The Bachelor of Archaeology requires three years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time) and the honours program an additional year (or the equivalent part-time). The course is offered by the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.
Enrolment in the honours program may be offered to a student who meets certain academic criteria and subject to the College being able to provide appropriate resources and staff to supervise the program of study.
Some option topics are provided by the University of Adelaide and require students to attend lectures at that institution.
Admission requirements
The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.
Course aims
The Bachelor of Archaeology aims to provide students with:
- a substantial grounding in all aspects of archaeology as part of a preparation for a professional career in archaeology or related areas
- a particular focus on global archaeology and how the study of archaeology interrelates with human behaviour and society- past and present
- a balance in the methodological, theoretical and practical aspects of archaeology
- the ability to apply the knowlege they have aquired
- the ability to communicate effectively in a range of ways
- the ability to work both independently and collaboratively
- the skills to connect across geographical, disciplinary, social and cultural boundaries
- an understanding of the value of ethical behaviour.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this course students will:
- be able to demonstrate a substantial understanding of archaeology as it is practised globally
- be able to communicate archaeological knowledge and practice, both in writing and verbally, to a range of audiences
- possess a detailed knowledge of the theoretical and methodological aspects of archaeology in relation to the historical establishment of the discipline worldwide
- possess the ability to apply problem solving skills in a range of archaeological contexts
- possess the ability to assess how material culture can provide an additional source of data to improve knowledge about human behavioural variability in past and contemporary societies
- acquire skills in the application of knowledge, and in collaborating across boundaries
- develop independent and lifelong learning skills
- appreciate and apply ethical values.
Program of study
To qualify for The Bachelor of Archaeology, a student must complete 108 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study:
- 49.5 units of Core topics;
- 18 units of designated Archaeology option topics; and
- 40.5 units of designated non-Archaeology option topics, comprising 13.5 units at First Level and 27 units at Upper Level.
Students will be provided with a list of option topics related to the following specialist areas:
- Ancient Civilizations
- Historical Archaeology
- Human Evolution
- Indigenous Archaeology
- Maritime Archaeology
There is no restriction of choice of option topics from any one of these specialist areas.
Core - Year 1 topics
ARCH1001 Discovering Archaeology (4.5 units)
ARCH1002 From the Palaeolithic to Pompeii: An Exploration of World Archaeology (4.5 units)
ARCH1005 Cultural Anthropology: Human Diversity through Film (4.5 units)
ARCH1006 Sex, Death and Ritual in the Ancient World (4.5 units)
COMS1001 Academic and Professional Communication (4.5 units)
Option - Year 1 Non-Archaeology topics
plus 13.5 units of First Level designated option topics listed below:
Any first year AUST topics
Any first year BIOL topics
Any first year CHEM topics
Any first year EASC topics
Any first year ENVS topics
Any first year GEOG topics
Any first year HIST topics
INNO1001 Innovative and Creative Thinking: Recognizing Opportunities (4.5 units)
NMCY1001 Academic and Professional Numeracy (4.5 units)
Up to 9 units of option topics may be taken from the following:
ANTH1104 Culture and Society: Foundations of Anthropology (4.5 units)*
ANTH1105 Anthropology of Everyday Life (4.5 units)*
CLAS1003 Introduction to Ancient Greek and Roman History (4.5 units)*
CLAS1106 Introduction to Ancient Greek and Roman Literature *
Core - Year 2 topics
ARCH2106 Archaeological Field Methods (4.5 units)
ARCH2202 Archaeology of the First Australians (4.5 units)
ARCH2212 The Archaeology of Modern Society (4.5 units)
ARCH2213 Human Evolution and the Fossil Record (4.5 units)
Option - Year 2 Archaeology topics
plus 4.5 units of topics from the following:
ARCH2203 Australian Historical Artefacts (4.5 units)
ARCH2204 Australian Maritime Archaeology (4.5 units)
ARCH2207 The Archaeological Imagination: Fact, fantasy and fiction in archaeological interpretation (4.5 units)
ARCH2209 The Archaeology of Art (4.5 units)
ARCH2214 Europe before Europe, from Mesolithic to Medieval (4.5 units)
ARCH2216 Seafaring in the Ancient World (4.5 units)
Option - Year 2 Non-Archaeology topics
plus 13.5 units of topics selected from the following:
Any second year AUST topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year BIOL topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year CHEM topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year CLAS* topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year EASC topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year ENVS topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year GEOG topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any second year HIST topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
ANTH2040 Ethnography: Engaged Social Research (4.5 units)*
ANTH2052 Australia: Communities, Connection, Contestation (4.5 units)*
ANTH2053 Life, Death and Culture (4.5 units)*
NMCY1001 Academic and Professional Numeracy (4.5 units)
Core - Year 3 topics
ARCH3107 History of Archaeological Thought (4.5 units)
ARCH3109 Environmental Archaeology (4.5 units)
Option - Year 3 Archaeology topics
plus 13.5 units of topics selected from the following:
ARCH2203 Australian Historical Artefacts (4.5 units)
ARCH2204 Australian Maritime Archaeology (4.5 units)
ARCH2207 The Archaeological Imagination: Fact, fantasy and fiction in archaeological interpretation (4.5 units)
ARCH2209 The Archaeology of Art (4.5 units)
ARCH2214 Europe before Europe, from Mesolithic to Medieval (4.5 units)
ARCH2216 Seafaring in the Ancient World (4.5 units)
ARCH3204 Archaeology of Native North America (4.5 units)
ARCH3208 History and Issues in Maritime Archaeology (4.5 units)
ARCH3214 The Human Skeleton (4.5 units)
Option - Year 3 Non-Archaeology topics
plus 13.5 units of topics selected from the following:
Any third year AUST topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year BIOL topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year CHEM topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year CLAS* topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year EASC topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year ENVS topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year GEOG topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
Any third year HIST topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
ANTH3100 Anthropology Today: Experience, Power, Practice (4.5 units)*
NMCY1001 Academic and Professional Numeracy (4.5 units)
* University of Adelaide topics
Honours
A student who has completed all the requirements of the Bachelor of Archaeology, or another qualification which the Dean (Education) agrees is equivalent, may be accepted as a candidate for the honours degree providing a sufficiently high standard has been achieved in fulfilling the requirements for the Bachelor degree.
Refer to Bachelor of Archaeology (Honours)
Combined degrees
The Bachelor of Archaeology may also be studied in a combined degrees program with:
