- UCAS course code
- VV14
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
BA Ancient History and Archaeology
Duration: 3 years
Year of entry: 2026
UCAS course code: VV14 / Institution code: M20
- Typical A-level offer: ABB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBC
- UK refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 34 points overall with 6,5,5 at HL
Overview
Course overview
- Learn about Ancient Egypt, Ancient Mediterranean empires, and the Greek and Roman worlds alongside the archaeology of Britain and wider Western Europe.
- Study ancient languages - taking you right from basics or developing existing knowledge to a higher level.
- Gain hands-on experience through subsidised fieldwork and excavation projects. Previously students have worked at sites in Herefordshire, Yorkshire, Scotland and the Mediterranean.
- The University of Manchester is in the UK's Top 15 for both Archaeology, and for Classics and Ancient History (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Telephone
- +44 (0)161 509 2871
- ug-classics@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/cahae/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Related courses
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
A-level
ABB including one essay based subject.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
A-level contextual offer
BBC, including one essay based subject.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
Contextual offers are available for applicants who:
- live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
- live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
- have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.
See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.
UK refugee/care-experienced offer
BBC, including one essay based subject.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:
- have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
- have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).
See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.
International Baccalaureate
34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects
Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.
GCSE/IGCSE
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and Grade 4 or C in Mathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.
Other entry requirements
Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.
Country-specific entry requirements
English language requirements
All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:
GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;
IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each sub-test or;
An acceptable equivalent qualification.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the entry requirements for your academic course, the University Centre for Academic English (UCAE) summer pre-sessional courses can help. Check if your academic course offers the option of taking a pre-sessional course on the UCAE page .
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (common European Framework (CEFR B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa (previously known as a Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found here .
English language test validity
Fees and funding
Fees
Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For entry in 2025 the tuition fees were £9,535 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2026 entry.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
Potential candidates are expected to demonstrate why they have chosen this particular degree in their personal statement and express why the course interests them.
Applicants submitting mitigating circumstances
If you are submitting information about mitigating circumstances that have affected, or are likely to affect, your academic performance, you should include this in the referee's report.
We cannot usually take into account information that is supplied after an adverse decision has been made on an application by the admitting school.
(Examples of mitigating circumstances include family illness, problems with school facilities or an unusual curriculum followed by your school of college.)
Home-schooled applicants
Non-standard educational routes
Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences. Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.
The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to. Further information for mature students can be found here ( http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/mature-students/ )
How your application is considered
We read the personal statements and references of all applicants, paying particular attention to A-level (or IB etc.) predictions or achieved grades.
We welcome mature students with an interest in, or prior experience of, Archaeology and / or Ancient History; also to those with non-standard qualifications. We may need to interview applicants in such circumstances.
Interview requirements
We don't normally interview for this degree, except in the case of mature applicants. In considering your application, all the information on the UCAS form is taken into account, particular attention being paid to academic qualifications and predictions, to your referee's confidential report, and to your personal statement.
Returning to education
We actively welcome applications from mature students with an interest in, or prior experience of, Archaeology and / or Ancient History. We will consider applicants from a variety of educational backgrounds, whether they have completed A-levels, Access courses or other qualifications. We are sensitive to the particular concerns of mature students and can offer both full and part-time routes through the degree. Individual enquiries are welcome.
Deferrals
Deferrals are normally allowed; however, we do ask applicants to let us know as early as possible if they are intending to defer. This helps us to adjust the number of offers we make, in order to achieve the required number of students in a given year.
Re-applications
Transfers
Students wishing to transfer from other Universities will be considered on merit, providing we have enough places to accommodate them. Enquiries should be made to the admissions administrator for the subject (see contact details). We will require transcripts and a reference from your tutor.
Course details
Course description
The study of people lies at the heart of our courses, such as exploring how the Roman Empire used architecture as a political statement.
Yet we also use scientific methods to examine ancient objects, human remains and landscapes. You will study ancient Mediterranean empires alongside the archaeology of Britain, Western Europe, the Greek and Roman worlds and the Near East.
Throughout the course, you'll have opportunity to study ancient languages and to conduct expert-led archaeological fieldwork, gaining knowledge of two complementary approaches to the past while gaining key skills in analysis and interpretation.
Study with us and you'll explore artefacts, architecture, ancient texts and beliefs using our well-equipped laboratories, our own departmental teaching collections, and the exclusive archives and curatorial expertise of Manchester Museum.
Special features
Experience digs in the UK and abroad
Fieldwork training is an integral part of Archaeology, and you'll be introduced to excavation techniques by experienced archaeologists, with the opportunity to join fieldwork or museum placements during your degree.
Placement year option
Apply your subject-specific knowledge in a real-world context through a placement year in your third year of study, enabling you to enhance your employment prospects, clarify your career goals and build your external networks.
Study abroad
You may apply to spend one semester studying abroad during Year 2. You'll have the opportunity to join research teams and help make discoveries that shape our knowledge of the world.
Destination-specific specialisms could support research on such as Inuit material culture, Australian rock art or Scandinavian hoards, enriching could shape your final year dissertation.
Explore in-depth collections on campus
Discover artefacts, architecture, ancient texts and beliefs using our well-equipped laboratories, our own departmental teaching collections and the exclusive archives and curatorial expertise of Manchester Museum .
Outreach and engagement
You'll have the opportunity to share your passion for archaeology through community and public engagement projects.
Teaching and learning
- tutorials;
- seminars;
- laboratory sessions;
- lectures;
- fieldwork;
- group exercises;
- presentations;
- reports;
- one to one academic support sessions;
- original research guided by academic tutors.
Subsidised fieldwork includes one-day site visits as well as extensive periods of excavation in a wide range of locations such as Herefordshire, Yorkshire and Scotland.
You'll also be trained in our archaeological labs and museum archives, to use a wide range of equipment to analyse and record objects. You can pursue training in digital illustration and GIS packages to support this activity and access landscape survey and geophysics equipment for fieldwork.
Coursework and assessment
Assessment methods include:
- written examinations;
- coursework essays;
- research reports;
- practical tests;
- fieldwork workbooks;
- individual projects;
- oral presentations;
- third year dissertation;
- digital posters;
- audio performances.
In addition, archaeology field training involves a variety of assessment over a range of skills and techniques.
Course content for year 1
Gain a solid foundation in archaeology by exploring life and death in the Ancient World, and some of the most spectacular discoveries from around the globe.
Explore the Roman world, including changes in society, and the collapse of its political structures. Study key developments in Greek political, cultural and social history during the archaic period. Then select from a breadth of additional optional units in both subject areas.
Two weeks of archaeological fieldwork in the UK or abroad in your first summer enable you to travel to see and work on sites first-hand.Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAHE10011 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| CAHE10022 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| Doing Archaeology 1 | CAHE10502 | 20 | Mandatory |
| CAHE10101 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE10232 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE10281 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE10422 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE10651 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE20151 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE20162 | 20 | Optional | |
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Course content for year 2
Examine the golden age of the Roman Empire and delve into politics and society in Classical Greece. Explore the archaeology of prehistoric Europe, or the emergence of civilizations in the Near East. You'll also enhance your employability and travel through two further weeks of subsidised fieldwork.
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAHE20052 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| CAHE20061 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| Thinking Archaeology | CAHE20112 | 20 | Mandatory |
| CAHE20501 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| CAHE20042 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE20162 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE20531 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE24602 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE25461 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE25762 | 20 | Optional | |
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Course content for year 3
Course units for year 3
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAHE30000 | 40 | Mandatory | |
| CAHE20162 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30031 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30261 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30272 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30282 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30382 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30701 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30881 | 20 | Optional | |
| CAHE30912 | 20 | Optional | |
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Facilities
Manchester Museum
Manchester Museum is The University's own award-winning facility, home to important prehistoric, classical and ethnographic collections, which you'll draw from in your learning.
You'll go behind the scenes to handle, analyse and interpret rare artefacts, including one of the finest Egyptology collections in Britain.
Our ongoing collaboration between the museum and the global work of archaeology staff offers unique opportunities for students to get involved in the design of major exhibitions.
Whitworth Art Gallery
The Whitworth Art Gallery holds important archaeological textile collections, and art and sculpture on themes such as landscape as part of its broader internationally significant collections.
The Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology
The Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology is home to a film library with some 1,500 titles, from classic ethnographic film to contemporary documentary and world cinema.
To complement the film titles, it boosts a comprehensive collection of written materials by anthropologists and film makers, including a selection of journals.
Archaeological laboratories
Our dedicated archaeological laboratories contain a wide range of equipment you can use during your degree.
Get to grips with our extensive archaeological artefacts, ranging from the Early Palaeolithic to the 20th century.
Use microscopes, professional photography and measurement equipment, a 3D scanner and printer, and portable XRF to analyse and record artefacts.
Or try out our GPS equipment, total stations and drones when out in the field.
Learn how to combine these with software for digital illustrations GIS analysis of maps and spatial data and 3D digital models to enhance your analysis and understanding.
Throughout your degree, this equipment will be available for loan from our dedicated lab technician, who can also offer any extra training you need.
Our separate teaching and research labs are used for teaching thorough our degrees and are available for independent student study and research.
They also host our experimental archaeology group, which regularly meets to make and use types of artefacts from a range of archaeological periods.
Find out more on the facilities page.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
Allour courses involve the development of strong transferable skills, encouraging students to think logically and imaginatively to interpret andanalyseinformation and data.
A degree in Classics or Ancient History will equip you with the ability to effectively communicate ideas and demonstrate an intricate understanding of different cultures and societies, leading to a career in wide range of industries.
You'll have various opportunities to gain professional and practical experience.
Many employers seek graduates who have skills in many fields of expertise.
Flexible Honours may allow you to study another subject within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.
This is besides your major within Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology.
Alternatively, you could study selected course units from other courses around the University.
This is through the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning.
You can also apply to spend a year gaining valuable workplace experience on a work placement.
The creative economy accounts for one in 11 jobs across the UIK and employs 700,000 more people than the financial services industry(Creative Industries Federation).
The University of Manchester is the second most targeted university in the UK for top graduate employers (High Fliers Research, 2024).
Our award-winning careers service provides a wealth of tools, advice, development opportunities and industry links.
You'll have access to dedicated, subject-specific support throughout your studies and for up to two years after graduation.
Our undergraduate courses are also designed to provide an easy transition into postgraduate study, if desired.
We offer a wide range of specialist master's courses within the University and even offer fast-tracked enrolment to high-achieving undergraduate students.
Our students can take part in our Stellifyprogrammealongside their degrees, developing professional and leadership skills while contributing to their local and global communities through volunteering.
Our graduates have gone on to work in a variety of industries, including positionswithBBC, Google, UK government, museums, cultural institutions and law firms.
Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.