Archaeology and History

The University of Birmingham's Archaeology and History degree is taught in an intellectually challenging and stimulating environment, focused on ensuring you are a fully supported and active learner.

You will explore the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Western Asia, Greece and Rome, the prehistoric and historic societies of Europe and Britain though to the Middle Ages, and then follow events around the world almost to the present day. During the course you will have the chance to study unfamiliar territory and to question some of the myths, preconceptions and prejudices that surround the three disciplines. By interpreting historical and archaeological evidence together, you can build a rounded picture of the life and culture of these societies.

You will be taught by ancient historians specialising in the period, archaeologists whose expertise covers north-west Europe, Classical Greek and Roman societies, early medieval states in Europe and the Mediterranean and historians whose interests are global in cultural, social, diplomatic, military, political, economic or religious history.

We place a distinctive emphasis on the combination of archaeological and historical approaches in the study of the ancient world, and the range of expertise available across the three disciplines ensures that a wide choice of periods, countries and cultures may be studied.

Why study this course?

Breadth of expertise - While many Ancient History programmes focus on Greece and Rome, at the University of Birmingham you will have the opportunity to study a wide range of ancient societies with exciting opportunities for specialisation in Archaeology, Ancient History, or both disciplines.

Immerse yourself in an ancient language – Take advantage of learning another languages and dive deeper into literatures that will shape your knowledge of the Classics.

Learn from the very best – You will study alongside some of the finest minds in the field. Times Higher Education ranked the Department in the Top 10 in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise

Unparalleled access to history - Explore our Cadbury Research Libraries collections consisting of over 200,000 rare books dating from 1471 and more than four million manuscript items. You'll also access environmental and material culture teaching collections and our on-campus Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology Museum, where teaching takes place.

Be a part of an exciting department – You will join a lively University environment with many opportunities to enhance your student experience, including the highly active Birmingham Ancient History, Classics and Archaeology Society (BACAS), which organises events such as film nights and museum trips throughout the academic year.

Top 10 for Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology in the Guardian University Guide 2025

Top 50 for History in the Guardian University Guide 2024

Top 100 for History in the QS World Subject Rankings 2024