Hi! I’m Whiskey, I’m currently doing my first year of BA Archaeology at York. I’m going to share my amazing experience so far, and why it is the best place to study archaeology!
The Perfect City for Archaeology
Something that I learned quickly about York is that you can’t escape archaeology, wherever you go. York has such a rich history that is ingrained in the buildings and the streets you walk through.
In the first seminar, you’ll spend Exploring Archaeology visiting key archaeological landmarks around the city. The staff give such detailed descriptions of their history, it’s so immersive. Being able to step outside and have an unlimited fountain of history at your fingertips is so inspiring. I really enjoyed this module. York is beautiful, too, which makes it even more of a pleasure to explore.
Skills you’ll learn
Archaeology is giving me so many skills. Some are directly related to archaeology and heritage, but there are plenty that are transferable, too! You’ll have the freedom to dive into topics that genuinely interest you. You’ll explore case studies and sharpen your critical thinking skills in a way that feels natural and engaging. You’ll learn to form evidence-based arguments perfect for essay writing.
Collaboration is a large part of archaeology. It can see daunting at first, but everyone is there because they’re as passionate as you. I’ve been involved in collaborative presentations and developed different perspectives from my friends on the course. Plus, your staff are so invested in your journey, sparking engaging discussions and pushing you to think like a true archaeologist!
Practical skills
Archaeology at York is really hands-on. It’s amazing if you’re interested in a heritage career.
The YEAR (York Experimental Archaeology Research) Centre is where you will take part in experimental archaeology and actually get a chance to create artefacts that were used thousands of years ago, crafting them how people used to. Lab work is a big part of the course, too, and you’ll have the chance to get up close with genuine archaeological finds. You learn practical skills using specialist equipment, and also understand how science can help us better understand the past.
Archaeology teaches you a lot about world cultures. By learning about past civilisations outside of our own, it opens you up to so many different ideas you might not have thought about before.
York offers placement years across the world. You are sure to find somewhere that intrigues you!
Employability
Whenever people ask me about my course, they’re always so curious about what I do. But they aren’t always aware of how many skills you learn as an archaeologist. Through written work, presentations and group discussions, and practical work – labs, fieldwork, digital archaeology and beyond – you get such a rounded education that you can take with you when you graduate. There are skills useful for jobs in education, heritage, the media, forensics, and even management.
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