B.A. in Archaeological Studies

32-36 credit hours required.

Program is currently being revised. Please see Department contact person for more information.

SUNY Potsdam has been training students in archaeology since at least 1970. 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 this interdisciplinary experience. 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 Early Renaissance
ARTH 102	Survey of Art: Renaissance to Modern
	or
ARTM/ANTH 270	Museum Studies
GEOL 103	Physical Geology
GEOL 104	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.
Group A: The Old World
ANTH 356	Neanderthals: Fact, Fiction or Fantasy
ANTH 395	The Prehistory of Europe
ARTH 310	Greek Art and Archaeology
ARTH 311	Roman Art and Archaeology
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 322	Ancient Middle East
HIST 395	Ancient Greece and Rome
Group B: The New World
ANTH 350	Archaeology of Mexico and Central America
ANTH 359	African American Archaeology
ANTH 362	Historical Archaeology
ANTH 363	Archaeology of Eastern USA
HIST 311	Indians and Iberians
*Group C: Applied Sciences*
GEOL 301	Sedimentology-Paleontology 1 (4 credits)
GEOL 395	Geoarchaeological Problems
GEOL 405	Structural Geology (4 credits)
GEOL 406	Geomorphology (4 credits)
GEOL 407	Geophysics (4 credits)
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

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

Students must earn at least a 2.0/S grade for all courses to be counted for the major.
Students may only “double-count” two courses for an additional major or minor.