Archaeology is an exciting subject that studies past human societies through the material remains they left behind, investigating important developments in the human story over a long period of time. The subject investigates many important developments in the human story, such as the evolution of Homo Sapiens, the adoption of farming, early urbanism, and the origins of social complexity. The greater part of the human story is beyond the range of traditional historical methods and can only be studied using archaeological approaches to the ancient past.
Archaeologists collaborate with scientists in other disciplines to discover, record and date ancient objects, sites, and landscapes, and to analyse human and environmental remains. That record is part of our cultural heritage, and archaeologists play an important role protecting this resource for future generations.
You will be provided with a general introduction to the discipline of Archaeology in Year 1, so you will not need to have any particular background in this subject. You will also be introduced to the Archaeology of Ireland, spanning 10 millennia from the earliest human settlement of the island to the early modern era.
Years 3 and 4 provide foundation and advanced training in Irish and European Archaeology, as well as a range of skills-orientated courses that are necessary for career development.
Overall, the BA degree in Archaeology seeks to balance archaeological theory and culture history modules with those dealing with fieldwork and scientific approaches in the past.
