Archaeology and History (including a Foundation Year)

Foundation Year courses have been designed for students who do not have the necessary academic qualifications needed to enter directly into the first year of a degree but who have the ability and commitment to do so. Once the Foundation Year has been completed successfully, you can then go on to complete your degree.

Archaeology and History is the perfect course combination if you find yourself fascinated by the human past and all its intrinsic diversity. On this degree course you will study the richness of our past and of our heritage, from the hunter-gatherers of Ice Age Europe right through to the inhabitants of early modern cities. The study of Archaeology and History is important because it helps us understand how past events and societies have shaped the world that we live in today. By learning about the struggles, innovations, and cultures of people from different times, you will gain a deeper perspective on current issues such as politics, identity, and justice, whilst uncovering physical traces of the past that will connect you to human stories that might otherwise be forgotten.

Studying Archaeology and History at Chester offers you a unique combination of hands-on experience and academic depth, delivered within a close-knit and highly supportive learning community. Whether you're analysing human remains and environmental samples in our on-site lab, recording artefacts in the Anna Sutton Annex, rooting through Cheshire archives, immersing yourself in state-of-the-art digital technology, handling objects at the Grosvenor Museum or getting your hands dirty during a dig, you will constantly find yourself bringing your studies to life.

From day one, you will discover what life was like for past societies and learn the techniques and approaches that we use to study them. You will study over a thousand years of local, national and international history, covering themes such as race, ethnicity, leisure, the landscape, war, conflict and social change. By challenging existing narratives about the past, you will think critically about how and why things have developed, and you will build exceptional employability skills. Through exploring the past, you will open the gateway to your future.

For the latest example of curriculum availability on this degree programme please refer to the University of Chester's Website.

We see assessment as serving a dual role, acting both to assess the students learning and to help them develop their capacity to think creatively and critically, and develop qualitative and quantitative skills. For this reason, we use a wide range of assessment methods, including essays, review articles, technical reports, podcasts, audio-visual presentations, and museum displays. Many of our assessment methods replicate the sorts of tasks that a student would encounter in a professional environment, helping to prepare the student for graduate level employment.