Course Catalogue

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This module offers students the opportunity to build essential skills in archaeological fieldwork, in areas such as excavation, survey, geophysical and remote sensing surveys, field walking, sampling, geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental survey. Students will gain hands-on experience in these critical techniques while learning to plan, conduct, interpret, and effectively communicate the results of their fieldwork.

Students will be required to spend at least two weeks (7 hours a day for 10 days) in the summer at an approved University of Glasgow field school. This hands-on, practical learning will be supplemented by an additional 130 hours of independent study supported by sessions on Health and Safety and risk assessment.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Archaeology, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course:

■ 800-word practical skills assessments 40%

■ 800-word written method statement 20%

■ 800-word written execution statement 20%

■ 800-word written execution statement 20%

If required, for instance, where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ Practical skills assessment include a wide-range of options for the student which can be discussed with staff, including options if students have difficulty in attending fieldwork.

■ There is no alternative to the written statements, but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ provide students with the opportunity to develop essential skills and build confidence in archaeological fieldwork, preparing them for professional practice and further academic research.

■ Provide students with immersive, hands-on experience, by engaging in a range of key field activities, such as archaeological excavation (including soil sampling, feature recording and drawing, photogrammetry, laser scanning, sample processing, artifact handling and cataloguing, and report writing) remote sensing, GPS, drone and geophysical survey; paleoenvironmental coring, and/or relevant and appropriate skills.

■ gain experience in their chosen field skills and develop the ability to plan, execute, analyse, and effectively communicate the outcomes of their fieldwork. These skills are invaluable for careers in archaeology, heritage management, and related fields, as well as for pursuing postgraduate studies.

■ Contribute directly to the development of key graduate attributes by encouraging independent professional practice.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Employ the aims, methodology and results of an approved field project

■ Demonstrate their ability in some of the key archaeological field skills

■ Employ some of the tasks expected of them in a professional or research archaeological setting, such as excavation, recording, surveying and coring

■ Demonstrate a knowledge of the conventions regarding archaeological field records, such as context sheets and other written records, plan and section drawings, or photography, for example