Queen's University Belfast

Source: https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/archaeology-irish-ba-vq45/ Parent: https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/

Share
Facebook;void(0);)
Linkedin;void(0);)
Email

Undergraduate 2027

Undergraduate 2025

BA | Undergraduate

Archaeology and Irish

Apply via UCAS Register Interest

Entry year : Academic Year 2027/28

Entry requirements : ABB

Attendance : 6 years (Part-time) \ 3 years (Full-time) \

UCAS Code : VQ45

Overview
Course content
Modules
Entry requirements
Careers
Fees and funding
Apply

This course offers a Joint Honours degree programme examining both the wider human past and contemporary Irish language as well as Gaelic heritage and identity from a broad humanities-based perspective, including the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in working with archaeological material and undertaking fieldwork.\ \ Archaeology explores a wide range of evidence that documents the human past from artefacts, monuments and settlements to entire landscapes and from these interprets how societies have adapted and developed. Modules focus on different periods of World, European and Irish/British archaeology, from human origins to modern times and practical archaeology and heritage practice. Queen's University Belfast is one of the best places to study Archaeology in the UK, second place for quality of teaching in the National Student Survey 2025 and second place for student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide 2025.\ \ The emphasis in Irish is on the modern language and culture. Students on this course will receive intensive tuition in the Irish language. A range of modules will provide them with a broad understanding of diverse aspects of Irish culture and society and include filmmaking, the short story, the novel, and modern poetry. The growth of Gaelic identity is also explored and insight into the country’s wider heritage is developed through the study of mythology, folklore and Scottish Gaelic.\ \ The combined disciplines progressively develop general and specific knowledge and skills, through excavation, fieldwork, overseas fieldtrips, laboratory and practical work. A wide range of career options are available to our graduates including careers in commercial archaeology, survey, heritage management and many more, both within and beyond the heritage sector.\ \ As well as the Joint Honours BA in Archaeology and Irish, Queen's offers Single Honours degrees in Archaeology (BA) and Archaeology-Palaeoecology (BSc) along with other degree programmes which combine Archaeology (the study of past human activities) with other subjects (Languages, History, Anthropology and Geography). All of those Single Honours and Joint Honours degrees offer a module pathway that is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) and University Archaeology UK (UAUK).

The School has an outstanding reputation for teaching and research. Archaeology at Queen’s consistently ranks among the top UK Archaeology departments.

Course highlights

Global Opportunities

Students on this programme benefit from a broad range of study-abroad and international placement opportunities, e.g. in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain and Turkey.

Students are also eligible to apply to the University’s Study USA programme.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/GlobalOpportunities

World Class Facilities

The School boasts the internationally renowned 14CHRONO Centre for Radiocarbon Dating, the Centre for Community Archaeology, departmental collections and laboratories for study of artefacts, human, animal and plant remains and other scientific materials and instruments, access to GIS, laser scanning and specialist teaching laboratories. In 2021–24, these laboratories received a major state-of-the-art upgrade, with £7m of investment through the UKRI World Class Labs, Capability for Collections, and Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science Funds, and the Department for Economy, Northern Ireland.

The University's McClay Library holds one of the most comprehensive collections of resources on Irish, British, European and World Archaeology in Ireland and the UK, and provides state-of-the-art study facilities. The McClay Library also holds a world-class collection of resources for the study of Irish language and culture.

https://www.qub.ac.uk/about/Campus-and-facilities/The-McClay-Library/

Internationally Renowned Experts

On this programme you will be taught by academics who are internationally renowned experts at the top of their respective fields.

Student Experience

Archaeology at Queen’s stands out for its sustained excellent teaching record, having scored 95% overall student satisfaction in the UK National Student Surveys 2019 and 2021, and 100% overall student satisfaction in the UK National Student Surveys 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023.

3rd place for Student Experience (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022). More recently, we scored second place for quality of teaching in the National Student Survey 2025.

2nd place for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025).

NEXT \ Course content

[##### Take a Virtual Tour of Campus

Explore our immersive 360 degree tours of campus buildings, facilities, accommodation and Belfast city.](https://virtualexperience.qub.ac.uk/)

[##### Undergraduate Events

Join us for an insight into life at Queen's and advice on your journey to university.](https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/events/)

[##### Your Future Career

Queen’s is ranked 9th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026).](https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/careers-and-employability/)

[##### Student Accommodation

The most affordable, purpose-built student accommodation in Belfast.](https://www.qub.ac.uk/accommodation/)

Course location

Natural and Built Environment

Can't find something?

We're here to help with any questions or queries you may have about this course

Ask a question