BA Archaeology
Leiden, Netherlands
BA
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 2,694 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for non-EEA, non-Swiss, & non-Surinam applicants: €14,300
Key Summary
Archaeology in Leiden encompasses the study of societies, cultures, and human behaviour from the past, aiming to reconstruct and revive them. With our mix of education and research you lay a strong foundation for an international career in archaeology or heritage management.
Why study Archaeology?
Make a meaningful contribution to our knowledge of humankind by studying the activities and behaviour of people from the past. With learnings from history, you will gain new insights into our present-day world. You will look at contemporary issues like migration, globalisation, and climate change through an archaeological lense. With this unique angle, you may contribute to the public debate.
Depending on your preferences, you may also immerse yourself in the role of heritage in society. You will think about the future and the preservation of heritage, and you will gain experience with heritage policy. Furthermore, you will explore current issues, for example the role of cultural heritage within migrant communities.
After your first year you will choose one of the following specialisations:
- Heritage and Society
- World Archaeology
Furthermore, the programme offers:
- a strong, global emphasis, with wide networks in international research;
- excellent facilities in the heart of Leiden’s academic community;
- English language teaching by enthusiastic lecturers;
- a lively and sociable study association.
Archaeology: shine new light on the big issues of today
The three-year bachelor's programme in Archaeology is a many-sided programme in which you study societies, cultures, and human behaviour from the past, aiming to reconstruct and revive them. You will gain a better understanding of the world and contribute to the solution of societal issues.
In your first year you may choose between a Dutch or English language programme. The language of instruction for the second and third years is English.
7 reasons why you should study Archaeology at Leiden University
- Familiarise yourself with all aspects of archaeology: from the newest technological innovations to related disciplines, like ecology, geology, statistics, and anthropology. After graduation you will be widely employable.
- Benefit from the wide choice of regional specialisations, from the Near East to Central America. Or dive into heritage issues with the new specialisation in Heritage and Society.
- Profit from our personal and challenging education programme by inspiring lecturers and experienced researchers. Get the best out of yourself in our small-scale classes and under intensive supervision.
- Gain knowledge as well as practical experience in our many-sided programme. After graduation you are widely employable in a variety of international positions in government, business, research or museums.
- Bring your learnings into practice right away by joining on-going research projects.
- Join our lively and social study association Terra.
- Study at a Faculty that has quite rightly earned a place in the top ten of archaeology research and teaching institutes in the world.
Career
After three years of study, you have all the required knowledge of various materials, and you know about the possibilities of archaeometric and related techniques. You have the theoretical background needed to analyse your observations and hypotheses. Also, you are capable of reporting about your research. And you are well aware of the ethical aspects that are involved in working with cultural heritage.
The combination of practical knowledge and academic skills makes you valuable to many employers. You will be ready to take on various positions in commercial companies, the government, research institutes, heritage agencies, laboratories, or museums.
The broad array of skills that you will acquire as an archaeologist will make you an attractive target for a wide range of employers. These skills will equip you for a variety of positions in the Netherlands or abroad, in government or in business. They will also make you an objective, critical and, above all, articulate and creative thinker.
Creative thinkers have the ability to draw logical and accurate conclusions from incomplete information, and to come up with practical and original solutions. This ability will make you a great fit with many different professions.
Your archaeology master’s can be a stepping-stone up to a career in almost every sector of the job market. It is the winning combination of practical knowledge and academic skills that fuels employers’ demand for Leiden University’s archaeology graduates.