Welsh History with Archaeology Undergraduate

The past has many dimensions and there are many routes to it. Archaeology, which deals with material evidence, artefacts, monuments and buildings, is one avenue, while history, traditionally derived from written sources, is another. Through studying the history and archaeology of Wales (and the archaeology of Britain and Ireland) as the main core of this degree, you will gain an understanding of the development of Wales over the centuries, of the changing nature of society and settlement and of the historical context of contemporary Wales.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• Bangor is the leading centre for the study of the history of Wales and our staff have made notable contributions to research in Welsh archaeology.
• Our range of modules will be particularly attractive if you are interested in ancient and pre-modern society. We offer the chance to study topics not available anywhere else such as the impact of the Renaissance on Wales.
• The School has an excellent teaching reputation.
• Our local area is exceptionally rich in monuments of all periods. Field-trips take advantage of this.
• Our local museum enables you to gain first-hand experience in handling artefacts - an opportunity not widely offered elsewhere.
• In the second year you have the chance to develop skills in practical archaeology, such as surveying and computing, and go on a work placement.

For more on studying degree courses see our Study at Bangor section.

You will have about 12 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials each week. Teaching on the Welsh History modules tends to be in small groups. A very close atmosphere develops, as most students follow a similar pattern of optional modules, and are taught largely by the same staff. We organise a range of field trips which may be afternoons, whole days or a whole weekend. You will also have the opportunity to go on archaeological excavations and do other practical work. Outside formal teaching you will read, complete essays and prepare presentations. A workplace module is available allowing you to gain valuable experience working in a museum, archive or archaeological unit.

Assessment is a combination of written work, essays, examinations and portfolios. The dissertation in the final year is a major piece of project work involving research carried out under the close supervision of your tutor.

What will you study on this course?

Year 1

At least three-quarters of your study in this year will be in Welsh History and Archaeology modules. You choose the remainder from other relevant modules available within and outside the School – we encourage you to develop your linguistic and IT skills.

Compulsory modules:

• Introduction to Archaeological Principles and Techniques
• Past Unwrapped
• Wales: Princes to Tudors
• Wales in the Modern World

Choose at least one from:

• Introduction to British Prehistory
• Introduction to Historic Archaeology

Optional modules:

• Apocalypse Then: the Crisis of the Fourteenth Century
• Birth of Modern Europe 1470-1600
• Introduction to Modern History 1815-1914
• History and Heritage: an Introduction
• War, Society and the Media

Year 2

You have a free choice of Welsh History/Archaeology modules ranging from prehistory to medieval Welsh and Irish archaeology and all periods of Welsh history.

Optional modules (examples include):

• The Celts
• The Archaeology of Early Medieval Wales
• Wales 1660-1789
• The Acts of Union: Wales and England
• Reigniting the Dragon
• Wales and Europe in the Renaissance
• Owain Glyndŵr and his Movement

Year 3 

You choose a Special Subject allowing you to investigate a topic of interest in depth and complete a dissertation. If the dissertation is in Welsh History, students take any Special Subject. If the dissertation is in Archaeology, students must take a Special Subject in Welsh History. You will take 2 other options:

Special Subject options:

• Land and Power in England and Wales 1780-1888
• Nationalism in the UK
• Celtic Revival 1800-1920

You can study Welsh History as a Joint Honours Degree with one of the following subjects (see Single or Joint Honours for explanation): Health and Social Care, Religious Studies, Social Policy, Sociology, Welsh.

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/EU Student Tuition Fees (starting in 2019–20 & 2020–21)

• Full time: £9,000 per year
• Part time: £750 per 10 credits

International Student Tuition Fees*
* Please note: the international tuition fees displayed are for the current academic year (2020-21). The fees for the next academic year (2021-22) will be confirmed soon.

When coming to University, you will have two main costs, Tuition Fees and Living 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 guest tickets (£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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

USA Requirements

International Year Zero:  HSD GPA 2.0 OR SAT 1500+ 
International Year 1:  HSD GPA 3.0 OR SAT 500+ each section OR ACTs 26+  
Undergraduate Courses:  HSD GPA 3.0 OR SAT 550+ each section OR ACTs 26+  
Postgraduate Courses:  Bachelor Degree GPA of 3.0. GRE not required 
PhD/Research Course:  Masters Degree 

Note: Some courses may require higher entry requirements. Refer Individual Course page for details. 

Applicants from USA need NOT provide additional evidence of English Language ability, if previous education was with English medium of instruction. Otherwise, an IELTS overall 6.0 with 5.5 in each component or equivalent is normally required (some courses may require a higher score).

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 school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted subject to minimum English Language requirements:

www.bangor.ac.uk/intreqs

We also welcome applications from mature applicants.

*For full details go to our website and 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 school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted subject to minimum English Language requirements:

www.bangor.ac.uk/intreqs

We also welcome applications from mature applicants.

*For full details go to our website and 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

This course provides specialist knowledge and a range of analytical and presentational skills which will enable you to tackle a variety of career options centring on culture and heritage especially, but not exclusively, in Wales e.g. in archaeology units, museums and heritage centres, including the National Trust, as well as a range of directly transferable vocations. Graduates have in recent years gained careers in local government, conservation and teaching, and some have taken further training to become professional archaeologists.

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

General University Application

How to apply through UCAS

Apply online via UCAS

UCAS stands for Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. All university applications are processed through UCAS and then passed on to the universities listed.

Students may apply for a maximum of five courses. For Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary courses students are only allowed to apply for four courses.

The application form is found on the UCAS website, under ‘Apply’.

When to apply?

We advise you to apply as early as you can as we will start considering applications and making offers straight away. The initial UCAS deadline for UK and EU students is 15 January, however we welcome applications after this date. Those received between 15 January and 30 June will continue to be forwarded to universities by UCAS and will receive consideration where places are still available.

Your Personal Statement

Writing your Personal Statement is the part of the application form that requires most work. You are only allowed 47 lines or 500–550 words to explain why you wish to study the course and the skills you have that are essential for university study.

To write a successful personal statement for your UCAS application you must have a good understanding about the course and its content. Remember that you write only one personal statement for your five choices. Make sure that the courses are similar, if not the same, and make sure that you do not mention a specific course or university.

Read our advice on how to draft a winning personal statement or watch our video guide.

After you’ve applied

You should keep an eye on your application on UCAS ‘Track’. Offers from universities will appear on track and you will be able to accept or decline offers.

You can only reply when you have received all your decisions. The types of reply you can make are firm acceptance and insurance acceptance. Usually students reply in early May.

International Student?

If you are an international student, our International Student pages offer further information on applying.

As an international student applying to study one of our undergraduate programmes you can:

• apply via UCAS,
• or apply direct to Bangor through our online direct application system
• or apply with the help of one of our recruitment agents

Erasmus student?

We receive around 350 exchange students every year from all over the world. 45% of these students come from Europe and the remainder from as far as Singapore, South Korea and Australia.

The University’s International Exchanges Office is responsible for welcoming these students.

Confused about your next steps?

Take a look at our Going to University website for information and advice on getting ready for university.