University continuing education courses provide a good opportunity for people with an interest in archaeology to study part-time and gain academic recognition. Courses are now designed to provide vocational opportunities and academic awards are available. At most universities, students do not have to take awards if they do not wish to do so, and there are still some courses which are of the traditional type, without awards. Courses for leisure interest are also offered by the Workers' Educational Association and by some local education authorities. The new award-bearing courses are particularly useful for people wishing to enter archaeology as mature students who may have been working for some years and wish for a change of direction. Most of these courses are recognised by the universities as contributing to the entry requirement for BA or BSc degrees. Some may even grant exemption from parts of the first year undergraduate syllabus for those with appropriate awards. However, awards can also be used in their own right by people who do not wish to go into higher education, but would like to study a particular topic to a recognised high standard.
There are three kinds of qualification that can be taken.
The precise details of credit rating and certificate courses vary from one university to another, but the above is the most typical picture at present. Some universities offer diplomas at a higher level than the certificate, or even undergraduate (BA) and postgraduate (MA) degrees through continuing education. The type of work to be done to gain credits also varies from place to place. Most universities lay stress on course work rather than exams. Course work usually entails compiling a dossier of evidence that the student has done some reading, visited sites, undertaken practical work as part of the course or completed short written tasks. The assessment of students is designed to be flexible and take into account the fact that most students will not have written essays or taken exams for many years, if at all. If exams are used, the student may have advance notice of the questions before the day of the exam.
Most modules are run as weekly evening lectures over a period of 10/12 or 20/24 weeks, occasionally including field trips. There are also day schools with a panel of speakers, weekend residential and non-residential courses, week long residential summer schools, and study tours visiting a range of sites in another part of Britain or abroad. Some universities also arrange series of individual public lectures. Distance learning courses at certificate level are offered by a few universities, ie Bournemouth, Exeter, Lancaster and Manchester. There is a great variety of topics offered in courses. Some cover a particular period or culture, like Ancient Egypt or Roman Britain. Others will deal with the archaeology of a particular place, often the local area where the course is being held. Some will teach archaeological methods and skills, such as artefact study, illustration, computing or survey. Other popular topics are industrial archaeology, the study of landscapes and buildings.
The programmes of courses offered by departments vary greatly from year to year. Departments should be contacted for up to date brochures. The CBA keeps a database of courses nationwide and the CBA office can be contacted for information..
Council for British Archaeology
St Mary's House
66 Bootham
York
YO30 7BZ
tel 01904 671417
fax 01904 671384
emailinfo@britarch.ac.uk
The list below should be regarded as provisional. New courses are being planned at many universities and some courses listed below may not be offered in future years. Contact the CBA or the Department concerned for up to date information.
Aberdeen
Certificate in Field Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Scottish Archaeology
Birmingham
Certificate in British Archaeology
Certificate in Industrial Archaeology
Bournemouth
Certificate in Medieval Archaeology
Bradford
Certificate in Yorkshire Urban Environment
Bristol
MA in Landscape Archaeology
Certificate in Archaeology of the Dark Ages
Certificate/Diploma in Egypt of the Pharaohs
Certificate in Environmental Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Medieval Landscape Archaeology
Certificate in Post Medieval Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Prehistoric Archaeology
Certificate in Roman Archaeology
Diploma in Anglo-Saxon Archaeology
Diploma in the Archaeology of Roman Britain
Cambridge
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Landscape History and Field Archaeology
Cardiff
Foundation Certificate in Hieroglyphics
Certificate in Archaeology
Certificate in Industrial Archaeology
Durham
Certificate/Diploma/BA in Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma/BA in History and Archaeology
East Anglia
Certificate in Practical Archaeology
Certificate in Architectural History, Recording and Conservation
Certificate in Field Archaeology & Landscape History
Diploma in Landscape Studies
Diploma in Landscape Archaeology
Edinburgh
(Open Studies) Certificate in Archaeology
Exeter
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeological Studies
Certificate in British Archaeology
Certificate in Egyptology
Glasgow
Continuing Education Award in Egyptology
Certificate in Ancient Studies
Certificate in Field Archaeology
Hull
Certificate in Archaeology
Diploma in Historical Studies
Keele
Certificate in Archaeology
Certificate in Post-Medieval Archaeology
Kent
Certificate/Diploma/BA in Archaeological Studies
King Alfred's College, Winchester
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeological Practice
Leeds
Certificate in Archaeology
Certificate in British Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeology and Local and Regional History
Leicester
Certificate in Archaeology
Certificate in Architectural History
Liverpool
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeological Studies
London, Birkbeck College
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in East Mediterranean
Certificate/Diploma in Egyptology
Certificate/Diploma in Field Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Prehistoric Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Industrial Archaeology
Manchester
Certificate in Celtic Studies
Certificate in Egyptology
Nottingham
Certificate in Archaeology
Certificate in Heritage Conservation
Certificate in Industrial History and Archaeology
Oxford
Certificate in Archaeology
Undergraduate Certificate in British Archaeology
Diploma in British Archaeology
Advanced Diploma in Archaeological Practice
MSc in Professional Archaeology
MSc in Landscape Archaeology
Reading
Certificate in Archaeology
Certificate in Egyptology
Sheffield
Certificate in Archaeology
Diploma Archaeological Practice
Southampton
Certificate in Archaeological Studies
Surrey
Foundation Certificate/Diploma in Field Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma in Archaeology
Certificate/Diploma/BSc in Archaeology, Environment and Landscape
Sussex - UPDATED!
Open Courses:
Certificate in Practical Archaeology
MA in Field Archaeology (part-time mode).
Swansea
Certificate in Archaeology
Warwick
Open Studies Certificate in Archaeology
These degrees are usually taken over a six year period and will include archaeology alongside other related subjects.
They are available as follows:
Aberdeen
MA Scottish Archaeology
East Anglia
BA Landscape Studies
Hull
BA Historical Studies
Kent
BA Archaeological Studies
Leeds
BA Archaeology and Local and Regional History
Leicester
BA Humanities
Southampton
BSc Human Sciences
Surrey
BA Archaeology, Environment and Landscape
Sussex
BA Landscape Studies
Two institutions currently offer postgraduate degrees through continuing education:London, Birkbeck College (MA Archaeology) andOxford (MSc Professional Archaeology).
The list below includes all continuing education departments that offer archaeology courses, whether leading to a qualification or not. Provision of courses varies, with some universities running large programmes at a number of centres over a wide area and others holding only a few courses at the university itself. All departments produce free brochures listing their courses. Details of programmes are also held by the CBA (contact the Education Officer).
University of Aberdeen
Key Learning Opportunities
Regent Building
King's College
Aberdeen AB24 3FX
tel 01224 272449
webwww.abdn.ac.uk/cce
University of Wales Aberystwyth
Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth
Centre for Continuing Education
11 Laura Place
Aberystwyth SY23 2AU
tel 01970 621580
webwww.aber.ac.uk/conted.html
University of Wales Bangor
Prifysgol Cymru Bangor
Centre for Continuing Education
Dean Street
Bangor
Gwynedd LL57 2DG
tel 01248 382804
webwww.bangor.ac.uk/cce
University of Birmingham
School of Professional and Continuing Education
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT
tel 0121 414 3413
web www.bham.ac.uk
University of Bournemouth
Continuing Education Office
Talbot Campus
Fern Barrow
Poole BH12 5BB
tel 01202 595273
University of Bradford
School of Lifelong Education & Development
2 Claremont
Bradford BD7 lBQ
tel 01274 233210
webwww.brad.ac.uk/university/cfa
University of Bristol
Public Programmes Office
Office of the Registrar
8-10 Berkeley Square
Clifton
Bristol BS8 lHH
tel 0117 928 7172
webwww.bristol.ac.uk/depts/PPO/
Cambridge University
Board of Continuing Education
Madingley Hall
Cambridge CB3 8AQ
tel 01954 280280
webwww.cam.ac.uk/CambUniv/ContEd/
University of Wales Cardiff
Prifysgol Cymru Caerdydd
Centre for Lifelong Learning
38 Park Place
Cardiff CF10 3UB
tel 029 2087 4831
webwww.cf.ac.uk/uwc/learn/
City University
Department of Continuing Education
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
tel 020 7477 8268
webwww.city.ac.uk/conted/cfa.htm
University of Durham
Centre for Lifelong Learning
32 Old Elvet
Durham DH1 3HN
tel 0191 374 3724
University of East Anglia
Centre for Continuing Education
University of East Anglia
Norwich NR4 7TJ
tel 01603 593266
webwww.uea.ac.uk/
University of Edinburgh
Centre for Continuing Education
Office of Lifelong Learning
11 Buccleuch Place
Edinburgh EH8 9LW
tel 0131 662 0783
webwww.cce.ed.ac.uk/
University of Essex
Centre for Lifelong Learning
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3SQ
tel 01206 872519
webwww.essex.ac.uk/cce/
University of Exeter
Department of Lifelong Learning
St Luke's Campus
Heavitree
Exeter EX1 2LU
tel 01392 262828
webwww.ex.ac.uk/dll
University of Glasgow
Department of Adult and Continuing Education
59 Oakfield Avenue
Glasgow G12 8LW
tel 0141 330 4032
webwww.gla.ac.uk/Acad/AdultEd/
University of Hull
Centre for Lifelong Learning
49 Salmon Grove
Hull HU6 7SZ
tel 01482 465415
webwww.hull.ac.uk/ifl
University of Keele
Centre for Continuing and Professional Education
FREEPOST
Keele
Staffordshire ST5 5BR
tel 01782 583436
webwww.keele.ac.uk/courses/cpe
University of Kent
Unit for Regional Learning
Keynes College
Canterbury CT2 7NP
tel 01227 827647
webwww.ukc.ac.uk/url
King Alfred's College
Centre for Continuing Education
Winchester
SO22 4NR
tel 01962 841515
webwww.wkac.ac.uk/
University of Lancaster
Department of Continuing Education
Lonsdale College
Bailrigg
Lancaster LA1 4YN
tel 01524 592623
webwww.lancs.ac.uk/users/conted
University of Leeds
School of Continuing Education
Leeds LS2 9JT
tel 0113 233 3222
webwww.leeds.ac.uk/aed/cehome/sce.htm
University of Leicester
Vaughan College
St Nicholas Circle
Leicester LE1 4LB
tel 0116 251 7368
University of Liverpool
Centre for Continuing Education
19 Abercromby Square
Liverpool L69 7ZG
tel 0151 794 6952
webwww.merseyworld.com/cce/
University of London, Birkbeck College
Faculty of Continuing Education
26 Russell Square
London WC1B 5DQ
tel 0207 631 6633
webwww.bbk.ac.uk/
University of Manchester
Centre for Continuing Education
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL
tel 0161 275 3285
University of Newcastle
Centre for Lifelong Learning
Newcastle on Tyne NE1 7RU
tel 0191 222 5680
webwww.ncl.ac.uk/lifelong-learning/
University of Nottingham
School of Continuing Education
14 Shakespeare Street
Nottingham NG1 4FQ
tel 0115 951 6516
webwww.nottingham.ac.uk/cont-ed
Oxford University
Department for Continuing Education
Rewley House
1 Wellington Square
Oxford OXl 2JA
tel 01865 270369
fax 01865 270309
email ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk
web www.conted.ox.ac.uk
University of Reading
Department for Continuing Education
London Road
Reading RG1 5AQ
tel 0118 931 8347
webwww.rdg.ac.uk/ContEd/
University of St Andrews
Centre for Continuing Education
66 North Street
St Andrews
Fife KY16 9AH
tel 01334 462200/6
webwww.st-and.ac.uk/services/cce/www.htm
University of Sheffield
Division of Adult Continuing Education
196-198 West Street
Sheffield S1 4ET
tel 0114 2222 7000
webwww.shef.ac.uk/uni/academic/A-C/ace/
University of Southampton
New College
The Avenue
Southampton SO17 1BG
tel 023 8059 7476
University of Stirling
Division of Academic Innovation and Continuing Education
Airthrey Castle
Stirling FK9 4LA
tel 01786 467953
webwww.stir.ac.uk/daice
University of Surrey
Centre for Continuing Education
Guildford GU2 5XH
tel 01483 300800
webwww.surrey.ac.uk/
University of Sussex
Centre for Continuing Education
Education Development Building
Falmer
Brighton BN1 9RG
tel 01273 678537/678040
University of Wales Swansea
Prifysgol Cymru Abertawe
Department of Adult Continuing Education
Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP
tel 01792 295786
University of Warwick
Department of Continuing Education
University of Warwick
Coventry CV4 7AL
tel 024 7652 3831
webwww.warwick.ac.uk/
University College Worcester
Centre for Continuing Education
Henwick Grove
Worcester
WR2 6AJ
tel 01905 855455
webwww.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology
University of York
Centre for Continuing Education
Heslington
York YO1 5DD
tel 01904 434620
web www.york.ac.uk
Factsheet content last revised November 2003
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Today's date: 5/7/2008
This page last updated:
6/5/2008 09:47
