AS/A2 AQA

Archaeology investigates past cultures and communities through the discovery, analysis and interpretation of materials they have left behind. This ‘material culture’ can take the form of almost anything: human and animal remains; pottery, stone and metal artifacts; tools and weapons; settlements, fields and environmental evidence etc. If you possess a curiosity about the development of world cultures, and wish to look back in time beyond the written ‘historical’ past, then this course will provide you with opportunities to learn about a wide range of cultures and periods from the last five million years of Human evolution. It is a practical course, combining theory with hands-on learning: we try, as far as possible, ‘to do Archaeology’, with both local fieldwork and trips to major sites in Britain.

Course Outline
AS-level

• Unit 1 - Ritual & Religion in Prehistoric Europe 30,000BC to AD43 (1 hour 15m exam) Investigating prehistoric religious beliefs and practices using artifacts, burials, monuments and art.
• Unit 2 - Archaeological Skills and Methods (1 hour 45m exam) A two-step introduction to archaeological methods: a) how Archaeologists discover, survey and excavate sites, and  b) the techniques of analysis, interpretation and dating.

A2/A Level

• Unit 3 - World Archaeology (2 hour exam) In this thematic unit four main themes are covered: People and Society; Sites and People in the Landscape; Economics and Material Culture; Contemporary Issues in Archaeology today.
• Unit 4 - Archaeological Investigation (coursework) You choose a topic to investigate, applying research methods to a local site or landscape (4000 word limit).

Preferred Entry Requirements
There are no special entry requirements for AS Archaeology.  The course tackles a wide variety of issues, and develops a very broad range of useful skills.  There are clearly some close links to History, Geography/ Geology and Environmental Studies, but there is no ‘ideal’ GCSE combination (nor at AS-level for that matter). Of more importance is an enquiring and open mind and curiosity about other cultures.  For more details see the Studying Archaeology at Aquinas booklet.*

*Please note that your enrolment on to a particular course must be approved by the Head of that department.