About the School

History has been taught at Bangor since the foundation of the University in 1884. Past professors include Sir J.E.Lloyd (1895-1930), who wrote A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest; R.T.Jenkins (1930-1948), who became the first professor of Welsh History, and Charles Mowatt (1959-1970), who wrote Britain between the Wars. Archaeology has been taught since 1960.

The School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology currently has 15-20 teaching staff and a yearly student intake of about 110.

The School offers a very wide range of courses, spanning prehistory to the present day. History courses encompass British, Welsh, European and American History while those on Archaeology concentrate on the Archaeology of Britain and Ireland. There are very few restrictions on your choice from the wide variety of courses available. You can, if you wish, concentrate on earlier or later periods, or combine courses from the whole range on offer.

We pride ourselves on giving individual students personal attention in their studies and specialize in small group teaching: no student of ours is just a number. Our teaching methods include innovative and high-tech elements. You will find that the School is well equipped with its own computers.

The School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology centrally located in the Main Arts Building is housed with lecture theatres, the Arts Library and the archives within easy reach. There is also the local museum with a wide range of objects - from stone tools to medieval pottery - which students get the chance to handle. There are also opportunities to do work placements in the local archaeological unit, museums and archives.

Bangor is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty with an enormous range of archaeological monuments: prehistoric tombs and stone circles, Roman forts, native farmsteads, and medieval castles including the World Heritage sites of Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Conwy.

Those studying courses in Archaeology or Heritage will have the opportunity to take advantage of a range of wide range of field trips to these monuments. Students have the opportunity to learn archaeological surveying and archaeological computing and are encouraged to take part in excavations. There is also an annual programme of talks and activities organised by our active Archaeology student society.

The department has a proven record of research achievement, with the regular publication of books and articles by staff, several of whom have international reputations in their particular fields.

undergraduate study

postgraduate study