Study heritage in a city full of history

Year of entry: 2025/26

UCAS code

V404

 

Institution code

Y50

 

Length

3 years full-time

Typical offer

ABB (full entry requirements)

 

Start date

September 2025 (semester dates)

 

Department

Department of Archaeology

Apply for this course

 

UK (home) fees

£9,250 per year

 

International and E

8th

in the UK

for Archaeology and Forensic Sciences in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Rankings, 2025.

 

26th

in the world

QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024

 

1st

in the Russell Group

for 'Learning resources' in archaeology, among universities included in the National Student Survey, 2024.

Discover why our past matters, and how we can protect it for the future.

Heritage is the legacies of past human activity. From buildings to cultural traditions, studying our heritage allows us to understand how we have defined ourselves throughout history. 

BA Archaeology and Heritage explores the human past and understand why it's important to preserve our legacy. You'll learn to interpret our heritage, and how to communicate this to the public. Develop practical skills and engage with contemporary heritage discussions. You'll graduate with a sound understanding of how we can protect our heritage for the future.

Our department is world-renowned for the advanced study of archaeology. We’re friendly and welcoming, meaning you'll get to know your lecturers, and they'll get to know you. You'll have so many opportunities to get involved. Join the Archaeology Society to working abroad on a research project. We have bespoke facilities on campus.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), the leading professional body representing archaeologists working in the UK and overseas. Accreditation recognises the value of knowledge of working practices across the sector. It provides you with the opportunity to join CIfA to support your professional development.

The excavation has been the highlight of my year at York. As a heritage student, I spend a lot of time working with the public. Everyone who came to the site agreed that it was amazing and it’s so fulfilling to be able to share this history with the people closest to it.

Amy, BA Archaeology and Heritage
See more student profiles

https://blogs.york.ac.uk/student-voices/category/study/archaeology/

Course content

Our five undergraduate courses all have a common first year, so it's easy to change between them.

We emphasise flexibility - there's very little restriction on the modules you can choose to study. 

Study abroad

There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:

Explore global opportunities

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/study-abroad/

CIfA accreditation is not applicable to credit-replacing exchanges abroad where only two years are spent at York. Additional year abroad programmes, where three years are spent at York, are still accredited.

Archaeology also offers plenty of opportunities during vacation breaks to get involved with research abroad.

Placements

There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.

Work while you study

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/careers-skills/work/

Year 1Core modules

In your first year, your modules will cover:

Prehistory to the Present
Artefacts and Materials
Archaeological Theory
Introduction to Archaeological Science
Discovering Archaeology
Exploring Archaeology

You'll also take part in an excavation. This will give you hands-on experience in all aspects of assessing, collecting and analysing primary excavation data. It is a unique opportunity to be part of a really exciting phase of a research project.

It is taught during the academic year, so you won't be required to find an excavation placement during the summer vacation. If you are interested in taking part in further excavations during the vacation, we can help you find volunteering and paid opportunities to do further excavations - sometimes abroad!

Academic integrity module

In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.

Year 2Core modules

Post-Excavation
Interpreting Prehistory OR Interpreting Historical Archaeology

You will choose two Practical Skills modules from examples including:

Archaeobotany
Archaeogaming
Artefacts Analysis
Biomolecular Archaeology
Buildings History
Computational Archaeology
Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture
Field Archaeology Survey Skills
Human and Animal Bones
Illustration
Object ConservationOption modules

You will choose two option modules from examples including:

Issues in Archaeology and Heritage
One World Archaeology module:

Alpine Landscapes
Late Prehistory of Egypt and the Fertile Continent
Settlements and Society

Some option modules combinations may not be possible. The option available to you will be confirmed after begin your course.

Elective modules

You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.

Year 3Core modules

You'll complete an 8,000-word dissertation on your research.

You will receive support, advice and guidance from your dissertation supervisor throughout your project. The range of expertise of our staff means we can provide you with guidance on a wide range of topics.

Presenting Archaeology and Heritage
Assessed Seminars, you will choose ONE of the following:

Archaeologies of the Contemporary World
Archaeology of British Christianity
Debates in Archaeological Science
Debates in Computational Archaeology
Digital Futures in Archaeology
Neanderthals
Palaeodiet
Past Environments
Prehistoric Funerary
The Modern Landscape
Special Topics, you will choose ONE of the following:

Ancient DNA
Archaeology and Mythology of the Greek and Roman Mediterranean
Archaeology of Disease and Health

Historic Houses
Human Evolution
The Neolithic of Britain and IrelandOption module

You will choose one further option, from examples including:

Approaching Global Challenges: Archaeology and Heritage

Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.

Elective modules

You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Learning by design

Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/teaching-learning/

Students who complete this course will be able to:

Engage critically in debates around scholarship that inform current archaeological and heritage issues applicable to multiple periods of human society, using evidence from the UK and elsewhere in the world.
Design, execute and evaluate archaeological and heritage research projects to a standard informed by key theoretical, scientific, legal and professional principles and methodologies in an international context.
Generate, document and manage primary archaeological and heritage data from diverse sources of evidence and contexts and conduct analysis using a range of digital technology.
Operate effectively as constructive and inclusive leaders and confident participants in teamwork in challenging environments and using data from multidisciplinary field projects.
Apply critical and creative approaches to problem-solving in complex situations with diverse, fragmentary datasets that reflect biases in their generation, survival, identification and documentation.
Resolve challenges in interpretation and presentation from an interdisciplinary perspective with agility and awareness of ethical issues.
Confidently explain, communicate and debate ideas through written, visual, and oral forms of presentation to a wide range of public and professional audiences using print and digital media.
Contribute as independent scholars in the field of archaeological heritage practice through rigorous and imaginative inquiry in multidisciplinary contexts.

I love archaeology because it combines history and practical skills. The location, facilities and staff make York the perfect place to study it! You can try everything and see what you are interested in while building a broad foundation of knowledge.

Louise, BA Archaeology. Read Louise's blog post.

https://blogs.york.ac.uk/student-voices/2024/02/08/why-york-is-the-perfect-place-to-study-archaeology/

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees
UK (home)International and EU
£9,250  £25,800  

Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.

UK (home) or international fees?

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees-funding/fee-status/

Fees for subsequent years

UK (home) fees may increase within the government fee cap in subsequent academic years. We will notify you of any increase as soon as we can.
International fees are subject to increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

More information

For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.

Funding

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.

UK government loans
UK scholarships and bursaries
International scholarships
Country-specific funding
US loans

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Gold-standard education

Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).

Teaching and assessment

You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/teaching-learning/

Teaching format

You'll be taught through a range of lectures, seminars, workshops, practicals, and independent learning projects. All our teaching is research-led, meaning our lecturers are teaching the subjects they're fascinated about, and ensuring you get the most current specialist knowledge.

We have always been passionate about small group teaching - we feel it is the best way to learn. You'll start off with a variety of teaching formats and as the course progresses you'll spend more time on intensive small group teaching and individual study.

We provide training in presentation skills throughout your course, helping you to prepare for your Assessed Seminar and Assessed Lecture.

Find out more about our teaching.

Timetabled activities

In your first year, you can expect:

Lectures2 hours per week  
Seminars2 hours per week  
Workshops2 hours per week  
Practicals2 hours per week  
Excavation2 weeks in Semester 2  
Field trips1 full day and 7 mini trips  
Feedback sessions1-2 hours  

These figures are representative of a typical week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.

Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.

In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.

Facilities

At York, you'll have access to a huge range of facilities.

In the department we have:

teaching rooms and a state-of-the-art lecture theatre
dedicated study spaces
a large lab space for working with artefacts, soil and environmental samples, and skeletal remains
computer labs with printers, scanners and specialised photo software, digital drawing and mapping software

On Campus West, we also have Bioarchaeology labs and the York Experimental Archaeology Research (YEAR) Centre. You'll have access to the library and other University resources, including the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

You'll also have access to a wide range of archaeological equipment, including:

drones
fieldwork tools
Total Station theodolites
geophysical survey equipment (resistivity, magnetometry, ground penetrating radar)
handheld GPS systems
a laser scanner
a variety of photo and imaging technology

Teaching location

You will be based on Campus West. Our BioArCh and Palaeo facilities are located in or near the Environment Building.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.