Archaeology and Anthropology

Archaeology and anthropology together form one of the richest partnerships in the humanities and social sciences. Archaeology investigates the human past through material remains, developing methods and theories for reading objects, structures, landscapes, and organic remains as evidence of how people lived, believed, traded, and died. Anthropology examines human diversity in the present and recent past, using ethnographic fieldwork, comparative analysis, and theoretical frameworks to understand culture, society, kinship, religion, and power.

Together, they offer an unparalleled view of what it means to be human across time and across the full range of cultural forms.

This three-year full-time programme at University College London gives you access to one of the world's pre-eminent departments in both fields. You will engage with archaeological evidence from prehistoric to historical periods, develop skills in fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and the interpretation of material culture, and explore the theoretical debates that animate the discipline. The anthropological strand takes you into ethnographic theory, social organisation, belief systems, economic exchange, and the politics of culture.

UCL's museum collections, research excavations, and global academic networks enrich the programme, and London itself provides access to some of the world's greatest museums and cultural institutions.

Graduates from this programme pursue careers in museums and heritage organisations, archaeological consultancy and field units, international development, the charitable sector, journalism, academia, and cultural policy. Many work internationally, given the global scope of both disciplines. The research skills, cultural sensitivity, and analytical thinking developed here are valued across a wide range of professional contexts.

Postgraduate study in archaeology, social anthropology, museum studies, heritage management, or related fields is a common and well-supported route for graduates who want to specialise further.