Level 3 Programme
Level 3: BA (Hons) in Archaeology Studies (120 credits)
Prospectus -- Dates -- Application -- Reference Form -- Certificate (Level 1) -- Diploma (Level 2) -- Continuing Education
Course Director: Dr. George Nash
Students must successfully complete the Certificate (Level 1) and the Diploma (Level 2) programmes. Courses taken at other institutions will be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Christine Eickelmann at c.e.eickelmann@bris.ac.uk if you have any queries.
Teaching Programme
All courses are taught on one weekend per month during the academic year from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Each weekend consists of lectures on Saturdays in the Department of Archaeology, with fieldtrips on Sundays. These study sessions are an integral part of the course and students are required to attend at least 80% of them and to complete a field log book. Transport to field visits is in shared cars.
There are individual tutorials in each teaching block, together with essay workshops as appropriate. There will be supervised study while students work on their essays. The course requires students to set aside sufficient time to read the necessary background literature.
Additional guest lecturers will feature in the programme.
Year 1
This course enables students to complete the B.A. (Hons) in Archaeological Studies. Students will investigate the development of archaeological theory from the 1960s to the present day. The relevance of theory and modelling in contemporary archaeology will be stressed and students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of broad, theoretical concepts through seminar sessions and the construction of models that can be applied to the Dissertation.
Students will develop the methodological skills that were introduced at the Certificate level and will include practical fieldwork techniques such as geophysical survey, earthwork survey, archaeological excavation and post-excavation analysis.
Year 2
Students have one choice of study from three specialist topics (depending upon numbers):
1) The Archaeology of Death and Burial, or
2) The Archaeology of Buildings
A Dissertation of 9,000 words (max) is completed, where students undertake individual archaeological research in their chosen area of study under guidance of the course tutor. Students should carry out original research or fieldwork and prepare the results for submission in a format compatible with professional archaeological reports.
Coursework for each year consists of three essays, a 20-minute seminar presentation, and a field notebook. A dissertation of approximately 9000 words will be completed over both years as well.
In addition to the coursework listed above, all students are expected to participate on a recognised training excavation and must complete four weeks of excavation on an accredited project over the two years the course runs.
The Degree classification is awarded on the basis of the total marks gained at Diploma Level 2 and Level 3 in accordance with University guidelines. For students who join Level 3 from other institutions, only the marks gained at Bristol University count towards the final degree classification.
Other Opportunities at Bristol: