Bachelor of Archaeology

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.

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study
• Honours
• Combined degrees

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 knowledge they have acquired
• 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:

• 45 units of Core topics;
• 27 units of designated Archaeology option topics; and
• 36 units of designated non-Archaeology option topics, comprising 13.5 units at First Level and 22.5 units at Upper Level.

Students will be provided with a list of option topics related to the following specialist areas:

• Ancient Studies
• 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

18 units comprising

 ARCH1001  Discovering Archaeology  (4.5 units)
 ARCH1002  From the Palaeolithic to Pompeii: An Exploration of World Archaeology  (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 Archaeology topics

Plus 4.5 units of topics from the following list:

ARCH1007  Ancient Egypt to the Aztecs: Foundations of Urban Life  (4.5 units)
BIOL1103  Human Evolution  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 Non-Archaeology topics

plus 13.5 units of topics from the following list:

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
Any first year INDG topics
Any first year STEM topics
INNO1001  Innovative and Creative Thinking: Recognizing Opportunities  (4.5 units)
NMCY1001  Academic and Professional Numeracy  (4.5 units)

Core - Year 2 topics

18 units comprising:

 ARCH2109  Cultural Anthropology  (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 9 units of topics from the following list:

 ARCH2106  Archaeological Field Methods  (4.5 units)
 ARCH2110  Lands Beneath the Winds: Archaeology of Southeast Asia  (4.5 units)
 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)
 ARCH2208  The Museum  (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 9 units of topics from the following list:

 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 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)
 Any second year INDG topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
 Any second year STEM topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
 HIST2067  Ancient Greece and Rome: History, Art and Archaeology  (4.5 units)
 NMCY1001  Academic and Professional Numeracy  (4.5 units)

Core - Year 3 topics

9 units comprising:

 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 from the following list:

 ARCH2110  Lands Beneath the Winds: Archaeology of Southeast Asia  (4.5 units)
 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)
 ARCH2208  The Museum  (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  Forensic Anthropology of the Human Skeleton  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 3 Non-Archaeology topics

plus 13.5 units of topics from the following list:

 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 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)
 Any third year INDG topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
 Any third year STEM topics where pre-requisites are met (4.5 units)
 HIST2067  Ancient Greece and Rome: History, Art and Archaeology  (4.5 units)
 NMCY1001  Academic and Professional Numeracy  (4.5 units)

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:

• Bachelor of Applied Geographical Information Systems
• Bachelor of Science (Biodiversity and Conservation)
• Bachelor of Science (Coasts and Oceans)
• Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science)
• Bachelor of Science (Forensic and Analytical Science)
• Bachelor of Science (Geography) - not offered from 1 January 2021
  
• Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology)