Disciplines and areas of study
Archaeology
Program Coordinator: Dr Susan Lawrence
The Archaeology Program is a world-renowned centre of research into the archaeological past. Subjects are directed towards providing an understanding of the past, using both archaeological, and other evidence. Emphasis is given to the evolution of modern people and their social and technical developments with a focus on both Australia and other parts of the world. In all subjects, attention is given to the techniques and theories that contribute to the study of archaeology.
A number of subjects outside the discipline are particularly suitable for study in conjunction with archaeology. These subjects may be, but are not normally, credited towards an archaeology major.
Archaeological excavations, in which students are encouraged to participate, are held during the year. Excursions to archaeological sites may also be arranged. They may be compulsory and involve some additional expenditure.
Programs of study
Archaeology Major
To complete a major in archaeology students must complete:
- an archaeology core subject at each year level of their degree.
- 30 credit points at first year level,
- 40 credit points at second-year level and
- at least 60 credit points at third year level of archaeology (or equivalent) subjects from the list below.
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| First year core subjects (15 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1 | Discovering Archaeology | ARC1DAR |
| Second year core subject (20 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1 | Australian Indigenous Archaeology | ARC2AIA |
| Third year core subject (20 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-2 | Historical Archaeology in Australia | ARC3HAA |
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| First year subjects (15 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1 | Discovering Archaeology | ARC1DAR |
| TE-SEM-2 | Dawn of Humanity | ARC1DOH |
| TE-SEM-2 | The Archaeology of Ancient Civilisations | ARC1AAC |
| Second and third year subjects (20 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1, 2 and S | Archaeology Fieldwork | ARC3FWK |
| TE-SEM-1 | Archaeology of the Middle East | ARC2AME/ARC3AME |
| TE-SEM-1 | Art and Symbolism of the Ancients | ARC2ASA/ARC3ASA |
| TE-SEM-1 | Australian Indigenous Archaeology | ARC2AIA |
| TE-SEM-1 | Emergence of Chinese Civilisation | ARC2ECC/ARC3ECC |
| TE-SEM-1 | Palaeolithic Archaeology | ARC2PAL/ARC3PAL |
| TE-SEM-1 | Reading Course A | ARC3RCA |
| TE-SEM-1 | World of the Pharaohs: the archaeology of Ancient Egypt | ARC2EGY/ARC3EGY |
| TE-SEM-2 | Ancient Technologies | ARC2ANT/ARC3ANT |
| TE-SEM-2 | Applied Cultural Heritage Management | ARC2ACH/ARC3ACH |
| TE-SEM-2 | Approaches to Archaeological Research | ARC3AAR |
| TE-SEM-2 | The Archaeology of Ancient Mexico, Culminating with the Aztec Empire | ARC2AZT/ARC3AZT |
| TE-SEM-2 | Historical Archaeology in Australia | ARC3HAA |
| TE-SEM-2 | Reading Course B | ARC3RCB |
| TE-SEM-2 | Rise and Fall of Civilisations | ARC2RFC/ARC3RFC |
| Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|
| Ancient Maya Civilisation of Mexico and Guatemala | ARC2ANM/ARC3ANM |
| Archaeology of the Modern World | ARC2AMW/ARC3AMW |
| African Archaeology | ARC2AFR/ARC3AFR |
| Archaeology of East Asia | ARC2AEA/ARC3AEA |
| Archaeology of Indigenous Victoria | ARC2AIV/ARC3AIV |
| Ice Age Australia | ARC2ICE/ARC3ICE |
| Managing Archaeology | ARC2MAN/ARC3MAN |
| Maya Hieroglyphic Writing | ARC2MHW/ARC3MHW |
| World Writing Systems: survey and analysis | ARC2WRS/ARC3WRS |
Compatible subjects from other schools
The following subjects are particularly suitable for study in conjunction with archaeology. They are not normally credited towards an archaeology major.
| Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|
| First year subjects (15 credit points) | |
| Animal Diversity, Ecology and Behaviour2 | BIO1AD |
| Culture and Globalisation: introduction to anthropology | ANT1CAG |
| Our Global Village: introduction to anthropology | ANT1FET |
| Processes that Shape the Earth2 | GEO1PRO |
| The Nature of Language and Communication A | LIN1NLA |
| Second and third year subjects (20 credit points) | |
| Environmental Geoscience: landscape and climate change2 | GEO2EGL |
| Environmental Geoscience: remote sensing and GIS2 | GEO2EGR |
| Doing Anthropology | ANT2/3MQA |
Key: 2 Approval must be obtained from the Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering.
Honours
The honours degree requires intensive study of the discipline at second, third and fourth years. To enter the fourth year, a student is normally expected to have completed an archaeology major, including the equivalent of 30 credit points at first year level in archaeology, and at least 60 credit points in third year (including ARC3AAR). A high level of performance in all archaeology subjects is required.