Careers in Archaeology
Archaeology students enter a wide range of careers, from finance, marketing, administration, the media, management and teaching. Employers appreciate the wide range of transferable skills which our archaeology degrees help you develop.
According to one of our Ancient History & Archaeology graduates working in a business environment, the skills that employers look for include: Communication; Time management/organisation; Project management; Report writing/research; Flexibility; Ability to learn quickly and retain information; Sound decision making based on a clear understanding of information.
"Having a grounding in these skills always adds a good few strings to your bow when applying for jobs in business. All of these can be obtained, and proven experience achieved, during a degree."
The skills listed below are sought after by employers, as recognised in Prospects - The Official Graduate Careers Website
| Skills acquired studying archaeology | Newcastle students and staff in action | Examples of these skills used in a career |
|---|---|---|
| work as a team member or leader as a result of working in a group, for example, through field work or project work |  |
share responsibilities in an office; manage a group of workers; lead a project |
| use of a range of IT packages |  |
work in publishing or journalism; run a database of planning applications; manage IT specialists |
| prepare and present oral presentations for different kinds of audiences |  |
present a sales pitch; explain a local government policy; persuade investors to back a project |
| use information retrieval skills using paper-based and electronic resources to produce written reports |  |
carry out background research for a TV documentary; manage company archives; write instruction manuals |
| work methodically and accurately and demonstrate attention to detail (e.g. when analysing archaeological finds) |  |
check company accounts; manage a retailer's supply system; undertake legal work |
Careers in Archaeology
Following your undergraduate degree you could continue as a professional archaeologist with organisations such as English Heritage, or within public and private museums and local authority planning offices. Many graduates do voluntary work in museums or on excavations in the UK or abroad during their degree to increase their practical experience before taking up permanent employment: see our Get Involved In pages.
Our postgraduate courses cater for those wishing to specialise in various types of archaeological work, including those who wish to pursue a career as an Archaeology lecturer!