"I was always fascinated by history as a child." - Alisha, Archaeology

Alisha is a BSc (Hons) Archaeology student. She started here at Bradford in 2022.

She shares her experience with us below.

A passion since childhood
I loved going to museums, reading books and watching documentaries about history. As I grew up, I became more fascinated about why, as humans, we are often driven by a desire to understand the world that’s gone before us, and what civilisation looked like before we knew it.

Through archaeology, I want to learn about other people and how they lived before me, by discovering artefacts and monuments.

Launching a career
The Archaeology course at Bradford ticked every box for me.

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 am developing a strong set of skills to help me get there, which aren’t just technical. I’m also learning strong communication skills, problem-solving skills, analysing skills and learning how to critically evaluate information in detail.

Building foundations
I’ve spent a lot of my first year in the fully equipped labs on campus, identifying different bones, and being able to distinguish between different primate and human skulls. I’ve learnt how to handle bones and different artefacts correctly. I’d like to work in osteoarchaeology, specialising in bones and human remains.

I’ve opted for a placement year to develop my skills further, so I will perhaps look for jobs in this area. There are a lot of career options available to you with an archaeology degree - everything from working as a heritage manager to being a lecturer, academic researcher, archaeologist, archivist, museum education officer or curator.

Hands-on experience
I’m really looking forward to my first excavation in summer.

My whole class will travel to Somerset for a dig, which will be a brilliant experience. We get lots of these opportunities on the course, it’s one of the best things about it.

I'm also intrigued about the scientific aspect of the degree, studying the development and application of scientific methodologies to the investigation of archaeological materials.

My advice
If you’re applying for university, don’t rush.

It can be a stressful time for some, so build in extra time to complete the process to take the pressure off and call on all the support sources available to you. There are people who can help you every step of the way.

I’d like to continue my studies at Bradford and then do a Master’s here so I can really specialise in Human Osteology & Palaeopathology! :smile: