Archaeology BSc (Hons)

This module aims to introduce students to current issues in the still developing field of evolutionary anthropology, and provide a level of understanding that will enable you to choose pathways of progression in years two and three. The knowledge gained will be a foundation for students interested in Palaeolithic archaeology, the hominin fossil record and in applying the framework of evolutionary biology to issues of hominin morphology, behaviour, and material culture

(LO1) Students will develop a working knowledge of the methodology and conceptual approaches that define evolutionary anthropology. The format will encourage them to become independent researchers, moving away from secondary texts to primary source material.

(LO2) Students will develop practical skills of group working and public speaking through participation in the seminars.

(LO3) Students will learn how to distil complex research papers into their vital conclusions, and to highlight any methodological shortcomings, confounds, or alternative hypotheses.

(LO4) Students will develop the ability to consolidate insights from different academic disciplines, and to reconcile the different perspectives introduced by these disciplines

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - written

(S4) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of Chinese prehistory and the archaeological record in China 10,000 to 2,000 BC;

To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of concepts relating to social and political hierarchy, early states, complex economies;

To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of  archaeological methodologies involved in the appearance of village farming and early urbanism;

To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of early Chinese social practices and religion.

(LO1) Knowledge of Chinese prehistory and the archaeological record in China 10,000 to 2,000 BC.

(LO2) Knowledge of concepts relating to social and political hierarchy, early states, complex economies.

(LO3) Knowledge of archaeological methodologies involved in the appearance of village farming and early urbanism.

(LO4) Knowledge of early Chinese social practices and religion.

(S1) Ability to analyze questions

(S2) Ability to construct a coherent and logical written argument

(S3) Ability to research a topic in detail and identify key issues

(S4) Critical reflection on own work in the light of peer review

(S5) Ability to engage in critical analysis of the arguments of others

(S6) Ability to contribute to development of oral discussion

To teach students the basic grammar and cuneiform writing system of Akkadian;

To instill awareness of the basic principles of reading a variety of Akkadian cuneiform inscriptions within their cultural contexts.

(LO1) By the end of the module, successful students will be able to transliterate and translate into English different types of cuneiform inscriptions written in the Akkadian language (Old Babylonian).

(LO2) Students successfully completing the module will be familiar with the main points of the cuneiform writing system as well as the Akkadian grammar, will already have read a few Akkadian texts, and will be ready to move on to additional Old Babylonian texts and to begin the study of Standard Babylonian texts.

(LO3) Students succesfully completing the module will be able to analyze the material grammatically and contextualize all of the assigned texts in their cultural and historical contexts.

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Improving own learning/performance - Personal action planning

(S3) Time and project management - Personal organisation

(S4) Personal attributes and qualities - Resilience

Students will acquire an understanding of the six identified cross-cultural themes that form the core of the module and which relate to key aspects of ancient civilisation. They will apply these themes to three case-study cultures (Archaic and Classical Greece, Rome and the ancient Near East );

This module’s wide-ranging examination of key themes in the archaeology and history of the ancient world provides students with a foundation for other year two and three modules, including the dissertation. Through the study of this module students will also develop a critical appreciation of the three case-study societies and the effects and consequences of warfare upon them;

This module develops skills of critical thought, debate, and academic writing skills by the application of these to the body of primary and secondary literature;

This module also develops the essential employability skills of research, presentation (written and verbal) and use of argument.

(LO1) Acquire an understanding of ancient warfare and the specific case study cultures covered by the module.

(LO2) Acquire a critical understanding of the nature of ancient archaeological and historical source materials.

(LO3) Develop research skills.

(LO4) Develop skills in the use of argument and oral and written presentation.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - academic writing (including referencing skills)

(S2) Critical thinking and problem solving - critical analysis

(S3) Research skills - awareness of / commitment to academic integrity

(S4) Global citizenship - ethical awareness

(S5) Time and project management - personal organisation

(S6) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills – oral

(S7) Working in groups and teams - listening skills

(S8) Information skills - information accessing: locating relevant information. Identifying and evaluating information sources

(S9) Numeracy / computational skills - confidence / competence in measuring and using numbers

To provide students with a broad overview of the disparate sources of evidence used to study the mind and its development;

To integrate these into an anthropological overview that considers the key drivers and constraints on hominin encephalisation and the archaeologically documented evidence for particular cognitive abilities in prehistory;

To develop skills of critical analysis, particularly the assessment of the extent to which competing hypotheses can explain available data;

To understand the pitfalls of common analytical techniques for hypothesis testing and prediction.

(LO1) Students will develop a critical awareness of how biological and behavioural data are used to construct models of the evolution of human cognition.

(LO2) Students will learn to evaluate critically contemporary debates, making informed judgements about the relative strengths and weaknesses of particular arguments.

(LO3) Students will learn how to synthesize different theoretical perspectives and different forms of data from the different subject areas that contribute to the study of human cognition.

(LO4) Students will develop their abilities to appreciate connections across subject areas, particularly in terms of how archaeological and anthropological data can be contextualised through insights from other disciplines

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - reflective practice

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - written

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - academic writing (including referencing skills)

(S4) Critical thinking and problem solving - critical analysis

To develop key research skills of evidence/data gathering, organisation and analysis of evidence / data; To develop an ability to plan and manage an extended research activity; T o deepen knowledge of issues in Chinese archaeology and heritage; To develop knowledge of scholarly debates and issues encountered in lecture based modules.

(LO1) The ability to collect and analyse evidence / data

(LO2) The ability to develop and sustain arguments.

(LO3) An ability to design, research and present a sustained an independently conceived piece of writing.

(LO4) The ability to address scholarly problems in depth, involving the use of a range of relevant sources and advanced literature.

(LO5) Manage time effectively and efficiently and plan a long-term process of research, reading and writing

(LO6) Enhanced knowledge of Chinese archaeology and heritage

(LO7) To present ones research to an audience of peers.

(S1) Data collection design

(S2) Appropriate analytical methods

(S3) Sustained writing

(S4) Planning research

(S5) Archaeological methods (various as pertinent to project)

This module aims to familiarise students with the main outlines of Old World Archaeology from the prime time of Homo erectus (>500,000 years) to the time when Homo sapiens sapiens is fully established;

This module aims to provide students with a critical appreciation of major issues such as language and social evolution.

(LO1) Become critically aware of the main goals of interpretation in Palaeolithic Archaeology as part of the framework for studying human evolution, particularly through a multidisciplinary approach embracing archaeological evidence, archaeological ideas (‘culture-historical’, processual, post-processual etc.), ideas of evolutionary psychology, and developments in hominid palaeontology and ecology.

(LO2) Students will be able to identify the types of evidence used by Palaeolithic archaeologists to build frameworks for studying human evolution (artefact analyses, palaeontology, environmental evidence, genetics, modern analogies).

(LO3) Students will understand the main biological, cognitive, technological and social developments in human evolution over the last million years in respect of the following phases:  The Acheulean of the late Lower/Middle Pleistocene Old World and archaic humans The Mousterian/MSA industries associated with both archaic species and early modern humans in Africa, the Near East and Europe The Upper Palaeolithic industries of the last 40,000 years in the Near East, North Africa and Europe and the symbolic explosion in Europe

(S1) Ability to evaluate fast-changing primary data

(S2) Ability to work with other people and to contribute to decisions

(S3) Ability to produce clear, structured written work

(S4) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

To develop a critical awareness of the limitations and potentials of ethnographic data for interpreting the past;

To apply and develop further analytical skills by assessing critically the use of ethnographic analogies for interpreting the archaeological record;

To apply anthropological theory and analytical methods to the study of specific hunter-gatherers societies;

To develop an evolutionary perspective on hunting and gathering societies;

To develop confidence in public speaking and contributing to discussion;

To develop confidence in the initiation and completion of independent research.

(LO1) On completing this module the student will have gained a familiarity with the place of hunter-gatherers in the development of anthropological theory.

(LO2) The student will develop an understanding of the impact of climate (rainfall, temperature) on the structuring of habitats and human responses.

(LO3) The student will develop a critical appreciation of the use of hunter-gatherers in evolutionary anthropology.

(LO4) The student will build a working knowledge of the diversity of contemporary and historic hunters and gatherers.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - written

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - visual

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - visual

(S4) Time and project management - Personal organisation

(S5) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

To develop an awareness of the social, commercial and political context of the heritage industry;

To gain a critical knowledge of the role of heritage professionals in development control and conservation, in national and international contexts;

To engage with the issues involved in managing collections and sites or monuments;

To develop an awareness of the variety of documentation and reporting required within the heritage industry.

(LO1) Students will understand the history of and issues concerned with the legal frameworks underlying the heritage industry.

(LO2) Students will have an appreciation of the policy documentation necessary to implement heritage management policies concerning collections, sites and monuments and in relation to other interests such as developers and planners.

(LO3) Students will have an understanding of the nature and effects of mechanisms to protect heritage, and the varied viewpoints regarding heritage balanced against other factors such as economics and changing cultural perspectiveshave an understanding of the nature and effects of mechanisms to protect heritage, and the varied viewpoints regarding heritage balanced against other factors such as economics and changing cultural perspectives

(LO4) Students will be aware of the format of professional documentation necessary for heritage management.

(LO5) Students will be developing an ability to present argument and evidence in written and oral format within a professional context.

(S1) Improving own learning / performance - reflective practice

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills – oral

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - written

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - report writing

(S5) Time and project management - personal organisation

(S6) Critical thinking and problem solving - problem identification

(S7) Skills in using technology - using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

(S8) Commercial awareness - relevant understanding of organisations

(S9) Global citizenship - cultural awareness

To develop an awareness of the social, commercial and political context of heritage interpretation;

To gain a critical knowledge of the theoretical and methodological basis of heritage interpretation, in national and international contexts;

To engage with the issues involved in interpreting collections and sites or monuments to different audiences;

To develop an awareness of the variety of documentation and reporting required for heritage interpretation, and the diverse language and vocabulary required for professional and public presentation purposes.

(LO1) Students will understand the history of and cultural issues concerned with heritage interpretation.

(LO2) Students will appreciate the policy documentation necessary to implement heritage interpretation policies concerning collections, sites and monuments and in relation to diverse audiences.

(LO3) Students will understand the theoretical underpinning of heritage interpretation, and the varied viewpoints regarding the role of heritage in society.

(LO4) Students will gain an awareness of the explicit and implicit cultural and political biases in heritage interpretation.

(LO5) Students will develop an ability to present argument and evidence in written and oral format within a professional context.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - written

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - academic writing (including referencing skills)

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - report writing

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - communicating for audience

(S5) Time and project management - personal organisation

(S6) Working in groups and teams - group action planning

(S7) Research skills - all information skills

(S8) Global citizenship - cultural awareness

(S9) Commercial awareness - relevant understanding of organisations

(S10) Personal attributes and qualities - willingness to take responsibility

To introduce students to the aims, methods and applications of archaeobotany;

To introduce students to the wider archaeological and palaeoecological questions and issues addressed by archaeobotanical research;

To familiarise students with the methodologies involved in archaeobotanical  s ampling, identification and data analysis;

To develop student understanding and appreciation of archaeobotanical science applications in contemporary archaeological practice.

(LO1) Students successfully completing this module will be able to recognise and identify the different types of archaeobotanical remains found in archaeological contexts.

(LO2) Students will achieve a rounded understanding of the different pathways through which archaeobotanical remains enter the archaeological record, and their different preservation conditions.

(LO3) Students will become familiar with the key research themes and debates in archaeobotany, regarding diet, subsistence, ancient economies, vegetation change and people-environment interactions.

(LO4) Students will develop a range of data management, quantitative and numerical skills, professional skills (including time management, health and safety procedures), research skills and other transferable skills applicable to academic and non-academic work environments including critical thinking, independent study and research, effective reporting (verbal and written expression) and awareness of controversy in research literature and debate.

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Improving own learning/performance - Record-keeping

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - written

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Following instructions/protocols/procedures

(S5) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S6) Working in groups and teams - Time management

(S7) Skills in using technology - Using common applications (word processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

(S8) Numeracy/computational skills - Numerical methods

(S9) Information skills - Critical reading

(S10) Critical thinking and problem solving - Synthesis

(S11) Critical thinking and problem solving - Evaluation

(S12) Critical thinking and problem solving - Problem identification

(S13) Critical thinking and problem solving - Creative thinking

(S14) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S15) Analytical observational skills - Scientific laboratory practices

(S16) Skills in using technology - Information accessing

(S17) Time and project management - Personal organisation

(S18) Personal attributes and qualities - Resilience

(S19) Personal attributes and qualities - Integrity

(S20) Awareness of professional practices (health and safety rules for working in a laboratory environment)

To cover British Archaeology from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age periods;

Moving on from ALGY106 / ALGY131 in year one, to focus on key issues currently under debate in British Archaeology (e.g. the Stonehenge landscape; settlement temporality; mobility and migration; ritual deposition; climate change) to consider how we have often constructed the past in our own image;

To investigate instead how applied critical thinking is working to uncover the critical 'difference' of the past;

To develop an understanding of past social practice and to move us toward a new social archaeology.

(LO1) Demonstrate a developed knowledge of British Archaeology, a familiarity with the primary archaeological evidence, and an understanding of the different types of social organisation and social change that characterise the periods under discussion.

(LO2) Demonstrate critical study skills, such as the ability to follow and augment a course of relevant reading and research, make effective notes, and use the material to take part in class debates.

(LO3) Present archaeological arguments in essays and examinations, be able to support these with relevant case studies, and show a critical awareness of how these are linked to changing debates in the field.

(LO4) Critically assess the validity of differing archaeological interpretations.

(S1) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S3) Information skills - Critical reading

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

One of the two primary aims of this module is to introduce and to familiarise students with the range and quality of the primary evidence for the study of Roman Britain, including archaeological, literary, epigraphic, or numismatic. The second objective is to explore some of the areas in which the 'new' Roman archaeology is making a distinctive contribution to our understanding of the archaeology of Roman north-west Europe. Towards this end, a number of themes which will be explored include the transition from Iron Age Britain to a Roman province, urbanisation, aspects of the relationship between military and civilian structures, religion (including mortuary practices and the rise of Christianity), and the economy as well as the implications of these themes on the debate concerning the degree of the 'Romanisation' of Britain.

(LO1) Students will continue to develop and deepen the areas of knowledge for which ALGY131 provided a basic foundation.

(LO2) Students will gain a critical understanding of the nature of the discipline which will be based on the work of recent decades and will focus more on research strategies and theory than narrative descriptions.

(LO3) Their appreciation of the range of influences on the subject will lead to a better understanding of archaeology as a whole and of the cross-disciplinary nature of scholarly research in general.

(LO4) In particular students will learn to use Roman archaeology as a vehicle for studying processes which have a great deal of modern relevance, including the relationship of literary and sub-literary texts to archaeological evdience as well as what is 'acculturation', the relationship between town and country along with the ways that archaeology can illustrate and explain both common and disparate cultural traditions in north-west Europe.

(S1) Problem solving/ critical thinking/ creativity analysing facts and situations and applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions.

(S2) Literacy application of literacy, ability to produce clear, structured written work and oral literacy - including listening and questioning

(S3) Positive attitude/ self-confidence A 'can-do' approach, a readiness to take part and contribute; openness to new ideas and the drive to make these happen

To enable students to achieve a rounded understanding of the culture and society of the earliest urban literate communities, found in Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC;

To enable students to appreciate some of the methodological issues of using archaeological and early forms of textual evidence as sources for understanding such societies;

To promote and enable the development of students' critical and analytical approach to evidence and the combined use of different sources of evidence;

To promote and enable the development of students' ability to construct and express effective verbal and written argument .

(LO1) Students successfully completing the module will achieve a rounded understanding of the culture and society of  earliest urban literate communities, found in Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC.

(LO2) Students successfully completing the module will appreciate some of the methodological issues of using archaeological and early forms of textual evidence as sources for understanding such societies.

(LO3) Students successfully completing the module will further develop critical and analytical approaches to evidence and the combined use of different sources of evidence.

(LO4) Students successfully completing the module will further develop their ability to construct and express effective verbal and written argument.

(LO5) Students successfully completing the module will develop transferable skills (not all directly tested in the assessment), e.g. listening and note-taking skills; analytical reading; identification, recall and deployment of material relevant to a particular question; awareness of controversy in technical literature; succinct written exposition; succinct oral presentation and discussion of prepared material; time-management.

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Listening skills

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S4) Time and project management - Personal organisation

(S5) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S6) Research skills - All Information skills

(S7) Skills in using technology - Using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

(S8) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

To introduce frameworks for interpreting the later African record;

To provide an overview of African environments - present and past - and their impact on the structure of the archaeological record;

To review the archaeological and fossil record from the late Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene;

To address key issues of behavioural change.

(LO1) Students will gain an understanding of the history of archaeological research in Africa

(LO2) Students will gain a critical awareness of the limitations of the data used by archaeologists to generate theories of behavioural change

(LO3) Students will gain a working knowledge of regional trends in the African record from the Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene

(LO4) Students will gain confidence in synthesising and presenting data

(S1) Self-management readiness to accept responsibility (i.e. leadership), flexibility, resilience, self-starting, initiative, integrity, willingness to take risks, appropriate assertiveness, time management, readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning

(S2) Problem solving/ critical thinking/ creativity analysing facts and situations and applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions.

(S3) Literacy application of literacy, ability to produce clear, structured written work and oral literacy - including listening and questioning

(S4) Information literacy online, finding, interpreting, evaluating, managing and sharing information

(S5) Information technology (application of) adopting, adapting and using digital devices, applications and services

(S6) Communication, listening and questioning respecting others, contributing to discussions, communicating in a foreign language, influencing, presentations

This module provides an overview of the expansion of Greek culture into all areas of the Mediterranean and Black Sea areas as a result of colonial expansion in the archaic period (8th to 6th centuries BC) and the thematic study of the general methods, processes and outcomes of the colonisation movement;

Students will also acquire a considerable subject-specific knowledge of the history and archaeology of the subject and will develop a critical awareness of the broader issues in the study of classical archaeology and thematic issues connected with migration in all periods;

This module develops skills of critical thought, debate, and academic writing skills by the application of these to the body of primary and secondary literature surrounding Archaic Greek colonisation and British scholarship of that process in the Twentieth Century;

This module also develops the essential employability skills of presentation (written, verbal, visual), team-working and use of ITC.

(LO1) Acquire an understanding of the Greek colonial movement in the archaic period (8th to 6th centuries BC) and become familiar with its chronological, geographical and cultural framework, including key archaeological sites and historical sources.

(LO2) Acquire a critical understanding of British imperial thought in the Twentieth Century, how this has affected scholarship of Greek colonisation in the West, and what this tells us about the construction of archaeological and historical knowledge about the ancient past.

(LO3) Develop skills in the critical application of both archaeological and historical source materials in answering questions about the ancient world and to practice critical thought and discussion.

(S1) Improving own learning / performance - reflective practice

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills – oral

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - written

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - visual

(S5) Communication (oral, written and visual) - communicating for audience

(S6) Working in groups and teams - group action planning

(S7) Working in groups and teams - time management

(S8) Skills in using technology - using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

(S9) Critical thinking and problem solving - critical analysis

(S10) Research skills - all information skills

To make a close examination of the emergence of human behaviour from primate origins;

To explore the basic evidence recovered from early hominid / hominin living sites aged more than about 0.8 million years and to make a close examination of the issues of the emergence of human behaviour;

Following a look at 'pre-archaeological' evidence - including sites and environments of the Miocene and Pliocene and issues such as the origins of bipedalism and hominid diet - to progress to the mainstream archaeological evidence, starting from the major Rift Valley sites of Africa, and working towards important new evidence in South Africa, Asia and Europe;

To consider the nature of the evidence for developments in tool use, language, fire-use, diet, geographical dispersals and behavioural complexity through the Pleistocene period.

(LO1) In this module students will become familiar with the major early hominid/hominin species evidence and early archaeological sites across the Old World Skills in research, critical analysis, written argument construction, artefact identification and the preparation and delivery of presentations will be developed in the course of the module.

(LO2) They will become familiar with the nature of the settings of geological, archaeological and environmental evidence and the evidence preserved

(LO3) They will become aware of questions and debates concerning the potential and limits of inferences about early hominid/hominin behaviour

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S2) Ability to work with other people and contribute to decisions

(S3) to produce clear, structured written work

(S4) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

To introduce students to the history of economic thought from ancient times to the present day;

To introduce students to key issues and concepts in the field of economic anthropology;

To introduce students to the theory and applications of economic archaeology through case studies drawn from various periods of the human past, focusing on the comparative analysis of past economies;

To enable students to achieve a theoretically and empirically grounded understanding of key anthropological and archaeological concepts in the study of human economics;

To enhance student appreciation of key intellectual and methodological issues arising from evaluating different theoretical approaches and sources of evidence as pathways for understanding human economic behaviours past and present;

To foster the development of student critical thinking and analytical approach to evidence and the combined use of different sources of evidence;

To promote the development of student ability to construct and express effective verbal and written argument.

(LO1) Achieve an understanding of how an anthropologically-informed understanding of human economic systems can increase our understanding of the diversity, function and historical context of past economies, and the evolution of human economic behaviours through time, from prehistory to the present. This will be achieved through the exploration of relevant bodies of anthropological and economic theory complemented by the study of relevant archaeological case studies from different time periods and world regions.

(LO2) Appreciate some of the analytical and methodological issues arising from the use of theoretical approaches in conjunction with appropriate anthropological, historical and archaeological evidence, as sources for understanding human socioeconomics.

(LO3) Understand the nature of, and intellectual challenges presented by, integrated anthropological and archaeological approaches to the comparative analysis of past economic systems.

(LO4) Develop transferable skills, applicable to academic and non-academic environments, such as independent reading and research, critical evaluation of contrasting arguments and sources of evidence; effective and concise verbal and written expression; critical thinking; awareness of controversy in literature and debate; time-management.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - written

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S4) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S5) Working in groups and teams - Time management

To provide an understanding the principles and methods of the application of the earth sciences in archaeological investigations.

To develop an appreciation of the value of a multidisciplinary scientific approach to understanding landscape evolution during archaeological investigations

To provide an understanding of the principles and methods of archaeological sciences in archaeological investigations.

To develop an understanding of the techniques used in archaeological sciences during investigation of artefacts and their geological significance .

To gain experience in the use of multiple data sets from different scientific disciplines used in archaeological analyses.

To develop experience in communicating between multiple disciplines and both scientifically literate specialist and non-specialist audiences.

(LO1) Understand the different aspects of geoarchaeology and scientific archaeology

(LO2) Know the range of different practical analyses that can be used in geoarchaeological and archaeometric investigations

(LO3) Understand how and where to apply multiple datasets in geoarchaeological and archaeometric investigations

(LO4) Critically evaluate competing theories of landscape and palaeoenvironmental development

(LO5) Critically evaluate the benefits of different techniques and be able to assess the appropriate scientific techniques to answer archaeological questions

(LO6) Assess and communicate the level of certainty in predictions from imperfect datasets

(LO7) Use different microscopy techniques to recognise important minerals and alteration products

(LO8) Use data from a range of scientific methods to interpret landscape and palaeoenvironmental influences, source materials and chronology

(LO9) Use and correlate stratigraphic data from archaeological sites

(LO10) Presentation skills for written and oral work and communication of scientific data to different audiences

(LO11) Working collaboratively to summarise and share information effectively during development of an online resource

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S2) Skills in using technology - Using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S4) Critical thinking and problem solving - Synthesis

(S5) Working in groups and teams - Group action planning

(S6) Numeracy/computational skills - Problem solving

(S7) Skills in using technology - Online communications skills

To examine the archaeology of houses and households from the classical world;

To explore a variety of data, methods and theories that are of great significance to classical archaeologists and ancient historians;

To use household archaeology to investigate questions of economic, social, political and cultural importance;

To evaluate how digital technologies (Geographical information systems and Sketch-up) can help us to investigate archaeological material.

(LO1) To develop a critical appreciation of the principal techniques and models used to understand domestic space in the Greek and Roman worlds

(LO2) To develop research skills to gather, organise and deploy evidence from a variety of appropriate sources, in order to enhance understanding of the materiality and spatiality of the household

(LO3) To develop a critical understanding of problems in reconstructing and examining daily life in the Greek and Roman worlds

(LO4) To develop a discrete research project on a house and household as well as evaluate key themes and approaches to archaeology of households

(LO5) To develop a clear knowledge of the range of houses (form, decoration and household activities) from Greek and Roman worlds

(S1) Skills in using technology - online communications skills

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - written

(S3) Time and project management - personal organisation

(S4) Critical thinking and problem solving - evaluation

(S5) Skills in using technology- SketchUp and Illustration software

To facilitate students developing a clear understanding of international relations between Egypt and the Near East during the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), with a particular emphasis on the structures and processes of those relations;

To help students gain a critical appreciation of common approaches to International Relations Theory by their application to Late Bronze Age contexts;

To help students develop an understanding of the critical use of sources towards building an independent, evidence-based understanding of ancient society, and communicating that independence of understanding in a coherent form.

(LO1) Students successfully completing this module will gain a good understanding of the history and archaeology of Egypt and the Near East in the Late Bronze Age with a particular focus on international relations.

(LO2) Students successfully completing this module will gain a basic understanding of the principal schools of thought in International Relations, their distinguishing characteristics and their relative strengths and weaknesses.

(LO3) Students successfully completing this module will gain considerable experience in critically reflecting on the problem of applying interpretive frames of reference developed in modern Western contexts to pre-modern and/or non-Western contexts.

(LO4) Students successfully completing this module will gain a good understanding of how to read and interpret ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern texts in translation and to use these texts critically in the construction of socio-political and historical arguments.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - written

(S2) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Evaluation

The aims of the module are to provide a detailed understanding of Later European Prehistory, the types of archaeological evidence encountered, and how to employ critical method in approaching this material.

(LO1) Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the primary archaeological evidence, and an understanding of the different types of social organisation that characterise the Iron Age in Britain and beyond.

(LO2) Demonstrate advanced study skills, such as the ability to undertake a course of relevant reading, prepare for tutorial sessions with their supervisor, and lead seminar discussions.

(LO3) Present their own arguments in seminars and essays, supported by relevant case studies and original analysis, and show a critical awareness of how these develop current debates in the field.

(S1) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S3) Information skills - Critical reading

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

To develop a sound knowledge of the range of artworks produced during the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe;

To develop a critical appreciation of the difficulties in recording cave and portable art works;

To develop a critical appreciation of the research problems involved in the study of Palaeolithic art;

To develop a practical understanding of pigments, paints and lighting appropriate to the making of Palaeolithic images.

(LO1) To develop a critical appreciation of the principal techniques and models used to infer symbolic activity from Palaeolithic imagery and ornament

(LO2) To develop a critical appreciation of the social context of the manufacture, observation and use of art and personal ornaments in hunter-gatherer societies

(LO3) To develop a critical understanding of problems in dating images in the Palaeolithic

(LO4) To develop a clear knowledge of the range of parietal art from France, Spain and Germany, its representations and dating evidence

(LO5) To develop a clear knowledge of the range of portable art from France, Spain and Germany, its representations and dating evidence

(LO6) To develop a discrete research project on a central theme of the study of Palaeolithic art

(LO7) To excecute a  discrete research project on a central theme of the study of Palaeolithic art

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills - written

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Communicating for audience

(S4) Time and project management - Project planning

(S5) Information skills - Critical reading

This module aims to prepare students for life after graduation by providing a place in which they can bring together the various subjects that they have learned about and also reflect upon the relevance of knowledge about the past for wider debates about the present and future of humanity;

To provide additional intellectual training in how to use knowledge and understanding of episodes in human history to inform debate about issues of global importance;

To enhance employability by preparing students to be able to draw on their knowledge and skills to examine and present crucial issues of wide concern to employers including business, the heritage sector, education, NGO's, local and national governments, policy groups;

Provide students with the intellectual context to reflect on their academic experiences and bring their expertise to classroom discussion;

Inspire and enable them to be thoughtful and articulate ambassadors for the ancient world / the value of learning from the past / the value of the ancient world.

(LO1) Articulate how our disciplines can inform debate surrounding several major issues facing humanity.

(LO2) Critically discuss the potential and limitations of making inferences from specific historic examples to contemporary context.

(LO3) Communicate clearly a detailed understanding of one particular global question/societal question to a non-specialist audience.

(LO4) Reflect upon and illustrate how the knowledge acquired during the course of their degree enables them to evaluate and discuss these issues.

(S1) Develop resilience and time management for self-directed research

(S2) Share knowledge effectively in digital format and show ability to acquire new skills with technology

(S3) Identify problems and evaluate answers and solutions

(S4) Communicate information more effectively in written and visual form to a non-specialist audience

(S5) Collaborate and work with others

This module not only explores frontiers as manifestations at the highwater mark of Roman imperial history but as a vehicle for assessing the cultural evolution of frontier societies. As the frontiers of Britain are already provided for with modules on Hadrian’s Wall in the School's portfolio of modules, the emphasis of this module will be on frontiers beyond the province of Britian and in particular, those along the rivers Rhine and Danube as well as those of the Near East (especially that in the province of Arabia) and in North Africa along with the Eastern Desert region of Egypt.

(LO1) Students will have gained an appreciation of the range of scope and high quality of the archaeological evidence for the frontiers of the Roman empire.This will bring out the different devices and systems that evolved in response to particular problems in particular sectors of the frontiers

(LO2) Students will have enhanced their understanding of the history of the Roman provinces as well as imperial policy decision making through exploring how frontiers systems were built and evolved over time

(LO3) Students will have acquired an appreciation of some of the ways that frontiers and zones of cultural interaction might be variously interpreted

(LO4) Students will have acquired a critical appreciation of  how archaeological and historical sources can be used to reconstruct the history of the Roman provinces

(LO5) Students will have acquired the ability to detail key features of the history of scholarship of the Roman provinces and how scholarship has evolved over time

(S1) Communication skills

(S2) Organisational skills

(S3) Literacy application of literacy, ability to produce clear, structured written work and oral literacy - including listening and questioning

(S4) Problem solving/ critical thinking/ creativity analysing facts and situations and applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions.

To deepen knowledge of the primary record from pharaonic Egypt;

To develop analytical skills;

To develop communicative writing based on personal understanding;

To broaden understanding of the differences of cultural and behavioural norms of different societies, ancient and modern.

(LO1) The student will be able to show a broad knowledge of a broad range of data from pharaonic Egypt

(LO2) The student will demonstrate the integration of detail derived from a wide range of primary data into a narrative or argument, both oral and written, and display a clear understanding of the limitations of specific data and the conclusions drawn from it.

(LO3) The student will demonstrate a problem-solving approach in communicating knowledge of data and understanding of methodology in writing.

(LO4) The student will develop an evidence-based picture of the realities of life - physical and social - in pharaonic Egypt, within a wider anthropological and sociological picture of the cultural norms of non-western and ancient societies

(LO5) The student will develop an explicit awareness of the nature of evidence-based research for description and generalisation about pharaonic Egypt

(S1) Critical thinking and problem solving - critical analysis

(S2) Critical thinking and problem solving - creative thinking

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - academic writing (including referencing skills)

(S4) Global citizenship - cultural awareness

This module aims to teach students the basic grammar and cuneiform writing system of Sumerian;

To foster awareness of the basic principles of reading a variety of Sumerian cuneiform inscriptions within their cultural contexts.

(LO1) By the end of the course, successful students will be able to transliterate and translate different types of cuneiform inscriptions written in Sumerian.

(LO2) Students successfully completing the module will be able to analyze the material grammatically.

(LO3) Students will be able to contextualize all of the assigned texts in their cultural and historical contexts.

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Improving own learning/performance - Personal action planning

(S3) Time and project management - Personal organisation

(S4) Personal attributes and qualities - Resilience

To examine the development of agriculture, pastoralism and sedentism, all features fundamental to the development of complex and modern society;

To understand the nature of Neolithic societies in the Near East and thus the social context for and response to the development of agriculture;

To question when these phenomena appeared, why they might have appeared and how human societies responded to their new opportunities and pressures;

To develop an understanding of the problems and potential of archaeological methodologies in gaining an understanding of these changes and knowledge of ancillary disciplines relating to palaeoenvironmental studies, archaeobotany and palaeozoology;

To develop students' critical and analytical approaches to evidence and the combined use of different sources of evidence;

To develop student's ability to construct and express effective verbal and written argument;

To provide opportunities for students to reflect on verbal and written feedback;

To promote identification, recall and deployment of material relevant to a particular question;

To promote awareness of controversy in technical literature;

To promote succinct written exposition.

(LO1) Students will gain knowledge of the development of the first sedentary and agricultural societies, the transition from Palaeolithic foragers to Neolithic farmers,and critical skills relating to the handling of evidence relevant to these issues and to much of the interpretation of prehistoric archaeology.

(LO2) Students will develop knowledge of archaeological methodologies applied in the study of agricultural origins, including palaeoenvironmental studies, archaeozoology, archaeobotany, human osteoarchaeology.

(LO3) Students will develop an understanding of developments in archaeological theory, through an understanding of how those dveelopment has affected interpretations of origins of agriculture.

(LO4) Students will develop their critical and analytical skills in handling evidence, evaluating the arguments of others and integrating diverse evidence sets.

(LO5) Students will develop their abilityto construct and express effective and succinct verbal and written argument

(LO6) Students will develop their ability to reflect on verbal feedback on their work and deploy it to improve their work

(LO7) Students will develop their ability to identify, recall and deploy material relevant to a particular question

(LO8) Students will develop their ability to identify and evaluate controversy in archaeological and other literature

(S1) Improving own learning / performance - reflective practice.

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills - written.

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - presentation skills – oral.

(S4) Communication (oral, written and visual) - listening skills.

(S5) Communication (oral, written and visual) - influencing skills – argumentation.

(S6) Communication (oral, written and visual) - academic writing (including referencing skills).

(S7) Time and project management - personal organisation.

(S8) Skills in using technology - using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.).

(S9) Critical thinking and problem solving - critical analysis.

(S10) Critical thinking and problem solving - evaluation.

(S11) Critical thinking and problem solving - synthesis.

(S12) Information skills - critical reading.