Kieran
BA (Hons) Heritage and Archaeology
In September 2022, Kieran entered the second year of his BA (Hons) Heritage and Archaeology degree. He is ambitious and has a masterplan to become an esteemed curator of a museum one day. He has joined this course to give him the skills and qualifications needed to kick-start a rewarding career in this fascinating field.
This is his story...
Hooked on museums
"I have always wanted to work in museums."
"I remember visiting the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds when I was six years old to see a special exhibit all about Vikings. I was absolutely captivated, and my fascination with museums only continued from there. I went on a school trip to the JORVIK Viking Centre in York, where we all had to dress up as Vikings, and I think I made my decision to work in museums there and then. I was hooked.
"My ultimate goal is to be a curator - it's been a dream of mine from a young age. I had to work backwards and look at the best ways to achieve it. I knew one thing; I had to have an A level in History to work in archaeology. I also decided to choose English and Philosophy and Religion. I did well in my A levels and became the first in my family to go to university when I got accepted by Bradford."
Meant to be
"I got on the course through Clearing, but it was always meant to be."
"Due to a UCAS submission error, I was actually admitted to this course through Clearing. It ended up being the best thing that could have happened to me.
"There aren't many other universities offering this degree as it's quite niche, so I was delighted to be accepted by Bradford. The course seemed like the best one in terms of the lab work we'd get to do, and the group work I'd be involved in. I liked the wide mix of learning and the contents of the modules, and that's played out exactly as I imagined in my first year."
Amazing all round
"I've had an amazing experience so far on this course."
"The best thing I've done to date during my studies is a trip to the Orkney Islands to take part in an official dig. The University of Bradford teamed up with Historic Scotland to make the trip happen, and we had to look for important artefacts on site that could end up in a museum one day.
"I particularly enjoy the lab work we get to do on the course, and the fact we get to do more practical work than assignments. It's the first time I've been in proper labs, and these are really modern with a lot of equipment and models. The University is serious about making sure everything is safe; we have to wear lab coats, face masks, and gloves. I've loved learning about how to identify bones and handle them without breaking them or catching illnesses, I find it genuinely fascinating."
I've felt very supported by the University. As it's a relatively small class, there's a lot of 1-1 tuition, and the professors make themselves available to talk about any issues and concerns we have.
A history of family heritage
"You need to have an idea of an area you want to specialise in."
"Our tutors told us this at the start of the course, and I was lucky as I already had one: Viking settlement in England and Scotland. It was my family heritage that sparked this interest - I've always been interested in stories of people who lived thousands of years ago and found out recently that my family started out as a Viking clan. That explained my fascination!"
Go for it
"If you really feel like this is the type of thing you want to do, go for it."
"I've built knowledge and interest in a subject I'm passionate about and it's confirmed that I absolutely want to work in heritage and archaeology. Put the effort in, become a specialist and just have a grand time.
"I've been pleasantly surprised by the different career routes you can explore with this degree. There's obviously museum work, but you can also work in commercial archaeology - for example, for a company which is called out to sites to preserve items and dig up artefacts. There are also government advisory roles, and you can even become an advisor for film and TV companies when shows and movies involve heritage and archaeology issues.
"When I finish university, I want to get a job in a top museum where I can host visitors and explain what the artefacts and relics they're looking at are all about. I've chosen to do a placement year in my third year, so I'll get a head start then."
Interested in a career in heritage and archaeology?
Find out more about our course, entry requirements, and how to apply.