About This Course
This course will be attractive if you are interested in learning more about the past and the way in which it is used by the heritage industry. You will explore historical and archaeological evidence and interpretations of it. The past can be exploited; it can be corrupted; it can be used to create myths, legends and identities. This course will enable you to understand and critique these processes.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- This a unique degree that has been designed to give you an academic understanding of the past which you can then apply to careers in the heritage industry. This is a different emphasis from many heritage management courses which mix studies in leisure, tourism and business.
- The School has an excellent teaching reputation.
- Our staff specialise in the archaeology of Britain and Ireland, with some European archaeology. We offer modules which include prehistory, Roman, early medieval and medieval archaeology as well as landscape archaeology and heritage.
- There are opportunities to take a work placement in a museum or at a heritage site which will give you experience of the industry.
- Our location gives access to a rich resource of local heritage sites, monuments and museums and we also arrange trips to other heritage sites in England and Ireland. There is the opportunity to gain practical archaelogical experience.
Ask us a question
Course Content
For more on studying degree courses see our Study at Bangor section.
You will spend between 8 and 10 hours per week in lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will spend about twice this amount of time reading and completing coursework. Field trips are a key element of the course but these are not compulsory. We arrange visits to local sites - archaeological, historical and heritage - to museums, heritage sites and country houses elsewhere.
Assessment involves a mixture of written work, essays, examinations, projects, presentations and the dissertation (in the final year).
Some modules offered as part of the Heritage, Archaeology and History degree are available in Welsh. You may write essays and examinations in Welsh if you wish.
What will you study on this course?
Please click on the link below to see the modules current students on this course are studying.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Heritage, Archaeology and History Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
Mandatory Costs:
There are no mandatory costs, but if a student spends £50 on books per module then it would cost £300 pa.
Necessarily Incurred Costs:
Travel to placements: Some basic travel costs might be incurred depending on the location of the placement. An average example would be 2 weeks, public transport, £40.
Optional Costs:
Extra costs might be incurred if students decide to purchase more books, but this optional and entirely down to the individual.
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
For 2021 entry:
Typical offer is based on a minimum of 112 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g
- A Levels (no specific subjects required but History or Archaeology preferred)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma and Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DMM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical/ Extended Diploma: considered on a case by case basis
- Access: Pass
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
For 2020 entry:
Typical offer is based on a minimum of 112 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g
- A Levels (no specific subjects required but History or Archaeology preferred)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma and Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DMM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical/ Extended Diploma: considered on a case by case basis
- Access: Pass
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
General University Requirements
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
To study a degree, diploma or certificate course you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more help and advice about being a mature student at Bangor, please visit the Study at Bangor site.
Specific entry requirements can be seen on the individual course pages.
EU and International students' entry requirements
For information and further detailed guidance on entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
More information
Home/EU students and International UCAS applicants
E-mail for General Admissions: admissions@bangor.ac.uk or write to:
Admissions Office
Bangor University
Gwynedd
LL57 2TF
Telephone: +44 (0)1248 383717
International students (non-UCAS applicants)
Email to International Admissions: internationaladmissions@bangor.ac.uk or write to
Admissions Office
Bangor University
Gwynedd
LL57 2TF
Telephone: +44 (0) 1248 382028
Careers
The complementary nature of these disciplines will enable you to pursue a career in the heritage industry by means of the practical and theoretical skills acquired in heritage, coupled with a clear understanding of the archaeological and historical contexts. More generally, this degree will provide you with a range of analytical and presentational skills enabling you to tackle a variety of careers in the humanities, tourism and the media.
A degree in archaeology equips students with a wide range of skills necessary to enter into a career in heritage, archaeology or the museums sector. It also provides key transferrable skills, such as:
- The ability to collate, analyse and contextualise data-sets
- An ability to critically review the literature and formulate logical and structured arguments
- Develop written and presentation and practical archaeological skills as well as working as part of a team.
- Writing and editorial skills
- An appreciation of the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities
- Experience gained from carrying out and completing a major research project in the third year – the dissertation
- A range of practical skills acquired through survey, excavation and the study of material evidence
- Good IT skills
- Time management skills
These transferable skills are fundamental to other employment sectors, such as the public sector, teaching, tourism, law, accountancy and management.
Work experience opportunities at Bangor University
Year 2 and 3 students are provided with the opportunity to complete work-placement modules, which can be carried out in the university or through external organizations. These are assessed as part of the final degree. The programme enhances employability prospects and offers an insight into the type of employment opportunities a degree in history or archaeology offers. Students have undertaken placements in a wide range of workplaces, including archives, archaeological units, museums and heritage centres.
For more information on employment opportunities in archaeology, please click here
It is now possible to supplement your degree with the Bangor Employability Award. For more information on this award, please click here.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. Developing your personal skills and enhancing your employability while at university is becoming increasingly important in today’s job market.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA) and Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR)
The Bangor Employability Award enables students to build on their transferable skills through the recognition of activities they become involved in during their university life. Students can gain points towards the award through extra-curricular activities such as volunteering, attending workshops or actively participating in the Students’ Union’s clubs and societies.
The HEAR is a final graduation report that all undergraduates receive. The report itemises all academic achievements and additional extra and co-curricular achievements. Academic achievements appear on the report automatically and students are able to note their eligible activities by using the online platform ‘My Employability Hub’. This ensures that future employers are made aware of the additional skills the student has gained outside of the curriculum.
The Award is open to everyone and taking part in the scheme can make a major difference to your performance in the graduate job market.
Internships
Bangor University runs undergraduate and postgraduate internship schemes twice a year, which allow students to work in a professional environment while learning relevant skills and earning money.
Internships offer valuable experience in a professional workplace and there are a range of internships you can get involved in.
Student Volunteering
Not only is volunteering worthwhile – it also improves your employability and widens your experience.
The Students’ Union has a dedicated Student Volunteering Office (SVB) which currently contributes a total of 600 hours each week, promoting a close relationship between the university and the local community. Find out more on the Student Volunteering pages of the Bangor Student’s Union website.
TARGETconnect - Working while you Study
The Skills and Employability Service offers support to students searching for employment during and after their studies.
TARGETconnect advertises the following opportunities:
- Graduate jobs – Local, National and International
- Full-time, part time, permanent and temporary jobs
- Work experience / internships
- Voluntary opportunities
