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 Maria Torras Freixa

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 Maria Torras Freixa
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 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 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
Professor Andreana 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 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 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.

These courses are subject to change. The information on MyStudent is the most up to date information.

Link to the Summer Term Website.

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

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 Archaeology Today
TR 2:00-3:15
Professor Joshua Robinson

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, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement

CAS AR150 Archaeology of Cities
MWF 10:10-11:00
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 Maria Torras Freixa
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 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 AR 215 The Contested Past
Professor Robert Murowchick
MWF 11:15-12:05

Examination of the diverse and often conflicting values associated with archaeological objects, ancient monuments, and cultural sites. Case studies (including the Elgin Marbles) highlight contemporary controversies over ownership, appropriation, use, and abuse of the material remains of the past.

Course provides Hub  Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy

Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement

CAS AR230 Introduction to Greek and Roman Archaeology
TR 9:05-9:55
Professor
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 AR280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
TR 11:00-12:15
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 AR291 People of the Actic
TR 2:00-3:15
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 AR307 Archaeological Science
TR 12:30-1:45
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 AR510 Proposal Writing for Social Science Research
TR 9:30-10:45
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 AR516 Paleoethnobotany
W 8:00-10:45am
Professor John Marston

Introduces the theory and method of the study of archaeological plant remains and basic botanical and ecological concepts. Highlights relationships between people and environments and the roles of plants in past societies. Laboratory sessions concentrate on quantitative analysis. Lecture and Lab.
* 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 AR550 Human Osteology
TR 3:30-4:45
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 AR551 Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeology
Monday 2:30-5:15
Professor David Carballo

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 AR590 Life is a Bowl, Ceramic Studies in Archaeology
Thursday 12:30-3:15
Professor Andea 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 AR591 Theory in Archaeology
Friday 11:15-2:00
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
Monday 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.