Archaeological Science
Archaeological science applies natural science methods, including chemistry, physics, biology and geology, to the investigation of the human past. Where traditional archaeology relies on excavation, typology and historical context, archaeological science brings laboratory techniques to bear on the same material, asking questions that would otherwise be unanswerable: when was this object made, where did this person grow up, what did people eat, how was this landscape used, how did past climates change? The result is a discipline that bridges the humanities and the natural sciences in genuinely innovative ways.
At the University of Exeter, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year, a work placement and a year abroad, making it a comprehensively equipped pathway for those who want both academic depth and professional experience. The sandwich and placement elements give you direct experience in heritage, archaeological or scientific research contexts, and the year abroad provides exposure to different archaeological sites, scientific facilities and scholarly traditions.
You will study radiocarbon dating and geochronology, isotope analysis, environmental archaeology, zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, sediment analysis, material culture and the integration of scientific and humanistic approaches to the past. Both fieldwork and laboratory skills are developed, giving you the range of methods that archaeological science practitioners use. Research design, data analysis and scientific writing are developed alongside technical competence.
Graduates go on to careers in heritage management, archaeological consultancy, environmental consultancy, museum science, research institutions, government agencies and university departments. The combination of natural science skills and archaeological knowledge is valued by organisations that deal with the physical remains of the past. Many go on to postgraduate study in archaeological science, environmental science, geoarchaeology or related fields.