient world and find ways to understand the foundations of how we live today. On BA Ancient History and Archaeology, you'll develop specialist knowledge in your chosen areas of study and learn in an engaging and supportive research environment. Your research and archiving skills will prepare you for further study, or for a variety of career options. These include heritage management and archaeological research.

Studying archaeology and ancient history will give you an insight into both subjects and you'll be able to explore the topics that interest you through optional modules.

You'll have the choice of a wide range of historical topics, from Ancient Egypt to the rise of Islam in the Middle East. You can also learn what happened during the conquests of Alexander the Great and at the end of the Roman Empire.

The complementary subject of archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains. These include buildings, monuments, artefacts, biological remains, written sources and landscape. On this ancient history and archaeology degree you can:

• Learn from experts in the ancient world (including history, archaeology, ancient and modern languages and literatures, philosophy and film)
• Use cutting-edge technology to discover and map new sites, or develop research skills
• Do at least 3 weeks of field work, including excavating archaeological sites or collecting archaeological material from ploughed fields
• Challenge yourself by learning Latin and Ancient Greek

This joint honours history and archaeology degree offers you plenty of hands-on experience. You'll take part in at least 3 weeks of fieldwork in the UK or overseas. You'll explore and understand a range of periods, from the dawn of human history to the Cold War and 17th century witchcraft trials.

Archaeology looks at the past through the study of physical remains, including buildings, artefacts and the landscape itself. History draws on written and oral sources.

This historical archaeology degree will give you in-depth knowledge of both subjects, and develop your understanding of earlier human societies. You'll learn how to use and understand historical sources. You'll also learn how to identify and excavate archaeological sites, extracting as much information as possible from materials and records.

This course includes a wide variety of optional modules, covering subjects such as:

• American slavery
• Women's history in modern Britain
• Apocalyptic visions of history
• The French Revolution
• Human origins
• Landscapes and seascapes
• Emergence of civilisation

As part of this BA in history and archaeology you can choose to:

• Study abroad for a year or a semester
• Take a minor subject in a different subject area

You'll develop valuable skills for any future career, including:

• Problem solving
• Teamwork
• Project management

Develop strong language skills on this Spanish and Portuguese degree and gain a deep understanding of both cultures. You'll improve your fluency and employability skills by spending a year living and working abroad.

We'll make sure you start at a level that matches your ability in written and spoken Spanish and Portuguese. This means, if you’re a strong student, you can start one of these languages from scratch - and make rapid progress in both.

You'll have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

You can tailor your degree to areas that interest you. These might include:

• Taking a third language
• Choosing modules from other subject areas
• Exploring more about Spanish or Portuguese linguistics, history and culture

In your year abroad you could choose to go to Spain, France, Switzerland or Latin America - we have links in Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Through our innovative scheme in Mexico, developed in partnership with the Mexican Education Ministry, you could work as a Language Resources Assistant in a University.

Become a highly proficient linguist in French, German and Chinese on this 4 year Modern Languages degree. You'll develop a strong understanding of the cultures and societies you study by spending a year abroad, before graduating prepared for professions in which these languages are a key requirement.

This programme will immerse you in international experiences. This is our broadest range of languages offered, and will prepare you to communicate and work in a range of diverse and multilingual contexts.

You will:

• Become highly proficient in French, German and Chinese
• Develop your knowledge and understanding of key aspects of the cultures and societies you study, enabling you to ‘read’ and interpret different cultural traditions
• Get to know foreign cultures first hand by spending a year abroad, either as a student or in a work placement
• Develop a range of communicative and intercultural competencies, as well as analytical, research and personal skills

Knowing a range of languages opens up many opportunities in today's globally interconnected economy. French is native to France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and the French Caribbean, and it’s an official language in much of Africa and Asia.

German has around 95 million speakers, and is spoken in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It also comes first in terms of first-language speakers in the European Union and the EU.

Chinese itself is spoken by a quarter of the world’s population, and both a command of the language and an understanding of cultural traditions can help set you apart in the context of global business.

This programme complements your language learning with modules on:

• History and contemporary society
• Literature and film
• Ethnography and anthropology
• Linguistic studies

You can choose to combine these areas of study for a broad-based curriculum or focus on the area that interests you most.

Learn 2 major, international languages and study abroad for a year to become highly skilled. You’ll complement your language learning with modules on history, modern society and linguistics on this French and German degree.

You’ll start at a level that matches your ability in spoken and written French and German. This will help you progress quickly. You’ll also have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad. You can spend the year in countries such as:

• Germany
• France
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

We have partner universities in the Erasmus exchange programme across France, Germany and Switzerland.

In your final year you can specialise in an area that suits your interests and combines well with what you’ve studied so far.

You can also prepare a final year dissertation with guidance from a supervisor.

Explore the evolution, biology and behaviour of humankind through the study of our Stone Age ancestors. With this specialist master’s in palaeoanthropology you’ll gain expertise in the analysis of stone tools and hominin skulls to understand our evolutionary journey. You’ll work closely with experts in our Centre for the Archaeology of Human Origins (CAHO) and benefit from opportunities to apply your learning in real-world settings.

We’re ranked Top 30 in the world for archaeology (QS World University Rankings, 2019).

Your specialist palaeoanthropology learning will cover:

• handling and interpreting stone tools
• the role of evolutionary models, experimental testing, primatological data and ethnographies in the study of human origins
• developing methods to interrogate meaning from collections of stone tools
• using SPSS statistical analysis software

Palaeolithic symbolism and language, migration and responses to environmental change
Beyond your specialist modules you can personalise this palaeonthropology MSc to your areas of interest.

We bring expertise together from across the University, including Medicine, Humanities, the National Oceanography Centre, Engineering and Winchester School of Art, to help you gain both scientific skills and cultural understanding through a range of optional modules.

This is a very practical degree, but you don’t need prior knowledge of biology or anthropology. You’ll be based in our dedicated John Wymer Laboratory, with its own specialist library and large collection of stone tools and hominin skulls. Staff, PhD students and MSc students work in the same space, creating a lively learning environment. As a student on this course you automatically become a member of the CAHO research group.

You’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills on a 4-week placement, where you’ll gain valuable real-world experience of the archaeology sector and heritage industry. Previous placements have included Historic England, Wessex Archaeology and The Nautical Archaeology Society.

This  Palaeoanthropology course offers a balance between vocational and research skills. During your dissertation you’ll be able to embed with one of our research groups to do original research on a topic of that you choose. There is the possibility that this work will be published.

Southampton is close to the World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury and we have research projects engaged with both sites, as well as a range of other archaeological projects across the Globe.

If you’d prefer a less specialised archaeology master’s degree, or you’d like to focus on a different specialism, you can choose from our 3 other Archaeology MSc pathways. When you join us you’ll have 2 weeks in which you can change pathway if you wish.

This French and History degree offers you flexibility and variety. You'll become fluent in an internationally important language, and gain a deep understanding of contemporary French culture. Your history modules will give you a global perspective on past societies. You'll spend a year in a French-speaking country to develop your language skills and boost your employability.

French is spoken in countries throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. Speaking the language with confidence will open up travel and work opportunities across the world.

You’ll start your language studies at the right level based on your existing ability in spoken and written French. You’ll have excellent resources to support you at the Centre for Language Study.

You can explore a wide range of topics in History, including conflict and culture in world histories, empires, and the First World War.

As well as studying French and History, you’ll develop advanced analytical skills.

A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad in year 3. You can spend the year in countries such as:

• France
• Belgium
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

Philosophy and film share similar perspectives, from the value of art to national identity and politics. At Southampton, we offer this exciting BA Film and Philosophy with Year Abroad, for movie lovers, deep thinkers and the adventurous. Here you'll learn to analyse deep, theoretical ideas, and explore film as an art, an industry and a passion.

You'll study film from a variety of perspectives: as popular art, big business and as a cultural record. From early Hollywood films to European and world cinema, you'll explore the first projected images to today's digital movies.

Philosophy modules will give you a strong grounding in ethical, logical and critical thought. You can examine the most fundamental questions we face, in a rigorous and systematic way.

You'll research and discuss the theories and philosophies that have shaped film studies as a subject. These include:

• psychoanalysis
• postmodernism
• structuralism

You'll spend your third year abroad at an exchange partner university. You can study in English, but will have opportunities to develop your language skills.

As part of this film and philosophy degree you can:

• take modules in film noir, animation, horror and sci-fi
• use our extensive library resources, including over 5,800 films from around the world
• get involved in events that bring philosophy to the wider public
• submit your own film to our annual student film festival

Some of the greatest mathematicians have also been philosophers, and vice versa. On this joint BA Philosophy and Mathematics degree you’ll explore the close relationship between the two, tackling some of the biggest questions in philosophy - is there a god? What is morality? What does it mean to be human? - while developing advanced maths skills. You'll get to spend a placement year abroad at a university in Europe.

This degree will give you an excellent education in mathematics and philosophy. In your degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Gain a thorough understanding of key mathematical areas, including linear algebra, calculus, statistics and differential equations
• Apply philosophical thought to language, morality, sex and other important aspects of life
• Learn skills in mathematical investigation and research
• Study abroad at one of our partner institutions

You’ll be taught in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment, and benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose researches feed directly into the course content.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules. These include topics such as social enterprise, risk management, and living and working on the web.

Learn French - a major international language with some 300 million speakers worldwide - while increasing your knowledge of politics. You’ll study abroad for a year to get complete proficiency in French and also take modules on political systems and French history.

On this BA Politics and French degree, you’ll start French at a level that matches your spoken and written ability, which helps ensure rapid progress. You’ll also have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad in year 3.

You could spend your year abroad working in:

• France
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

We have partner universities in the Erasmus exchange programme across France and Switzerland.

In your final year you can specialise in an area of politics or French that suits your interests and combines well with what you’ve studied so far.