COURSE GOALS
(as presented to students in the syllabus)
If you have ever considered a career in archaeology, you might find yourself pondering the following questions:
- What is the value of archaeology? How is it relevant to
modern life?
- Who benefits from archaeology, and how are those benefits achieved?
- How do archaeologists know what they're talking about?
Are they just making up stories?
- Why are there conflicts over archaeological remains? What lies behind stories in the news (e.g., Kennewick Man) about repatriation?
- Persuasively argue the relevance of archaeological
research to key topics concerning human welfare
(environmental degradation and sustainability, food
production, social and economic inequality, gender relations,
warfare).
- Evaluate an archaeological study in terms of its research
design, theoretical approach, and logic
- Propose a project for future research at a site or region
based on an archaeological report of your choosing.
- Evaluate the ethical (and to some extent legal) issues surrounding the
documentation, preservation, interpretation, and "ownership"
of archaeological remains.
- Communicate all of the above to public and professional
audiences in oral and written form.
- Identify different career paths in archaeology and the
preparation they require.