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You are here: Experts > Science > Archaelogy > Archaeology > archeology
Expert: Ralph Salier - 10/21/2009
Question
QUESTION: hello sir,
I'm an electrical engineering student-4th year.i'm quite interested in archeology and want to pursue a career in this field.i'll be completing my graduation in engineering next year in june.Can u plz tel me the scope of this field and how should i get into this field after engineering?
ANSWER: Hi Shalini,
Do you want to get a second BA in Anthropology/Archaeology or are you thinking that you can go directly to an MA program? What about archaeology has caught your imagination? Tell me a bit more about your self and where you want to study and the kind of archaeology that you find most interesting.
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QUESTION: Thank you for replying,sir.Actually speaking,I'm totally unaware of the courses related to this field.Right from my school days i have been very much interested in history,that is to know more about the lifestyle of people in ancient days,historical monuments,their creation all these kind of things.Can you please tell me the places where we have good archaeological schools? I've heard that to go ahead in this field,one needs to be a graduate in this field only. But i'll be completing my 4 year graduation course in engineering next year,so do i have to do my graduation again in this field to go ahead?
Answer
Hi Shalini,
Archaeology comes after considerable work both in undergraduate and at the graduate levels. There are many courses you need at both levels to become a competent archaeologist. Your engineering degree may have covered some of these such as chemistry, biology, civil engineering, soil sciences etc... In undergraduate courses you also get ethnography, (you may study one or more specific cultures and their histories), Cultural Anthropology (the study of man's cultures in a general over view), Physical Anthropology (How we humans are put together and should include osteology the study of our bones), Lab work where you learn to identify pottery, the bones of other animals used for food, plant materials etc... and so on. These subject are generally not covered at the Masters Level since it is expected that you already know this subject matter. At the lower level you also are exposed to field work for the first time and you are taught how to dig, what to look for, what need to be recorded and how to do so, collection methods etc... These are also not covered at the Masters level and it is expected that you would have been on at least two digs prior to graduation. Thus going into a Masters program with out these prerequisites may prevent you from gaining access to a program. IT should take you at least 3 years in a Masters Program in which you will study a specific cultural area, then do several excavations as the site supervisor and site director levels as well as higher level legal aspects of cultural resource management, writing your thesis on a site that you have directed its excavation and have done all of the lab analysis etc...
Since you are interested in this field but are unsure of what it will take, I would recommend that you speak to the head of the anthropology department of your uni and find out if you could participate on a dig sponsored by the uni this semester or in the summer. This way you will get some experience and knowledge and see if you are suited to doing this kind of work. If your uni does not have Anthropology or Archaeology, there are others in India that do.
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