B.A. in Archaeological Studies

Contact Person:
Alan L. Hersker, Chair
129B MacVicar, (315) 267-2720, herskeal@potsdam.edu

32-36 credit hours required.

Archaeology in recent years has become much more interdisciplinary than it has ever been in the past. Therefore, it is critical that students pursuing careers in archaeological studies receive interdisciplinary training. The program we offer provides many of the same components as the larger specialized university programs. The major requires introductory work in American archaeology (from the Department of Anthropology), survey of art and architecture from the ancient to modern periods (from the Department of Art) and physical and historical geology (from the Department of Geology). Upper-division requirements include courses dealing with Old World archaeology, New World archaeology and applied technical areas. Historical sciences, such as archaeology, deal with incomplete knowledge from the past. Successful archaeologists, therefore, must develop acute problem solving and critical thinking skills. The interdisciplinary nature of the proposed major assures that our students will be familiar enough with the appropriate related disciplines to accomplish this. The major will also provide the appropriate knowledge and skills for more specialized careers in conservation, museology and service in government agencies such as the National Park Service.


All courses are 3 credits unless noted. Credits are divided as follows:

    Credits
Required Courses
23-26
ANTH 204 Archaeology (4 credits)
ARTH 101 Survey of Art: Ancient to Renaissance
One of the following:
  
   ARTH 102    Survey of Art: Renaissance to Modern
   ARTM/ANTH 270
    Museum Studies
GEOL 103 Physical Geology
GEOL 204 Historical Geology
ANTH 417 Archaeological Procedures (4 credits)
ANTH 315 Field Archaeology (3-6 credits)
or other field experience approved by archaeological studies faculty

  
Elective Courses 9-10
One from each group. Additional courses may be used with approval from the Archaeological Studies Coordinator or Department Chair.

Group A: The Old World
ANTH 356 Neanderthals: Fact, Fiction & Fantasy
ANTH 367
 The Prehistory of Europe
  
ARTH 310
 Greek Art and Architecture
  
ARTH 311 Roman Art and Architecture
ARTH 351 Late Antique Art
ARTH 385 Art and Archaeology of the Classical World;
same as ANTH 352
ARTH 451 Ancient Painting
HIST 301 Ancient and Medieval Europe
HIST 321
 Ancient Greece and Rome
  
HIST 322 Ancient Middle East
HIST 326
 Egypt in Late Antiquity
  
HIST 463 Ancient Magic
       
Group B: The New World
ANTH 350 Archaeology of Mexico & Central America
ANTH 359 African American Archaeology
ANTH 362 Historical Archaeology
ANTH 363 Archaeology of Eastern U.S.
HIST 311 Indians and Iberians

Group C: Applied Sciences
ANTH 316 Archaeological Lab Techniques
ANTH 319 Public and Private Archaeology
ANTH 347 Humans, Disease & Death
ANTH 354 Environmental Archaeology
ANTH 365 Archaeology of Death
ANTH 380 Human Osteology
ANTH 402 Forensic Anthropology
ANTH 410 Advanced Archaeological Research (4 credits)
ANTH 450 Zooarchaeology
ANTH 455 Cannibalism (4 credits)
ANTH 457 Dental Anthropology
ANTH 461
 Material Culture
  
GEOL 301
 Sedimentary Geology (4 credits)
  
GEOL 405
 Structural Geology (4 credits)
  
GEOL 406
 Hydrology-Geomorphology (4 credits)
  
GEOL 407
 Geophysics (4 credits)
  

Recommended Coursework Outside the Major
The Archaeology faculty encourages majors to work closely with their advisers in planning coursework to satisfy postgraduate objectives.

Special Notes

  1. Students must earn at least a 2.0/S grade for all courses to be counted for the major.
  2. Students may only