BA Archaeology at University of Chicago

Programme overview

The major in Archaeology offers an interdepartmental training in the practice and theory of the field, which seeks to understand past human cultures through objects, spaces, and landscapes. The major provides exposure to prehistoric and historic societies across the globe as well as engages students in a variety of disciplinary approaches to archaeology, including anthropological, art historical, scientific, and area-studies fields. Students who graduate with the major in archaeology will not only have gained some technical “know-how” and field experience in how archaeology is conducted throug

Faculty: The College | Department: Archaeology | Study mode: full-time | Intake: Autumn | Location: Chicago, IL, United States

What you will study

Students who complete a major in Archaeology will receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts. To qualify for the BA, students must minimally satisfy the general education requirements and take an additional 12 required courses for the major, which fall into three categories:

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to the College, not to the major (university-level requirement): first-year applicants apply through the Common Application or Apply Coalition with the UChicago supplement essays and submit the secondary school report and transcript, two teacher evaluations and a mid-year report; testing follows the University's No Harm Testing Policy. Majors are declared after enrolment and must satisfy the College general education Core plus the major requirements listed in the catalogue.

USD 75,960 a year (2026-27). College tuition for the 2026-27 academic year (cost of attendance table); excludes student services fee, U-Pass fee, class fee, housing, food and books. Source

First-year admission is offered for entrance in the Autumn Quarter only (except prospective students-at-large).

First-year application plans (as published for the 2025-26 cycle): Early Decision I and Early Action deadline 3 November 2025; Early Decision II and Regular Decision deadline 5 January 2026. Applications are accepted through the Common Application and Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir. An application fee or automatic fee waiver is required, SAT/ACT scores are covered by the No Harm Testing Policy.

Apply through the official page: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/application/

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