Advice about university courses

[Laura]

I know this is completely unrelated to the dig and everything but I need some advice from some people who know what they are on about.
It wont be too long before I will have to start making a decision about which course I am going to apply for at university and I am really stuck between two courses. I really want to study archaeology and ancient history together but I fear that if I do that course then I wont have enough experience to become an archaeologist. It isn't like a joint honors course, it is the two degrees shortened down into one course. I want to do archaeology in as much detail as I possibly can but I also want study ancient history and learn some ancient languages. Has anybody got any suggestions? By the way, I am almost positive that I want to go to Birmingham University to study my degree so these are the two courses I am choosing between.

www.bham.ac.uk/course_details.asp?section=00010002&id=16

www.bham.ac.uk/course_details.asp?section=00010002&id=17

Oh yeah and one last thing, has anyone got any tips for getting it to uni? I know I could wait till the dig to ask all this but it is ages away and it is really bugging me. I just wish I could do both archaeology and ancient history in as much detail as they are on there own.

[ali]

Don't know whether other people would agree with me, but I would say to you don't worry about coming out of a combined course with not enough experience - plenty of people will come out of a single honours archaeology course without much experience beyond the uni compulsory dig. Whether you do a combined course or a single honours, it will be up to you to get as much experience as possible, in your vacations, or with your uni department. And the YAT training dig is a good place to start! So in the end, my advice would be to do the course you really want to do, and then try to get as much experience as possible outside uni.

As for getting into uni, in your ucas personal statement, play up the fact by then you'll have been on the training dig. talk about the particular skills you will have gained from the training dig, and most of all, try and make them believe you really want to do archaeology!

Hope this helps, good luck with working out what you want to do.

Ali x

[Laura]

Well I will try my best to get as much experience as I can. I will go on another dig (probably 2 weeks) next year and try and go on lots of weekend digs etc. I am really excited about the york dig this summer. Thank you for the advice. It would be ashame if I didn't do ancient history as well as I am really passionate about that too. What do you think I would miss from not doing just archaeology? To be honest I am a bit concerned about the places available for archaeology anyway. There is only going to be 10 places available for the year I am going. Mind you the quality of teaching would be a lot better. Oww I'm confusing myself again.

[Toby]

I agree 100% with what Ali said.

It is now coming to the stage where a degree is seen as something to do to prove you are not daft (no insult to anybody without one...) without a series of interviews etc.

A lot of places are advertising 'vocational' MA/MSc courses and see that as a good source of revenue, so they may not be that interested in the vocational content of undergrad courses. There has been a lot of debate in this area recently.

Do what you find the most interesting. Go out loads. Meet new people. Have fun.... Then when it is all over you may have a better idea - and some great memories/friendships etc.

If you need a reference or portfolio from the summer just let me know.

[Laura]

Thanks for the help. You have both made me feel a lot better now.

'If you need a reference or portfolio from the summer just let me know.'

Oooooo! That would be great! I know I will work my socks off when I am there. I think I am going to write my own daily report too.
August seems so far away!
National archaeology week starts the day after my birthday in July. I wonder if I can find something little then too.
I think my biggest fear is not getting in to uni. It means everything to me to get in. I am doing everything I can though so hopefully I will be ok. I have joined my local archaeological society, I am doing a home learning Egyptology course, I am subscribed to current archaeology and world archaeology, I am reading through Archaeology: Theory, Methods, and Practice (and for some reason I even tested myself on it's website with the quizzes, I don't know why it's really unnecessary), I'm trying my best to get good A-levels, I read all sort of archaeology reports, I'm about to join the CBA, I have been having a biweekly magazine on the ancient Egyptians for over a year, I'm doing extra little AS levels at school (critical thinking and thinking skills), I am teaching myself Latin and Egyptian hieroglyphs (maybe not very well but I am trying), I am starting an AS in archaeology soon and I will have gone on at least couple of digs by the time I go.

[ali]

From the sounds of it, you won't have a problem showing them how enthusiastic you are!

Just another quick note - even if you get to uni and decide the course you've chosen isn't exactly what you wanted to do, its never the end of the world. Most uni's have some sort of system in place so that you can change courses if you want to, e.g. from archaeology and ancient history to just archaeology.

[msimpson1964]

Quick question for the Moderators of the board. Would it be possible for me to mention details a local college that is running an A2 course next year (its been running AS this year) and could do with a few new members if possible? Thanks

Cheers
Mark

[YAT]

Mark,

As long as it is not saying that other courses are bad and is not a huge advert that runs on forever I could not see it being a problem.

Have you looked at the THERA thing on BAJR -
www.bajr.org/Education/THERA.asp

[fee]

"I think I am going to write my own daily report too."

Laura, I've not looked at the web pages for Birmingham uni (sorry) but at my university we had to do a couple of weeks of fieldwork in our first year summer vacation and write a wee repost about what we did. Keeping a diary of what you've done on site is a really good idea; it reminds you of what you've done, and maybe why you've done it, and you have someinfo to look back over later in the year.

You sound really enthusiastic and I hope that you get onto the course(s) that you want to do. And like Ali said; if you don't like something you should be able to change a course relatively easily.

Take care and I'll see you in the summer.
Fee

[msimpson1964]

Thanks

Well the course is at Selby College and seems to be a very well kept secret! September 06 to May 07 will be running an A2 course. Teacher is Charlie, an archaeologist (name removed by admin) in her own right. 30 weeks, not sure how much yet (AS cost £160 this year). And we've had two trips out to York with the college, one to learn about Resistivity/Magnetometry and another just this Sunday on a combined ticket to Yorvik and sister site Dig!

To keep this from possibly becoming a long thread, anybody who wants to know more can e-mail me here [e-mail]

I would just like to add that I make NO money from this course, in fact it will take £160+ out of my account if it runs!

A few extra members for A2 will ensure it runs

Cheers
Mark

[Laura]

Thank you for the advice Fee, I will definitely do a report now. I look forward to meeting you

[Toby]

Mark,

You did not tell me it was the one Charli does!

If you get soem leaflets sorted out I will be able to pass them on the the trainees for this year (even if it is just a rip strip flyer thing).

I can vouch for this being a very good course.

[msimpson1964]

Toby,

Thanks a lot, we'll get something put together before the end of the AS course. And yes, its a very good course

Cheers
Mark

[Laura]

I would love to do the course but I live far away . There's nothing decent around here, that is why I have got to do it online if I do it.

[Paul]

Hi Laura, If you come across any good online courses, let me know. I'm in the same boat as you, but slightly further away.....

Hooroo
Paul.