Online Archaeology Schools and Courses

<h3 id="section---WhatYouNeedToKnow">What You Need to Know</h3> <p>Uncovering the past to shed light on where we stand today can be done by the books or artifacts we already have on the shelves, or can be newly discovered. The archaeologist must do his or her work in the physical world, and as such entire programs to become an archaeologist cannot typically be dug up online. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Online</b></td><td> Degrees not available in the U.S. online, courses mainly theoretical</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Programs</b></td><td> Option for anthropology major concentration</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Courses</b></td><td> Italian archaeology, historical development, ancient civilizations, pre-urban society and domestication, forensic and physical anthropology</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---AreThereOnlineSchoolsOfferingADegreeInArchaeology">Are There Online Schools Offering a Degree in <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Archaeology_Degrees_Your_Online_Program_Questions_Answered.html">Archaeology</a>?</h3> <p>Undergraduate archaeology programs in the U.S. are offered as Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology or as a concentration for anthropology majors. However, online undergraduate and graduate programs in archaeology are extremely rare and aren't typically offered in the U.S. You may complete a fully online bachelor's degree in general anthropology with classes in archaeology. </p> <p>Web-based course offerings in archaeology are usually mainly theoretical and typically do not include any sort of hands-on experience handling or excavating artifacts. If you're interested in taking archaeology courses online, here are a few schools to consider: </p> <ul><li>University of Florida (Gainesville) </li><li>Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) </li><li>Austin Community College (Austin, TX) </li><li>University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) </li><li>Oregon State University (Corvallis) </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatOnlineCoursesAreAvailable">What Online Courses Are Available?</h3> <p>Introductory coursework in archaeology is available via anthropology distance education programs. Since archaeology is interdisciplinary in nature, you might also find relevant online courses in related programs such as geography or art history. Some anthropology online courses cover: </p> <ul><li>Italian archaeology </li><li>Historical development of modern archaeology </li><li>Archaeology and sustainability </li><li>Survey of ancient civilizations </li><li>Pre-urban society and domestication </li><li>Forensic anthropology </li><li>Physical anthropology </li><li>Ancient Egyptian art </li><li>Medieval art </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesExistForArchaeologyProfessionals">What Courses Exist for Archaeology Professionals?</h3> <p>If you're a practicing archaeologist, you may elect to enroll in online graduate and professional development courses that introduce you to new geospatial technologies currently being used in the field. Such courses include: </p> <ul><li>Locating archaeological sites </li><li>Mapping archaeological sites </li><li>Geographic information systems (GIS) </li><li>Geospatial databases and analysis </li><li>Remote sensing with light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology </li><li>Global positioning systems (GPS) and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) </li></ul><h3 id="section---WillIStillNeedHandsOnTraining">Will I Still Need Hands-On Training?</h3> <p>The National Parks Service's website lists professional standards for archaeologists and historians as defined by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior (<i>www.nps.gov</i>). These requirements stipulate that professional archaeologists employed by federal, state and tribal agencies need to have earned a minimum of a master's degree specializing in archaeology. Archaeology master's degrees usually include some sort of hands-on experience handling, searching for or recovering real archaeological artifacts. In addition to a graduate degree, the Secretary of the Interior's requirements for professional archaeologists includes a minimum of one year of research or administrative experience in the field and at least four months of fieldwork in North American archaeology. </p> <p>This fieldwork requirement can be met through participation in a field school or other excavation experience. You can find out how to participate in excavations or research projects by consulting the <i>Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin</i>, which is accessible online and updated annually by the Archaeological Institute of America (<i>www.archaeological.org</i>).</p>