Heritage, Archaeology And History

Highlights

Steeped in history, North Wales boasts multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites: the castles and town walls of Edward I in Gwynedd, Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Fieldtrips and archival visits bring our Heritage, History and Archaeology degree to life. Visit Roman forts, cathedrals and gentry estates, a Tudor townhouse, or the country seats of the Victorian aristocracy.

Use digital survey equipment and drones, and experience a range of landscapes at the University’s 252-hectare Henfaes Research Centre. Learn survey skills and take part in archaeological digs in North Wales. Compulsory placement benefits from our close links with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Wales, National Trust, Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, and Menai Heritage.

Recently we achieved 100% Overall Satisfaction in Archaeology in the National Student Survey, 2025.

Course overview

At Bangor University, the sheer variety, preservation and chronological range of heritage, history and archaeology on your doorstep is second to none. On this Heritage, Archeology and History degree you’ll encounter evidence from the past first-hand, studying in a Grade I listed building, and on field trips and archival visits. Specialisms in Archaeology and Heritage cover: prehistoric landscape archaeology; the Bronze and Iron Ages; Celtic societies; early medieval sculpture, church archaeology; Viking-Age Iceland, Britain and Ireland; Medieval Wales and Ireland; Roman Britain; heritage, identity and interpretation; maritime and coastal.

Recently students undertook conservation and interpretation tasks within the UNESCO world heritage sites, including the Dorothea Quarry, which opened in 1820 and remained in production until 1970. One of the oldest cities in Wales, Bangor’s Cathedral is located on a site used for Christian worship since the sixth century. A short journey away, you’ll find the Segontium Roman Fort, medieval Caernarfon Castle and Menai Bridge, the Neolithic passage graves of Bryn Celli Ddu and Barclodiad y Gawres, Caer Gybi Roman fortlet, the Houses and Gardens at Plas Newydd and Penrhyn, and Beaumaris Castle.

You’ll be given opportunities to study abroad or undertake a work placement year. Some students work with our Institute for the Study of Welsh Estates, exploring country houses in the early-modern period in particular. They have also assisted the University’s Archive services in its historical documentation of the Welsh in Patagonia, South America.

Others have spent time on various Cadw sites across north Wales or with the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust on medieval sites in the region. The Archives and Special Collections of Bangor University is an accredited repository with a distinguished collection of archival material, dating back to the Middle Ages. Collections vary from the Mostyn and Penrhyn estates and Jamaican slave plantations to papers of modern politicians, literary figures and scholars, such as Kate Roberts, the pioneering socialist David Roberts and historian JE Lloyd.

You’ll join a close-knit, friendly and supportive community with an excellent reputation for teaching and research. In medieval and early modern history, strengths encompass the Normans and Anglo-Normans, Welsh princes, Tudors, and Stuarts. Our expertise in modern and contemporary history includes nationalism, the labour movement, consumerism, protest, government policy, country houses and estates, gender and colonialism.

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Placement year

What is the Placement Year? This exciting opportunity allows you to spend a year working with a self-sourced, professional organisation relevant to your studies. You'll typically start between June and September of your second year and finish by the following June or September.

Placements can be UK-based or even overseas. Why choose a Placement Year? Gain practical experience that complements your academic learning Make valuable industry…