Archaeology at the University of Manchester involves the study of past humanity: how humans have learned to live in the world, shaping it through their actions. From the evolution of our species to the transformations wrought by the Industrial Revolution, our degree will enable you to explore a fascinating range of different cultures, through their material remains. You can take either a Single Honours Archaeology programme, or a Joint Honours programme combining Archaeology with Anthropology, Ancient History or Art History.
What they say:
Archaeology is a distinctive, coherent and vibrant area within the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures. Our teaching is led by our research activity and our students benefit from the exciting range of projects that we are engaged in, and the coherent focus and distinctive flavour of our research themes. Undergraduate students can study Archaeology as a Single Honours subject, or can combine Archaeology with other subjects, in Heritage Studies, Art and Archaeology of the Ancient World, Ancient History and Archaeology, Archaeology and Anthropology and Geography and Archaeology degrees.
We have an extremely active research culture in which the relatively large body of postgraduate students plays a key role. Postgraduate students are encouraged to attend the Archaeology Research Seminar Series where members of staff and guest lecturers present papers. We also have a Postgraduate Discussion Forum, which is run by postgraduate students for postgraduate students, and an Archaeological Society. We feel that students benefit greatly from the coherent, close-knit, and friendly atmosphere that the Archaeology department engenders, whilst also being able to draw on the wider archaeological and interdisciplinary contacts that we have within the University.
What we say:
Manchester is one of the leading centres for anthropological archaeology in the UK and throughout the world, undertaking research in Britain, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and Easter Island in the Pacific. We also specialise in a range of topics from monument building, technology and society, to ritual and religion, the development of complex societies, and cultural identity. Since 2007, Archaeology has been situated in new premises with dedicated teaching and research laboratories, an illustration room with computers and specialised archaeological software was added in 2009. In addition, they have a good range of conventional survey, geophysical survey and excavation equipment.
