Archaeology with a Foundation Year (Full-time) (Foundation, BA Hons)
This Archaeology programme with a Foundation Year offers a fantastic chance to dive into the fascinating world of the past. Designed for those who want to build their knowledge and skills, this course combines classroom learning with hands-on experiences. You will learn from experienced experts who engage in the latest field research, and you will engage in practical archaeological investigations. This mix of learning will help you develop valuable skills that will support you during your studies and in your future career.
Archaeology is about understanding the human past through the artefacts left behind by people. This includes examining items like stone tools, pottery, and bones. By studying these materials, you can uncover how ancient people lived and how their societies were structured. This process involves exploring how humans interacted with their environment and how their beliefs shaped the things they created.
A key part of this programme is looking at the bigger picture. You will study historic buildings, monuments, and landscapes to understand how humans have shaped the land and how environmental changes influenced their lives. It is also essential to learn about the beliefs and identities of past societies, including how they viewed themselves and others in life and death. Gaining this knowledge helps us understand how human development has influenced the world we inhabit today.
To be successful in archaeology, it is crucial to consider theoretical and ethical questions. You will explore important topics such as heritage, representation, and how technology affects our understanding of the past. Furthermore, you will learn how digital applications can enhance our knowledge of ancient societies. By investigating these areas, you can gain insights into how the human body, mind, and ideas have evolved over time.
This four-year degree programme is structured to help you develop a wide range of skills across various fields of study. You will learn essential archaeological methods that allow you to examine and interpret the human past. This includes using advanced technology to study ancient DNA and artefacts. You will also participate in field research, providing you with the opportunity to apply what you have learned in real-world contexts.
By the end of your studies, you will have a deeper understanding of archaeology and the human past. You will acquire the skills necessary to explore how people lived and how their lives have shaped the world today. This programme is designed to prepare you for a future in archaeology and related fields, opening doors to further study and a variety of exciting career opportunities.
Course details
- On-campus
- Full-time
- English
Undergraduate Fees
Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £15,525 per year
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
Our Archaeology programme combines practical experience alongside theoretical knowledge. Learning is interactive, engaging, and relevant to real-world challenges. Our approach includes lectures, hands-on fieldwork, and independent research, helping students develop a well-rounded understanding of archaeology and the humanities.
The first year provides essential skills for academic success. You will engage with modules such as Academic Survival Skills and Introduction to University Life, helping you transition into university. Other topics, like Independent Investigation and Academic Writing, will boost your research and writing abilities. Optional modules allow you to explore themes such as Understanding Literature and Talking to the Dead, enriching your understanding of the humanities.
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In the second year, you will delve into the fundamentals of archaeology and the humanities. Core modules like Introduction to Archaeology and Exploring the Humanities provide a foundation for understanding various cultures and societies, from ancient Egypt to the Near East. Optional modules allow you to examine topics such as Death, Burial, and the Afterlife and Myths and Mythology, enhancing your appreciation for human interaction with the environment.
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The third year focuses on applying your knowledge to more complex topics. You will explore how artefacts and archaeological methods inform our understanding of past behaviours and societal structures. Through optional modules such as Heritage and Archaeology of Conflict and Excavation and Fieldwork, you will gain practical experience and refine your analytical skills, examining how societies confronted challenges throughout history.
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In your final year, you will undertake a significant Independent Project, allowing you to investigate a personal area of interest in depth. You will explore specialised topics through optional modules like Ancestors, Death, and Burial and Excavating the Past. This year emphasises practical fieldwork and research, preparing you for a career in archaeology or further academic study, and integrating all the knowledge and skills you have gained throughout your degree.
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Course Page Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
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Further information
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GCSEs or relevant professional experience.
Admissions Advice and Support 
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, such as your background, experiences and individual circumstances. This is known as ‘Contextual Admissions’. For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
English language requirements 
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses.
Visa and funding requirements 
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For full information read our visa application and guides. â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
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Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies.
We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed.
Extracurricular Welsh OpportunitiesThere are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Opportunities to Learn Welsh
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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The programme is assessed in a variety of ways. It will include several of the following type of assessment: essays of 1,000 to 4,000 words in length, document analysis, book/ journal reviews, short reports and reflective journals, time tests, field journals, posters, group and individual presentations.
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The Faculty has estimated on the assumption that students buy new copies of the books. Students may also choose to spend money on printing drafts of work.
Students may spend up to £300 per year on books and additional related materials.
Students are expected to submit 2 hard copies of their final project, the estimated cost for binding these is £20.
Optional Field trip:
The faculty works to ensure that there is a range of fieldwork and field trip options available both locally and internationally. Thus students can opt to take either more expensive or less expensive placements. The Faculty subsidises these but the cost each year is dependent on airfare, location, and currency exchange rates. Below are the upper end of expected costs based on where students have currently done placements.
Fieldwork (depending on where the student decides to do fieldwork): c. £500 - £1,500
Individual trips: c. £5 - £50 -
You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.
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Career and employment opportunities include:
- Government and commercial management
- Heritage sector
- ITC
- Local community and council work
- Museum, exhibition and archive work
- Professional field archaeology
- Research and Postgraduate opportunities
- Teaching, education officer
- Voluntary work