In Archaeological Heritage and Public Archaeology you will learn how we present the results of archaeological research to a wider audience, and manage and protect the remains of the past for future generations. As well as these broad themes, the module will also address more specific issues, such as the social benefit of archaeology and heritage, how we can involve wider audiences in archaeological work, and how we ensure a positive relationship between archaeology, archaeologists and the public. You will also learn more about the career paths available to you, both within archaeology and heritage, and outside of the discipline.

On completion of the module you will have developed a detailed understanding of the current theoretical and practical issues in archaeological heritage and public archaeology. You will have continued to develop and enhance your ability to deal with complex issues and concepts, critically discuss different and competing ideas, and to communicate effectively. You will also have a clear understanding of the potential careers that are available to you, and how to effectively communicate the skills you have developed through covering letters, CVs and job applications.

If you are on an Equal Weighting and Minor Weighting in Archaeology

This module is an opportunity for you to undertake advanced study in the archaeology of a period of the British and north European past of your choice. Indicative foci might include the Mesolithic and Neolithic transition in North-West Europe, Roman Britain, early medieval Britain, and the Viking world. The module will provide you with a detailed background to the archaeology of each period, and the key themes and debates that relate to it. There will be opportunities to explore specific aspects of the period in considerable depth, and to critically assess the archaeological evidence from key sites and finds.

On completion of this module you will have a detailed understanding of your chosen archaeological period, which will have built upon the knowledge you have gained through your previous years of study. You will also have enhanced your ability to critically evaluate different sources of evidence, assess different arguments, and make informed opinions of your own, while further developing your written and verbal communication skills.

If you are on an Equal Weighting and Major Weighting in Archaeology

This is an opportunity for you to design and execute your own research project on a topic of your choice. Working under the guidance of a member of the archaeology team, and drawing on the skills and knowledge you have already developed, you will identify an original research question, undertake background research that will place this in its academic context, design a suitable methodology, and then carry out the necessary research.

On completion of the module you will have enhanced your knowledge of your chosen topic, and its wider archaeological context. You will have learnt how to plan and execute a piece of independent research, manage your own time, and work independently, while also continuing to enhance your ability to effectively communicate complex ideas through writing.

If you are on a Major Weighting in Archaeology

This module provides you with a practical introduction to the scientific study of past human lives and the relationship between humans and the environment they inhabit. You will work under the guidance of members of staff as you learn the techniques used to study both human and environmental remains, and then apply these to archaeological materials. You will also explore the relevance of this work to our understanding of the human past.

On completion of this module you will have developed practical skills in both human osteology and environmental archaeology. You will also have enhanced your ability to analyse and interpret quantitative data, to present the results of your work in a professional manner, and to work safely and effectively in a laboratory environment.

If you are on an Equal Weighting and Major Weighting in Archaeology

Archaeology is often characterised as a subject that is concerned with the distant past, but it also provides critical insights into our own time, where we are witnessing the global transformation of our planet by our species: ‘the Anthropocene’. In this module you will explore the archaeology of the contemporary past and the relationship between archaeology and the contemporary world, exploring the role of archaeology as ‘material witness’ on 20th- and 21st-century material cultures, monuments, built environments and landscapes. You will learn about the role our discipline can play in addressing some of the major issues that face society today, and the responsibilities that this places upon us as archaeologists. You will also learn how research contributes to an ‘archaeology of us and now’, and how people draw on ideas of the human past to influence the way we understand the present, the roles that archaeology plays in contemporary issues of power and social justice, and the place of archaeology in debates around climate and environmental activism and protest.

On completion of this module you will have a clear understanding of the application of archaeological theory, methods and techniques to the investigation of the contemporary, the place of archaeology within contemporary society, and of the responsibilities that this places on us as archaeologists. You will have continued to develop the ability to deal with complex ideas, critically evaluate different and competing arguments, and to communicate in a clear and effective manner.