Online Archaeology Degree Programs
Are you interested in digging in the dirt for a living? Do you have a love of history? A career as an archaeologist may be just what you're looking for. Archaeologists locate and excavate unknown archaeological resources and evaluate their importance. Read on to find out more about online and on-campus degree options in this field. Schools offering Social Science degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What Types on Online Archaeology Degree Programs Are Available to Me?
Archaeology is not available as a completely online degree program; however, you can find options for online classes. On the undergraduate level, individual archaeology courses are sometimes delivered as Internet videos that can be viewed at your convenience or live Web conferences that meet at a specific time. These courses might cover topics such as the following:
- Language and culture
- Approaches to archaeology
- Ancient Greece
- The Aztec empire
If you're already a working archaeologist, you might find online professional development courses that combine your job experience and participation in distance education classes for credit toward a master's or doctoral degree. These graduate-level courses might explore the following topics:
- Dating methods
- Excavation principles
- Prehistoric lithic analysis
- Field photography
- Surveying techniques
What Archaeology Degree Options are Available to Me?
Archaeology degrees are available through traditional, on-campus programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. Bachelor's degree programs include general education requirements, along with core subject courses. Some universities offer an undergraduate-to-Ph.D. program, through which you can earn a bachelor's degree in archaeology and then enter directly into a Ph.D. program. Other universities offer separate master's and doctoral programs.
Graduate programs in archaeology typically require you to have a bachelor's degree in anthropology or archaeology, competence in a modern language other than English and knowledge of an ancient language. Your coursework will reflect an area of specialization that you've selected, such as art history or Medieval studies, and may cover courses such as the following:
- Classical world archaeology
- Egyptian archaeology
- Old world prehistory
What Can I do With My Degree?
A bachelor's degree in archaeology will prepare you for entry-level work as an archaeological surveyor or a field or laboratory technician. Research careers, such as a field archaeologist, historic preservation officer or collections manager, generally require a master's degree, while a Ph.D. in archaeology will prepare you for an academic career teaching at colleges and universities, as well as working in the field.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), career opportunities for anthropologists and archaeologists were predicted to increase by 28% from 2008-2018. The best job opportunities were expected to be with management, scientific and technical consulting firms. The median annual salary for anthropologists and archaeologists was $53,490 in May 2009.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
- 2. More Articles
- Archaeology Schools
- What is Archaeology?
- Top Archaeology Graduate Schools
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