Expert: Ralph Salier - 12/28/2009

Question
Hi,
My name is Amy and I have been struggling with my decision to become an archeologist for a long time now.  I really like Egyptology but I live in Ohio and that is a little far away. Archeological digs have always appealed to me. Digging up the history of a civilization and seeing their lives through what they have left behind fascinates me. So needless to say I am most interested in the ancient ones and how they lived. I have a few questions before I make my decision. Are there any colleges that you think would benefit me the most that are in the U.S.? Are there any reputable online colleges that I could graduate from and actually get a job? What kind of jobs are out there for someone like me? How many years will it take for me to get my degree, and what degree will it be? Do I need any prerequisites before attending this college? I would really appreciate your help and am looking forward to your response.
Thank You


Answer
Hi Amy,

First of all, I assume that you are in High School and are trying to figure out your next steps.  

There are many types of archaeology, each cultural zone has its own peculiarities and requirements.  So, it greatly depends on your areas of interest and yes, many people are interested in Egyptology but there are many considerations for that study area.  

In the US, depending on your areas of interest, there are many colleges and universities that support archaeology as a course of study.  Columbia, U of Penn and Yale are three that do work in Egypt today, under contract with the Egyptian govt.  This is both good and bad since it greatly limits what they can do over there.

You can do some of this on line but to become an archaeologist, you need to 1) get your hands dirty, 2) work with the cultural materials themselves and 3) develop a working relationship with both your fellow classmates and profs in an appropriate setting (lab, field or study area).   You can get a BA in Archaeology in 4 years (or less if you participate in digs during the summer for credit) [I did mine in 3 spending 3 summers on digs].  The only prerequisites you need from High School are top level grades, Math, Chem, Bio, Earth Sci, Excellent writing skills, at least one other language with good fluency would be a great benefit.  

So, here are some questions for you.  Answer them the best you can and I will try to provide some guidance for your consideration:

1) In greater depth, why archaeology?
2) what else are you interested in? (biology, chemistry, history etc...)
3) What kind of work do you hope to find  as an archaeologist?
4) do you plan to go on to get a Masters or PhD?
5) Do you have a back up plan?  In other words,. if Archaeology does not work out what do you plan to do?
6) How do your parents feel about this career course?
7) It is hard work, long hours, hot, sweaty and some times plenty of bugs how do you feel about that?
8) Are you easily discouraged, frustrated, quick to anger?  Or are you patient, low key, work well with others?
9) What year of HS are you in?  Have you spoken to a guidance counselor about this career track?

That is it for now.... I may have more questions based on your responses.  And if your parents have questions, please, have them ask their questions too. Being a parent, I understand their concerns.  My parents did too.

I am more then happy to help you with your decision making process,

Ralph

Happy New Year!