Fieldwork

Fieldwork is an important component of the UCL Institute of Archaeology degree programmes and contributes to the experience of our students.

Six people (students) in branded blue t-shirts on an ancient farm with replica roundhouses in the background and camping tents in the foreground

Fieldwork

Our Undergraduate Programmes are extremely unusual for including 70 days of partially funded fieldwork (depending on the project chosen this can be fully funded or partially funded for both subsistence and travel costs). Our students undertake fieldwork both in the UK and overseas - from Spain, France and Montenegro to Belize, China and Uganda to name some locations.

In the first week of the first year, the 4-day Experimental Archaeology course 'ArchaeoTech' gives our new students early exposure to a variety of aspects of early technologies and archaeological processes. It also provides excellent opportunities for them to get to know each other, as well as the officers of the student society and members of staff.

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Together with the Training Excavation, in the summer of the first year, our students develop skills and experience needed to get the most out of the rest of their 70 days of fieldwork, carried out throughout the Programme. They will acquire an excellent grounding in field excavation and recording techniques as well as experience of life on an archaeological excavation.

Student views

Celine Chong, BSc Archaeology

Female student dressed in black, facing the camera side on, sitting on the grass in a field/park location on a sunny day with a rainbow bag behind her

“The Greenwich Park excavation was memorable, especially during the moments when we found the staircase, and when I found some shackles!"

Gina Hollaway, BA Archaeology

Female student with long brown/red hair in plaits wearing a grey top and yellow high-vis jacket, standing inside a church-like building holding an archaeological find (animal jaw bone)

“Fieldwork is a wonderful part of the UCL degree with a little something for everyone. If digging is not your thing, you may find joy in post excavation like I did. Or perhaps spreading knowledge and enthusiasm to the public is something you'd love to do. There's something for everyone."

Sakshi Surana, BA Archaeology with a Placement Year Graduate of 2023

Student in dark blue top and orange high-vis trousers, kneeling on the ground beside the edge of a trench, holding a board on her knee, with a red-bricked wall in the background

“Fieldwork is a wonderful part of the IoA degrees. It’s great to be able to put things you’ve been learning into practice- whether that is digging or post-excavation work or digital fieldwork! I’ve been able to do a lot of fieldwork in my time at the Institute and have really enjoyed it!"

Rachel Weller, BA Archaeology and Anthropology

Female student in a green top and yellow high-vis jacket, smiling, standing in a rural location/site and holding up a trowel

“Fieldwork is really cool, enjoyable and I feel in touch with nature. I found a Roman cobble path and it’s cool to find material people haven’t touched in hundreds of years and to be the first person to see it. Fieldwork is a sociable, fun environment and you get to know other students and staff. I like it! And now I want to do loads of fieldwork."

Thames Foreshore Fieldwork 2023-24: central London

UCL Institute of Archaeology students led by Stuart Brookes have commenced a programme of fieldwork along the Thames foreshore in central London. Read more about this student experience.

A sunny day in London with people in the distance standing on the Thames foreshore with wooden structures in the foreground

Training Excavation 2023: Greenwich, London

The UCL Institute of Archaeology, in partnership with the Royal Parks at Greenwich, and Archaeology South-East colleagues, excavated a WWII air raid shelter during May and June. 1st year undergraduate students, with staff and Institute alumni, excavated the site, revealing and recording the original features of the structure.