Course Finder
Archaeology is an interdisciplinary social sciences subject, combining the intellectual, analytical and interpretative skills of the humanities (e.g. history and geography), the methods of social sciences and other scientific approaches (e.g. ancient DNA, bone chemistry). In studying Archaeology, you can expect to gain a wide range of transferable skills. You will often work in teams to investigate problems, and you will develop critical thinking skills, gain an ability to manipulate and explain data and make connections between different types of evidence. You will also develop practical skills in report writing, image production and fieldwork. If you study Archaeology, we can promise you that you will see the world, time and the human condition itself in an entirely new way.
For more information regarding this course, please click School of Archaeology
UCD School of Archaeology assumes that students have no prior knowledge of the subject, and therefore teaches a course that starts with basics and ends with specialisms.
First Year
Students are introduced to the archaeology of Ireland and the world (from earliest prehistory), and to archaeological methods including excavation and scientific methods.
Second & Third Year
Modules are organised around a number of key pathways, specifically in Archaeological Science, Prehistoric Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, and Experiential and Experimental Archaeology. Students will attend lectures, tutorials, practical classes and undertake independent study. They may also work on excavations and in the laboratory, and within the School's experimental archaeology space on campus.
Of your 120 credits to be gained in second and third year, 50 come from archaeology, 50 from your other subject, and 20 from electives. We strongly recommend that you use ‘in programme’ electives to take more archaeology modules as part of your degree. Some 10 credit modules are only available as electives, not as options.
Of the 50 archaeological credits you must take:
- 15 credits of Level 2 cores and 10 credits of Level 2 options
- 10 credits of Level 3 Cores and 15 credits of Level 2 options
- In programme electives include ARCH20100 Archaeological Fieldschool and ARCH30100 Supervised Research Project. These 10 credit modules are only available to you as in programme electives, not as options.
Assessment is through a combination of end-of-trimester written examinations, continuous assessment and independent learning.
Many graduates have found employment within the archaeological profession, in consultancy, professional contract work, museums and education. Archaeology offers many transferable skills, and graduates can utilise these to become:
- Business and industry entrepreneurs
- Policymakers in arts and education
- Journalists
- Tourism leaders
- Writers, actors, cultural critics
Graduate study opportunities in UCD include the MA and the MLitt/PhD in Archaeology.