Taking part in amazing digs & studying abroad | Archaeology Student Experience

During her three years on the BSc (Hons) Archaeology degree at Bradford so far, Mia has taken part in digs in Iceland, the Orkney Islands, and Milton Keynes to name a few. She has also studied abroad for five months in the Netherlands.

This is Mia's story. 🙌

Excited by the potential
I fell in love with the University of Bradford.

The modules were really varied and interesting and I could see how much I could progress during the course. It fitted perfectly with my career aims, but I knew the experiences it would give me would also help me achieve my wider goals in life.

As soon as I started studying at Bradford, it gave me the enthusiasm to become an osteoarchaeologist. I'm developing a strong set of skills to help me get there, which aren't just technical.

The world is at your feet. Who gets to see it?
I've taken part in some amazing digs!

I spent three weeks on a post-excavation in Bradford, just behind campus. We found an old cobbled road, the foundations of old buildings, and in one of my trenches, I found an old toilet.

On another dig in Hampole in Doncaster, with a charity called Soldier On, we found an old nun monastery which was quite remarkable.

Then I landed a place on a rescue dig for HS2 in Milton Keynes, funded by the government. I found a lot of Roman objects; lots of pottery, coins, animal bones, and nails which we had to report.

The study options at Bradford opened up opportunities
I got the chance to study abroad!

I excavated in the northwest of Iceland in August 2022, which was a completely unforgettable experience. It was very different from a British excavation as the land is so undisturbed there, so you don't have to go too far down to find archaeology. I dug up a Viking longhouse.

I also lived in the Netherlands as part of my placement year! I had so many positive experiences there while studying Archaeological Theory, Landscape, and Museums and Collections.

Archaeology's role in challenging stigma
I spent six months working on a fascinating research project with one of my lecturers, called 'Dying to Talk.' It was all about using archaeology to open up conversations around death and dying, and showing how archaeology provides us with a way of continuing our bond with our ancestors.

This project changed my direction. When I came to Bradford, I wanted to work in osteology, but after doing archaeological theory and delving more into the past, I just fell in love.

Are there any careers in Archaeology?
Archaeological jobs are so much more open these days.

You can work in heritage, in government, museums, archives, tourism, archaeology, academia, or even wellbeing jobs. When I graduate, I plan on furthering my study at Bradford with a Master's, then a PhD.

It's not for the faint of heart, but I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else.

In my opinion, out of all the universities that offer Archaeology as a degree, Bradford is the best in the UK at what it offers.

Interested in studying Archaeology? Check out our courses. :smile: