Faculty of PhilosophyPre- and Protohistory – Bachelor 50%
Pre- and protohistory is an archaeological discipline. The subject (re)constructs history by using material culture as a unique historical source of information about past societies, from the first appearance of man to the most recent past.
Facts & Formalities
| Degree | Bachelor of Arts |
| Type of programme | Undergraduate |
| Start of programme | Winter and summer semester |
| Standard period of study | 6 semesters |
| Language(s) of instruction | German (in exceptional cases also English) |
| Fees and contributions | 151.05 € / Semester |
| Application procedure | Subjects with no admission restrictions |
| Application deadlines | Information about deadlines can be obtained after you have put together a degree program. |
Course Content
Prehistory covers the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, the Copper Age (Chalcolithic or Aeneolithic period), as well as the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Sources are of an archaeological nature (archaeological monuments, artefacts), meaning that prehistory is quite different to other purely historical subjects. Due to its significant overlap with the natural sciences, research of the Palaeolithic period has developed into a separate, specialized discipline. Protohistory considers the development of early literate societies, for instance of Mycenaean Greece or of Late Antique and Early Medieval Europe. Research of these periods draws on archaeological, as well as historical sources. Pre- and Protohistory – although not generally defined by regional or geographical demarcations – generally focusses on Europe, taking the neighbouring continents of Asia and North Africa into consideration where relevant.
Course Structure
In the first two semesters, students receive a comprehensive introduction to the subject (proseminar and tutorial I + II). From the second/third semester, students complete intermediate seminars focussing on individual topics. In the final two semesters, they must attend advanced seminars which offer further detailed knowledge in specific topics, and encourage students to work independently. Alongside seminars, and throughout the entire degree programme, students attend lectures and practical courses (practice classes, surveying courses, excavation practicals), as well as excursions. Together, these constitute a significant part of the education.
The lectures and courses completed for the module “Cross-disciplinary skills” may be taken between semesters two and four and are intended to help students develop key qualifications and interdisciplinary skills.
Where the programme is studied with a 50% weighting, the Bachelor’s thesis is written in the student’s first major subject.