Archaeology and Ancient Civilisations - BA (Hons)

Durham University

Explore the archaeology, art and culture of ancient civilisations – from the Classical World to the Near East and beyond.,Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in an ancient civilisation? Are you fascinated by what the civilisations of the past can teach us about the present? This course gives you a good overview of the world of archaeology, but also allows you to focus in particular on the great ancient civilisations of Europe, the Near East and Asia, including Ancient Greece and Rome, Egypt, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. This degree offers great flexibility, with options to take modules from other departments, including Classics and Ancient History. Depending on your module choices you may even be able to receive professional accreditation from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. The course offers an optional study abroad element, where you may spend the third year of a four-year course studying at an overseas university. You can also put your learning into practice by applying to add a placement year to your degree.Using archaeological techniques and approaches, this course puts the heritage of Greece and Rome under the lens. Drawing on the latest research, it also provides a chance to explore Egypt and North Africa, as well as the lesser-known civilisations of the Near East and South Asia. The course provides an exciting mix of traditional scholarship and field-based skills.Course structureYear 1 modulesCore modules:Ancient Civilisations: Sources, Approaches and Methods* gives you a grounding in a range of scientific methods and techniques used in contemporary archaeology, and will help you develop a critical awareness of the potential and limitations of each.Archaeology Practicals introduces field and laboratory techniques for the recording and analysis of primary materials, sites and monuments, using group work wherever possible.Cities in Antiquity provides you with a broad overview of the archaeology of the Greco-Roman world from 800 BC to AD 400. It also gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and to practice your evaluative skills through essay writing and a written examination.Introduction to Archaeological Methods* provides you with a grounding in a range of scientific methods and techniques used in archaeology today, and will help you to develop a critical awareness of the potential and limitations of each.Optional modules:In recent years, optional modules have included: Archaeology in BritainDiscovering World PrehistoryAncient Civilisations of the EastMedieval to Modern: An Introduction to the Archaeology of the Medieval to Post-Medieval World.Fieldwork You will undertake six weeks of compulsory fieldwork – three weeks at our field school in Year 1, and three weeks at an excavation of your choice in Year 2.Additional pathways Students on the BA in Archaeology and Ancient Civilisations can apply to be transferred onto either the ‘with Year Abroad’ or ‘with Placement’ pathway during the second year. Places on these pathways are in high demand and if you are chosen your studies will extend from three years to four.Year 2 modulesCore modules:Professional Training* (requires three weeks of fieldwork in the summer before starting Year 2) uses practical experience to give you an understanding of the objectives and operation of a fieldwork project and how data and material produced by archaeological projects is processed.Developing Archaeological Research* develops your understanding of research design and the practical skills necessary for archaeological research. You will develop skills in graphics, illustration and presentation techniques as well as learning the basic theory behind research design.Ancient Mediterranean Civilisations: East and West gives you a broad overview of the archaeology of the Mediterranean from 750 BC to AD 700.