We divide archaeology courses into three categories: topical courses that deal with general subjects such as archaeological theory, the rise of civilizations, and ancient technology; area courses that are devoted to specific cultures and regions such as Greece, Egypt, and Mexico; and technical courses that provide training in specific archaeological methods such as scientific analytical methods and Geographic Information Systems. Most of our courses include BU Hub units to satisfy BU’s general education program. For additional information browse our Hub Courses.
Spring 2024 Courses
These courses are subject to change. The information on the Student Link is the most update information. Any questions regarding the courses please contact us.
CAS AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
TR 2:00PM – 3:15PM
Professor Joshua Robinson
Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Course covers the whole of human prehistory around the world. Archaeological methods are described, along with the great ancient sites: Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian Pyramids, Machu Picchu. Lecture and Discussion.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR150 Archaeology of Cities
TR 11:00 am – 12:15pm
Professor David Carballo
An introduction to the archaeology of cities and urbanism. The course includes introductory urban theory, exposure to ancient and early modern cities from geo-temporal contexts that Archaeology Program faculty specialize in, and comparison of cities and urbanism organized along central themes. Team assignments use the BU campus and city of Boston for experiential learning.
Course provides Hub units in: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course fulfills Urban Studies Undergraduate requirement
CAS AR190 Introduction to Archaeology
TR 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Professor Zachary Dunseth
Foundational training in how archaeologists study past peoples and cultures via field, museum, and laboratory methods. Apply theoretical frameworks to archaeological themes and datasets. Relate archaeological outcomes to the present day through real-world examples from around the globe.
* You must also register for a discussion section. Times and days are found on the Student Portal.
Course provides Hub units in: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR206 Ancient Technology
Professor Curtis Runnels
TR 12:30-1:45
Traces the related evolution of technology and culture over the first million years of human existence. Case studies focus on the interaction between early technology and social structure, values, and institutions. Lectures and hands-on experience with ceramics, stone, and metallurgy.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR 210 Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations
TR 9:30-10:45
Professor Curtis Runnels
Traces the rise and fall of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations from their Stone Age roots to the end of the Bronze Age. Subjects include art, architecture, economic, social, political, and religious characteristics, and theoretical explanations of cultural change.
Course provides HUB Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Zachary Dunseth
Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts.
Course provides HUB Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR290 Archaeology of Environmental Change
TR 3:30-4:45
Professor Joshua Robinson
Examination of human impacts on the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities; implications for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR291 People of the Actic
TR 12:30-1:45
Professor Catherine West
People have lived in the Arctic for 40,000 years and continue to thrive in this challenging environment. We use archaeological, oral history, historic, and ethnographic data to examine this long history, and to address the ways in which themes from the past can be used to highlight contemporary issues in Arctic communities.
Course provides HUBHistorical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR331 Arts of Archaic Greece
MWF 9:05-9:55
Professor Becky Martin
Examines a critical formative stage in Greek art. Analyzes the rise of identifiable artists, the relationship of art to epic, the evolution of the architectural orders, and the formation of Greek style in monumental stone sculpture.
Course provides HUB Writing-Intensive Course, Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate Area requirement
*Prerequisites: WR 100 or WR 120
CAS AR369 Indigenous Archaeology
T 8:00 am – 10:45 am
Professor Wade Campbell
Introduction to Indigenous archaeology, which seeks to realize a more ethical engagement with Indigenous communities by conducting research “with, for, and by” Indigenous descendant communities. Reviews key theoretical frameworks (e.g., traditional knowledge systems, collaboration, repatriation) and explores the ways this approach is being put into action through case studies.
Course provides Hub units in: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Cross listed with AN369.
CAS AR395 Politics of the Past: Archaeology, Museums, and Identity
T 8:00 am – 10:45 am
Professor Robert Murowchick
Historical exploration of the interplay among political/nationalistic pressures and the design, implementation, and interpretation of archaeological research and its public presentation through publications, museum exhibitions, and international expositions.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course provides Hub Digital/Multimedia Expressions, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, and Ethical Reasoning
Cross listed with GRS AR795
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
CAS AR410 Archaeological Research Design and Materials Analysis
F 11:15-2:00
Professor Catherine West
This laboratory-driven course engages students in independent research design and the hands-on analysis of archaeological materials. The course provides a foundation in the integration of theory, research design, and analytical methods through laboratory sessions where students work with archaeological materials. This course is offered in the Spring semester.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR307, or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, and Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR508 Ethnoarchaeology Landscape
TR 2:00-3:15
Professor Wade Campbell
A seminar-style introduction to “landscape archaeology,” a theoretical and methodological approach that explores how past and present communities create (and are in turn affected by) “cultural landscapes” formed through the interplay of sociocultural values and the natural environment.
Course provides Hub units in: Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Critical Thinking
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR510 Proposal Writing for Social Science Research
Professor John Marston
W 8:00 am – 10:45 am
The purpose of this course is to turn students’ intellectual interests into answerable, field-based research questions. The goal is the production of a project proposal for future research.
* Cross-listed with CAS AN510.
** Undergraduate prerequisite: admission to AR Honors Program or consent of instructor.
*** Graduate prerequisite: graduate student standing in the social sciences or humanities.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR520 Theory and Methods in Environmental Archaeology
Professor Joshua Robinson
TR 12:30-1:45
Problem-based course where students apply quantitative methods across archaeological datasets to address complex problems of human-environmental relationships rooted in deep time. Through teamwork-based research projects students develop marketable skills in research design, theory integration, and data analysis and visualization.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR307 or consent of instructor.
** Meets with CAS EE520 and AN519.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR550 Human Osteology
F 2:30 – 5:15
Professor Cunningham
Function, development, variation, and pathologies of the human musculoskeletal system, emphasizing issues of human evolution. Basic processes of bone biology and how they are affected by use, age, sex, diet, and disease. Meetings are predominantly lab oriented.
Course provides Hub Scientific Inquiry I
*Prerequisite:CAS AN 102 or CAS AN 331; or consent of instructor.
CAS AR577 Pots and Pans: Material Culture of Cookery and Dining
Professor Karen Metheny
W 6:00-8:45pm
Exploration of the food cultures and technologies through material culture- pots, pans, and utensils. Course will range broadly across cultures, time, and space with emphasis on medieval and early modern times. Life histories of humble, overlooked, everyday objects associated with food preparation and consumption; kitchens from prehistory to the present; tradition and fashion in cooking & dining vessels; pots and cooking technology; pots as metaphors & symbols.
*Cross listed with MET ML612.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR590 Life is a Bowl, Ceramic Studies in Archaeology
F 8:00-10:45
Professor Andrea Berlin
Before plastic, there was pottery – pots and pans, cups and dishes, crocks and jars – in every culture and in abundance. In this course we’ll study how archaeologists use the evidence of pottery to elucidate everything from personal habits to large-scale social, economic, and political developments.The course will be divided into three study units. In the first we will focus on the most common forms of scientific analyses: mineral and clay identification via thin section and chemical composition via Instrumental Neutron Activation and X-Ray Fluorescence Analyses. In the second study unit, we will focus on the Levant over the longue durée, from the Bronze Ages through the Ottoman empire, and examine how archaeologists have analyzed and deployed ceramic evidence to reconstruct social, economic, cultural, and political processes. In the third study unit, we will broaden our geographical scope to study the application of ceramic analysis in the archaeologies of Oceania, Africa, the early Americas, and historic America.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical or technical requirement
CAS AR594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
T 3:30 – 6:15
Professor John Marston
Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers.
Course provides Hub Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, and Social Inquiry II
*Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing.
** Meets with GRS AN 794
*****Former GRS AR894 (Last offered Spring 2023)
CAS AR595 Professional Futures in Archaeology
R 8:00-10:45
Professor Andrea Berlin
A degree in archaeology can get you in the door at museums, the National Park Service, US Customs and other federal agencies, research laboratories, international NGO’s, organizations focused on international art law, historical site management, heritage tourism – and more. For such careers, you need skills that allow you to build on your understanding of archaeological remains and techniques, communicate to a wider public, and create pathways that link subjects and remains of the past to interests and needs in the present.
Course provides Hub Ethical Reasoning, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration
GRS AR704 Materials in Ancient Society
Seminar. Topic to be announced. Offered through the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology.
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.989.
GRS AR795 Politics, Nationalism, and Archaeology
T 8:00 am – 10:45 am
Professor Robert Murowchick
Explores how archaeology is shaped by and manipulated for political purposes. Case studies from Asia and around the world trace the development of archaeology during colonial empire-building and post-colonial nationalism, and the importance of archaeological heritage in regional politics.
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificate
*Meets with CAS AR 395
Summer 2024 Courses
These courses are subject to change. The information on MyStudent is the most up to date information.
Link to the Summer Term Website.
CAS AR100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
Introduction to how archaeologists use material culture to study inequality, diet, gender, religion, identity, and sustainability in global case studies from the origins of humans to the present. Looting, heritage, and repatriation are addressed with the perspectives of descendant communities. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180
Summer 1 (May 21-June 27)
CAS AR230 Introduction to Greek and Roman Archaeology
Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) or consent of instructor. An archaeological journey from Bronze Age Greece to democratic Athens to Imperial Rome, tracking social upheaval and cohesion through religious, civic, and domestic spheres. Students learn to read material remains to understand life in a complex past, a past that illuminates our own world today. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180
Summer 1 (May 21-June 27)
CAS AR 280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) or consent of instructor. Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180
Summer 1 (May 21-June 27)
Summer 1 seven-week course (May 14-June 28)
Summer 2 seven-week course (July 1-August 16)
Fall 2024 Courses
These courses are subject to change. The information on the Student Link is the most update information. Any questions regarding the courses please contact us.
CAS AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
TR 2:00pm – 3:15pm
Professor Joshua Robinson
Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Course covers the whole of human prehistory around the world. Archaeological methods are described, along with the great ancient sites: Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian Pyramids, Machu Picchu. Lecture and Discussion.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR190 Introduction to Archaeology
TR 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Professor
Foundational training in how archaeologists study past peoples and cultures via field, museum, and laboratory methods. Apply theoretical frameworks to archaeological themes and datasets. Relate archaeological outcomes to the present day through real-world examples from around the globe.
* You must also register for a discussion section. Times and days are found on the Student Link.
Course provides Hub units in: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR200 Heritage Matters: Introduction to Heritage Management CANCELLED
MWF 2:30PM – 3:20PM
Professor
Protection and management of archaeological heritage, including sites, artifacts, and monuments. Survey of heritage values and stakeholders. Issues covered include policy and legislation, U.S. preservation system, international efforts, indigenous perspectives, looting, repatriation, underwater heritage, and heritage at war.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR201 Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
MWF 11:15 am – 12:05 pm
Professor
An introduction to the archaeology and indigenous peoples of Americas with a focus on precolonial era. Topics progress chronologically as well as comparatively, with cases drawn from Native American cultures of the North America, Mesoamerica, and South America.Cross listed with AN201.
Course provides HUB Social Inquiry I , Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR202 Archaeological Mysteries: Pseudoscience and Fallacy in the Human Past
TR 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Professor Curtis Runnels
Investigation through case studies of pseudoscientific claims about the past. Purported solutions to archaeological mysteries are subjected to the test of evidence using the scientific method. Topics include Atlantis, ancient extraterrestrials, Pyramids, Stonehenge, crop marks, and Noah’s Ark.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR230 Introduction to Greek and Roman Archaeology
TR 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Bailey Benson
An archaeological journey from Bronze Age Greece to democratic Athens to Imperial Rome, tracking social upheaval and cohesion through religious, civic, and domestic spheres. Learn to read material remains to understand life in a complex past, a past that illuminates our own world today.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR240 The Archaeology of Ancient China
MWF 11:15am – 12:05 pm
Professor Robert Murrowchick
Examines the archaeology of ancient China from the Neolithic through early imperial periods (7000 BCE to 3rd C. CE); the interaction of technology, art, and literature with ancient political, religious, and social power; and cultural heritage issues in facing modern China.
Course provides Hub Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR250 The Aztecs, Maya, and Their Predecessors: Archaeology of Mesoamerica
MWF 9:05 am – 9:55 am
Professor
Overview of the Aztecs, Mayas, and other native peoples of Mexico and Central America, including the chronological development of cultures and key topics. Focus on variability in individuals and groups by age, gender, ethnicity, class, and polities pre- and post-conquest.
Course provides Hub The Individual In Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
MWF 1:25PM – 2:15PM
Professor
Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR283 North American Archaeology
MWF 10:10 am – 11:00 am
Professor Wade Campbell
North American prehistory from initial peopling of continent to development of complex societies. Explores human entry into the New World; migration across North America; subsistence changes; human effects on landscape; encounters with Europeans; role of archaeology in contemporary Native cultures.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR305 Paleolithic Archaeology
TR 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Professor Curtis Runnels
Introduction to the emergence of culture and the reconstruction of early lifeways from archaeological evidence. Topics include early humans in Africa, Asia, and Europe; Neanderthals; the first Americans; and the prelude to agriculture.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR307 Archaeological Science
TR 11:00 am – 12:15pm
Professor Joshua Robinson
Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches.Lecture and Lab.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR190 (former CAS AR101) or consent of instructor.
** You must also register for a lab section, days and times found on Student Portal.
Course provides Hub Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy, Critical Thinking
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR507 Low Impact Field Methods in Archaeology
M 2:30 pm – 5:15pm
Professor Wade Campbell
Hands-on introduction to “low-impact” analytical methodologies employed in archaeology. Integrates field learning with conceptual and case-study readings, classroom instruction, and computer‐based data manipulation and analyses. Introductions to GIS, field survey, UAV-based aerial photogrammetry, aerial imagery, subsurface prospection methods, dendroarchaeological sampling.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical and topical requirement
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration
* Prerequisite: Either [AR 100 or AR 190] and AR 307 *or* consent of the instructor.
CAS AR510 Proposal Writing for Social Science Research
TR 8:00 AM – 9:15AM
Professor Arkin
The purpose of this course is to turn students’ intellectual interests into answerable, field-based research questions. The goal is the production of a project proposal for future research.
* Cross-listed with CAS AN510.
** Undergraduate prerequisite: admission to AR Honors Program or consent of instructor.
*** Graduate prerequisite: graduate student standing in the social sciences or humanities.Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR550 Human Osteology
TR 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Professor Andreana Cunningham
Function, development, variation, and pathologies of the human musculoskeletal system, emphasizing issues of human evolution. Basic processes of bone biology and how they are affected by use, age, sex, diet, and disease. Meetings are predominantly lab oriented.
Course provides Hub Scientific Inquiry I
*Prerequisite:CAS AN 102 or CAS AN 331; or consent of instructor.
** Meets with AN550
CAS AR565 Memory in 3-D: Memorials, then and now
R 3:30pm – 6:15pm
Professor Andrea Berlin
Memorials and the spaces around them are charged zones, time portals where past and present co-exist.The decision to erect a memorial is a statement on many levels – of cultural stamina, political will, social need, and above all of historical consciousness. In this course we focus on the development of memorial culture in America, along with a comparative examination of the worlds of ancient Greece and Rome. The distance afforded by stepping outside our own time and place provides perspectives on aspects of form and message, as well as on how the meanings of memorial can change.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
* Meets with CAS AN 565
CAS AR591 Theory in Archaeology
T 12:30 pm – 3:15 pm
Professor Catherine West
Seminar dealing with the intellectual history of the discipline, research methods, concepts, and problems in archaeological theory, and the formulation of research designs.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship & Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking
*Prerequisites: At least two archaeological studies courses at the 200 level or above, senior status, or consent of instructor.
** Meets with GRS AN791.
***Former GRS AR891
CAS AR592 Archaeological Ethics and Law
W 8:00 am – 10:45 am
Professor Robert Murowchick
In this course students examine archaeology and professional ethics; archaeology as public interest; legal organization of archaeology; international approaches to heritage management; looting, collecting and the antiquities market; maritime law and underwater archaeology; cultural resource management in the United States.
Course provides Hub Ethical Reasoning.
*Prerequisites: Junior standing or consent of instructor
**Former CAS AR480 & GRS AR892 (Last offered Fall 2022)
GRS AR703 Materials in Ancient Society
Seminar. Topic to be announced. Offered through the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology.
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.984.
Spring 2025 Courses
These courses are subject to change. The information on the Student Link is the most update information. Any questions regarding the courses please contact us.
CAS AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
TR 2:00PM – 3:15PM
Professor Joshua Robinson
Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Course covers the whole of human prehistory around the world. Archaeological methods are described, along with the great ancient sites: Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian Pyramids, Machu Picchu. Lecture and Discussion.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR190 Introduction to Archaeology
TR 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Professor
Foundational training in how archaeologists study past peoples and cultures via field, museum, and laboratory methods. Apply theoretical frameworks to archaeological themes and datasets. Relate archaeological outcomes to the present day through real-world examples from around the globe.
* You must also register for a discussion section. Times and days are found on the Student Portal.
Course provides Hub units in: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR206 Ancient Technology
Professor Curtis Runnels
TR 9:30-10:45
Traces the related evolution of technology and culture over the first million years of human existence. Case studies focus on the interaction between early technology and social structure, values, and institutions. Lectures and hands-on experience with ceramics, stone, and metallurgy.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR 210 Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations
TR 12:30-1:45
Professor Curtis Runnels
Traces the rise and fall of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations from their Stone Age roots to the end of the Bronze Age. Subjects include art, architecture, economic, social, political, and religious characteristics, and theoretical explanations of cultural change.
Course provides HUB Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
TR 3:30pm – 4:45 pm
Professor
Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts.
Course provides HUB Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR290 Archaeology of Environmental Change
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Catherine West
Examination of human impacts on the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities; implications for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR301 African Diaspora OF Archaeology
MWF 11:15-12:05
Professor Andreana Cunningham</strong
Introduction to the archaeology of the African diaspora, the global displacement of African people and their descendants. Reviews findings, methodology, and theory around key burial contexts. Emphasis on shifting dialogues, such as human remains stewardship, community engagement, and reburial.
Course provides Hub Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR333 Arts of Classical Greece
Professor Becky Martin
MWF 9:05-9:55
Examines architecture, sculpture, painting, and other arts of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. Topics include: the concept of classicism, how art was made, the “Greek revolution” and consequences of naturalism, the artist as individual.
Course provides Hub Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness.
*Meets with CAS AH333
CAS AR357 BIOARCHAEOLOGY
MWF 9:05-9:55
ProfessorAndreana Cunningham
Introduction to the study of human remains in bioarchaeological contexts. Course reviews key theoretical frameworks and methodologies in interpreting valuable information about demography, gender differences, social identities and the daily lives of past peoples, as well as ongoing ethical concerns in bioarchaeological practice.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR369 Indigenous Archaeology
T 12:30-3:15
Professor Wade Campbell
Introduction to Indigenous archaeology, which seeks to realize a more ethical engagement with Indigenous communities by conducting research “with, for, and by” Indigenous descendant communities. Reviews key theoretical frameworks (e.g., traditional knowledge systems, collaboration, repatriation) and explores the ways this approach is being put into action through case studies.
Course provides Hub units in: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Cross listed with AN369.
CAS AR390 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
TR 2:00-3:15
Professor Robert Murowchick
Examines the evidence for prehistoric and historic cultural sequences across Southeast Asia, presented chronologically and comparatively. Topics include emergent complexity, trade networks, urbanism, metallurgy, public architecture, the rise and fall of early states, the ethics of maritime archaeology and the international antiquities market, and the complex politics of cultural heritage management issues.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
Course fulfills East Asian Studies requirement
Course provides Hub units in: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking
* Meets with AR790.
CAS AR395 Politics of the Past: Archaeology, Museums, and Identity
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor
Historical exploration of the interplay among political/nationalistic pressures and the design, implementation, and interpretation of archaeological research and its public presentation through publications, museum exhibitions, and international expositions.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course provides Hub Digital/Multimedia Expressions, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, and Ethical Reasoning
Cross listed with GRS AR795
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
CAS AR518 Zooarchaeology
T 12:30-3:15
Professor Catherine West
Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human-animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Lecture and Lab.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR190 (former CAS AR101) or consent of instructor.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR520 Theory and Methods in Environmental Archaeology
Professor Joshua Robinson
TR 12:30-1:45
Problem-based course where students apply quantitative methods across archaeological datasets to address complex problems of human-environmental relationships rooted in deep time. Through teamwork-based research projects students develop marketable skills in research design, theory integration, and data analysis and visualization.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR307 or consent of instructor.
** Meets with CAS EE520 and AN519.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR551 Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeology
F 11:15-2:00
Professor
Topics vary. Analysis of major events and processes of the Mesoamerican area. Topics include the arrival of man; development of regional patterns; origin of food production; rise of towns, temples, and urbanism; the origin of state; and the development of empires.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
T 3:30 – 6:15
Professor Joshua Robinson
Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers.
Course provides Hub Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, and Social Inquiry II
*Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing.
** Meets with GRS AN 794
*****Former GRS AR894 (Last offered Spring 2023)
CAS AR595 Professional Futures in Archaeology
F 2:30-5:15
Professor Andrea Berlin
A degree in archaeology can get you in the door at museums, the National Park Service, US Customs and other federal agencies, research laboratories, international NGO’s, organizations focused on international art law, historical site management, heritage tourism – and more. For such careers, you need skills that allow you to build on your understanding of archaeological remains and techniques, communicate to a wider public, and create pathways that link subjects and remains of the past to interests and needs in the present.
Course provides Hub Ethical Reasoning, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration
GRS AR704 Materials in Ancient Society
Seminar. Topic to be announced. Offered through the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology.
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.989.
GRS AR790 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
TR 2:00-3:15
Professor Robert Murowchick
Examines the prehistoric and historic cultures of Southeast Asia, including the first arrival of humans, regional neolithic and Bronze Age communities, early states, maritime trading networks, as well as political motivations in archaeology and the illicit Asian antiquities trade.
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificaterequirement
* Meets with CAS AR390.
GRS AR795 Politics, Nationalism, and Archaeology
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor
Explores how archaeology is shaped by and manipulated for political purposes. Case studies from Asia and around the world trace the development of archaeology during colonial empire-building and post-colonial nationalism, and the importance of archaeological heritage in regional politics.
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificate
*Meets with CAS AR 395
All courses
100 Level Courses
CAS AR100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
Introduction to how archaeologists use material culture to study inequality, diet, gender, religion, identity, and sustainability in global case studies from the origins of humans to the present. Looting, heritage, and repatriation are addressed with the perspectives of descendent communities.
Course provides HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR150 Archaeology of Cities
Course provides Hub units in: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course fulfills Urban Studies Undergraduate requirement
CAS AR190 Introduction to Archaeology
* You must also register for a discussion section. Times and days are found on Student Portal.
Course provides Hub units in: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
**Former CAS AR101 before Fall 2022.
200 Level Courses
CAS AR200 Heritage Matters: Introduction to Heritage Management
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR201 Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
Cross listed with AN201.
Course provides HUB Social Inquiry I , Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR202 Archaeological Mysteries: Pseudoscience and Fallacy in the Human Past
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR205 Origins of Civilization
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course fulfills African Studies requirement
CAS AR206 Ancient Technology
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR208 Lost Languages and Decipherments
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR209 The Near East Bronze Age
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR 210 Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR 215 The Contested Past
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR221 Archaeology of the Islamic World
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR222 Art and Architecture of Ancient America
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR230 Introduction to Greek and Roman Archaeology
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR232 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Aesthetic Exploration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR240 The Archaeology of Ancient China
Course provides Hub Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR250 The Aztecs, Maya, and Their Predecessors: Archaeology of Mesoamerica
Course provides Hub The Individual In Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR251 Ancient Maya Civilization
Cross listed with AH251
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR261 Asia’s Ancient Cultures and Civilizations
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR262 Asian Gods & Goddesses
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR270 Archaeology of the Age of Exploration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR273 Archaeology of the Viking Age
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR283 North American Archaeology
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR290 Archaeology of Environmental Change
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR291 People of the Arctic
Course provides HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
300 Level Courses
CAS AR305 Paleolithic Archaeology
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR307 Archaeological Science
* Prerequisite: CAS AR190 (former CAS AR101) or consent of instructor.
** You must also register for a lab section, days and times found on Student Link.
Course provides Hub Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy, Critical Thinking
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR322 Ancient Aztec and Inca Civilizations
* Meets with GRS AR722. Cross-listed with AH322.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR323 Maya Art and Architecture
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR330 Greek Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR331 Arts of Archaic Greece
Course provides HUB Writing-Intensive Course, Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate Area requirement
*Prerequisites: WR 100 or WR 120
CAS AR332 Greek and Roman Cities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR333 Arts of Classical Greece
Examines architecture, sculpture, painting, and other arts of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. Topics include: the concept of classicism, how art was made, the “Greek revolution” and consequences of naturalism, the artist as individual.
Course provides Hub Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness.
*Meets with CAS AH333
CAS AR337 The Wine Dark Sea: Material Culture and Individual Identity in the World of Homer
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR341 Archaeology of Mesopotamia
* Meets with GRS AR741.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR342 Archaeology in the Holy Land
* Meets with GRS AR742. Cross-listed with CAS RN390, GRS RN690, and STH TX815.
Course provides Hub Ethical Reasoning, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR343 Anatolian Archaeology
* Meets with GRS AR743.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR346 Seminar: The Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
* Meets with GRS AR746.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR347 Egypt and Northeast Africa: Early States in Egypt, Nubia and Eritrea/Ethiopia
* Meets with GRS AR747.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR348 Gods, Graves and Pyramids: Ancient Egyptian Religion and Ritual
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Aesthetic Exploration, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR353 Urbanism in Ancient Mesoamerica
* Prerequisite: CAS AR100 or AR101, or consent of instructor.
(Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent)
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR365 Deep Histories of Conquest: Aztec Mexico and New Spain
*Prerequiste: enrollment in the Madrid Internship Program or the Madrid Spanish Studies Program
** Cross-listed with AN365.
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR369 Indigenous Archaeology
*Cross-listed with AN369.
Course provides Hub units in: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR370 Archaeology of Colonial America
* Meets with GRS AR770.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR371 Archaeology of Post-Colonial America
* Meets with GRS AR771.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR372 Archaeology of Boston
* Meets with GRS AR772.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR375 Oral History and Written Records in Archaeology
* Meets with GRS AR775.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR390 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
Course fulfills East Asian Studies requirement
Course provides Hub units in: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking
* Meets with AR790.
CAS AR393 Out of the Fiery Furnace: Early Metallurgy of the Pre-industrial World
* Meets with GRS AR793.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR395 Politics of the Past: Archaeology, Museums, and Identity
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course provides Hub Digital/Multimedia Expressions, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, and Ethical Reasoning
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
CAS AR396 Cultural Heritage and Diplomacy
* Meets with GRS AR796. Cross-listed with CAS IR396 and GRS IR796.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
400 Level Courses
CAS AR410 Archaeological Research Design and Materials Analysis
* Prerequisite: CAS AR307, or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, and Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR430 The End of Days: Analyzing Collapse in Complex Societies
* Meets with GRS AR830.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR435 Topics in the Materiality of Ancient Mediterranean Religions
* Meets with GRS AR735. Cross-listed with CAS RN490 and GRS RN790.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR438 Seminar: Pompeii
Prereq: junior or senior standing; or consent of instructor. An in-depth study of Pompeii and the other towns buried by Mount Vesuvius. All aspects of the Vesuvian cities will be examined, including urban planning and public architecture, private domestic and funerary architecture, mural painting, mosaics, and sculpture, as well as the history of the excavations.
*Cross listed with AH438.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
500 Level Courses
CAS AR500 Public Archaeology in the United States
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR503 Archaeological Field Methods: Survey and Excavation
* Prerequisite: CAS AR190 (former CAS AR101) or consent of instructor.
Course provides HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course required for major in Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate field school requirement
CAS AR505 Digital Archaeology
* Prerequisite: Two archaeology courses or consent of instructor.
Course provides Hub Digital/Multimedia Expressions, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
* Prerequisite: One previous class in archaeology or consent of instructor.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR507 Low Impact Field Methods in Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical and topical requirement
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration
* Prerequisite: Either [AR 100 or AR 190] and AR 307 *or* consent of the instructor.
CAS AR508 Ethnoarchaeology Landscape
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
Course provides Hub units in: Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Critical Thinking
CAS AR510 Proposal Writing for Social Science Research
* Cross-listed with CAS AN510.
** Undergraduate prerequisite: admission to AR Honors Program or consent of instructor.
*** Graduate prerequisite: graduate student standing in the social sciences or humanities.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR511 Studies in European Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR513 Studies in African Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR516 Paleoethnobotany
* Prerequisite: CAS AR190 (former CAS AR101) or consent of instructor.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR518 Zooarchaeology
* Prerequisite: CAS AR190 (former CAS AR101) or consent of instructor.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR520 Theory and Methods in Environmental Archaeology
* Prerequisite: CAS AR307 or consent of instructor.
** Meets with CAS EE520 and AN519.
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR528 Studies in Mesoamerican Art and Architecture
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR531 Studies in Etruscan and Roman Archaeology
CAS AR532 Studies in Near and Middle Eastern Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR533 Greek Art and Architecture
Course provides Hub Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
* Meets with CAS AH533
**Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR534 Seminar in Roman Art
* Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
** Meets with CAS AH 534.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR535 Europe and the Mediterranean World in Late Antiquity
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR550 Human Osteology
Function, development, variation, and pathologies of the human musculoskeletal system, emphasizing issues of human evolution. Basic processes of bone biology and how they are affected by use, age, sex, diet, and disease. Meetings are predominantly lab oriented.
Course provides Hub Scientific Inquiry I
*Prerequisite:CAS AN 102 or CAS AN 331; or consent of instructor.
CAS AR551 Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeology
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR556 Archaeological Field Research Experience
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or technical requirement
CAS AR565 Memory in 3-D: Memorials, then and now
* Meets with CAS AN 565
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR570 Approaches to Artifact Analysis in Historical Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical or technical requirement
CAS AR575 The Cosmopolitan Past: Material Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean
*Prerequisite: WR 120 (or First Year Writing Seminar)
**Meets with CAS AN575
Course provides Hub Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR577 Pots and Pans: Material Culture of Cookery and Dining
*Cross listed with MET ML612.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR580Studies in Archaeological Heritage Management: Cultural Heritage of Menorca
*This course will be taught simultaneously with AR 556 Archaeological Field Research Experience. Students must register for both courses and will earn a total of 8 BU credits as part of the BU Field School in Archaeology and Heritage Management.
**Must be registered for the BU Field School in Archaeology and Heritage Management
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry I, Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR590 Life is a Bowl, Ceramic Studies in Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical or technical requirement
CAS AR591 Theory in Archaeology
Course provides Hub Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship & Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking
*Prerequisites: At least two archaeological studies courses at the 200 level or above, senior status, or consent of instructor.
** Meets with GRS AN791.
***Former GRS AR891 (Last offered Spring 2023)
CAS AR592 Archaeological Ethics and Law
Course provides Hub Ethical Reasoning.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
*Prerequisites: Junior standing or consent of instructor
**Former CAS AR480 & GRS AR892 (Last offered Fall 2022)
CAS AR 594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
Course provides Hub Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, and Social Inquiry II
*Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing.
** Meets with GRS AN 794
*****Former GRS AR894 (Last offered Spring 2023)
CAS AR595 Professional Futures in Archaeology
A degree in archaeology can get you in the door at museums, the National Park Service, US Customs and other federal agencies, research laboratories, international NGO’s, organizations focused on international art law, historical site management, heritage tourism – and more. For such careers, you need skills that allow you to build on your understanding of archaeological remains and techniques, communicate to a wider public, and create pathways that link subjects and remains of the past to interests and needs in the present.
Course provides Hub Ethical Reasoning, Oral and/or Signed Communication,Teamwork/Collaboration
600 Level Courses
GRS AR699 Teaching College for Teaching Assistants
700 Level Courses
GRS AR701 Intellectual History of Archaeology
* Prerequisite: graduate standing and at least two prior courses in sociocultural anthropology.
GRS AR703 Materials in Ancient Society
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.984.
GRS AR704 Materials in Ancient Society
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.989.
GRS AR705 Pre-Urban Development
GRS AR706 Archaeology of Complex Societies
GRS AR712 Seminar in Old World Prehistory
GRS AR727 Archaeology and Colonialism
GRS AR730 Seminar: Old World Historical Archaeology
GRS AR731 Seminar: Greek Archaeology
GRS AR734 Seminar: Archaeology of the Roman Provinces
GRS AR735 Topics in the Materiality of Ancient Mediterranean Religions
* Prerequisite: Prior coursework in Archaeology or in ancient religions (Classics/RN/Hist/STh), or permission of the instructor.
** Meets with CAS AR435. Cross-listed with CAS RN490 and GRS RN790.
GRS AR737 The Wine Dark Sea: Material Culture and Individual Identity in the World of Homer
*Meets with CAS AR337.
GRS AR738 Mare Nostrum: Material Culture and Individual Identity after Alexander
*Meets with CAS AR338.
GRS AR741 Archaeology of Mesopotamia
* Meets with CAS AR341.
GRS AR742 Archaeology in the Holy Land
* Meets with CAS AR342.
** Cross lists with CAS RN390/690 & STH TX815.
GRS AR743 Anatolian Archaeology
* Meets with CAS AR343.
GRS AR746 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
* Meets with CAS AR346.
GRS AR747 Egypt and Northeast Africa: Early States in Egypt, Nubia and Eritrea/Ethiopia
* Meets with CAS AR347.
GRS AR751 Seminar: Mesoamerica Archaeology
*Meets with CAS AR451.
GRS AR770 New World Historical Archaeology: Colonial America
* Meets with CAS AR370.
GRS AR771 New World Historical Archaeology: Post-Colonial America
* Meets with CAS AR371.
GRS AR772 Archaeology of Boston
* Meets with CAS AR372.
GRS AR775 Oral History and Written Records in Archaeology
* Meets with CAS AR375.
GRS AR790 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificaterequirement
* Meets with CAS AR390.
GRS AR793 Out of the Fiery Furnace: Metallurgy of the Asian World
* Meets with CAS AR393.
GRS AR795 Politics, Nationalism, and Archaeology
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificaterequirement
GRS AR796 Cultural Heritage and Diplomacy
* Meets with CAS AR396. Cross-listed with CAS IR396 and GRS IR796.
800 Level Courses
GRS AR808 Survey and Landscape Archaeology
GRS AR810 International Heritage Management
GRS AR815 Plunder and Preservation: Cultural Heritage in Wartime
GRS AR830 The End of Days: Analyzing Collapse in Complex Societies
* Meets with CAS AR430.
GRS AR891 Contemporary Theory in Archaeology
* Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR702.
*Meets with AN791.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR892 Archaeological Ethics and Law
* Meets with CAS AR 480.
** Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR780.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR893 World Archaeology
*Meets with AN793.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR894 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
* Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR707.
Course required for MA in Archaeology