Heritage and Archaeology Royal Agricultural University

Overview

Archaeology is not only the study of the past, it is the study of ourselves. Archaeology feeds into current political debates around identity, how we feel about our past, and who we want to be. Large infrastructure projects also ensure it is a profession in increasing demand. From site assistants, to managers, finds specialists and consultants, archaeology is a rewarding and challenging career, requiring a wide and varied range of skills and knowledge.

The Heritage and Archaeology programme from Royal Agricultural University is taught in the Cultural Heritage Institute, the RAU’s Swindon campus and the ‘heritage’ capital of England, home to the National Trust, English Heritage and Historic England. It provides unparalleled opportunities to work with key heritage agencies and to gain professional insights.

As the course progresses, you will be able to follow your developing interests and tailor the direction of your assessed learning to pursue a variety of archaeology careers, from finds specialist to standing buildings archaeologist, from landscape characterisation to geophysics practitioner. This MSc provides a more flexible pathway into archaeology, ideal for those who have a particular specialism or area of interest they would like to build upon, or those who wish to gain a broad range of experiences across the sector.

Career:

On completion of the course you will be able to work in commercial archaeology at any of the numerous commercial units, built environment management, planning, regeneration projects, heritage organisations such as Historic England, English Heritage and the National Trust, heritage site interpretation archaeological outreach and education, or as self-employed archaeology consultants.