Archaeology as a major

TheFedora

Active member
Thank you both for your congratulations! Dr. Gonzo, you are not late at all, because my degree just came in the mail the other day! So now I have physical proof of my Archaeology progress!(y)
 
Kumba said:
Does or has anyone here majored in archeaology in college? If so, what can you say about it? and also, yes, this is Kumba, and i've been gone for quite a long time.

I am not an archaeologist but yes i can help you with this topic because i am a good researcher.
 
Thinking of pursuing archaeology / questions for those involved

Apologies if this has been discussed in great detail being an Indiana Jones forum, but I searched through threads and couldn't find anything that answered my questions. Maybe there are some lurking here I can ask. I wanted to ask for myself and others who have considered archaeology as a career...

First a bit of my background: Like many, Indy had something to do with this interest but I understand that most of the work isn't romantic and requires patience. I'm 29 years old and dropped out of college when I was 20. I spent the last 9 years in the film industry (experience: carpentry, budgeting, videography, some grantwriting, lots of outdoor physical work, travel). As I've grown older, I've become burned out with my current career so I'm looking into going back to school. As of now, for archaeology. I've been interested in the subject for quite some time but never thought of it as a career until recently.

So far, I have yet to find any one in real life who is an archaeologist or anyone who knows one I can talk to. Anyway...

1. Thoughts on pursuing archaeology at 30? If most of us seem to support a 80 year old Harrison doing an Indy film, then surely 30 isn't too old to pursue this career in real life, right? ;)

2. How much of this career is freelance? What's the job market like for full time / part time?

3. What kind of courses should one expect to take / should take while studying? In your experience, did any of the classes seem irrelevant to archaeology but required all the same?

4. What is the "scene" like for the most part? Big egos? Laidback? Humorous? Fast-paced, slow-paced?

5. Any recommended universities US or abroad?

6. Is it a good job for introverts? As I've approached 30, I seem to be more reclusive and a day job that supports this is a plus. I know there are team-oriented aspects to archaeology but from what I've read it seems doable for me. In film, it's team oriented but too loud and frantic for my liking.

Big thanks!
 
Mickiana said:
Only 29yo? Go for it. I just looked for Archaeologist positions in Australia and found 5.

Thanks Mickiana. I just spent a year in Australia on working holiday. Going to post some other places and list what I find here for anyone else wondering.
 

TheFedora

Active member
Pale Horse said:
A very sincere congratulations. Own it, honor it, live it. You earned it.

(Unless you stole it like Indy did all his priceless works)



A late two years later but I'd like to give an update. I graduated this year with a Master's degree in Geographic Information Systems. (Which has a LOT of archaeological applications like Remote sensing, etc)

And I decided to go back to school not long ago, currently going for a second Master's degree, this time in Archaeology. Going back to school at 27, my primary concern is to try to get myself into a Ph.D. program someday with the second Master's degree backing me, or maybe try to go into Cultural resource Management
 

Nosirrah

New member
TheFedora said:
A late two years later but I'd like to give an update. I graduated this year with a Master's degree in Geographic Information Systems. (Which has a LOT of archaeological applications like Remote sensing, etc)

And I decided to go back to school not long ago, currently going for a second Master's degree, this time in Archaeology. Going back to school at 27, my primary concern is to try to get myself into a Ph.D. program someday with the second Master's degree backing me, or maybe try to go into Cultural resource Management

Long-time lurker, first post: Congrats, TheFedora! You have chosen wisely. Unlike the heroic loner image portrayed onscreen, real archaeology is a team sport, where the team needs shovelbums, artists, photographers, data managers, archivists, researchers, conservators, grant writers, and at least one project manager. That's just a top-of-the-head list.
As a GIS-skilled person, you should have little trouble hooking up with a dig, especially if your MA program is active in the field. If not, summer field schools are literally all over the map.
Speaking of which, I personally feel that GIS is one of the most marketable skills in a whole bunch of fields. I took 8 hours of GIS as my PhD cognate work, and my term projects went straight into my dissertation research design.
A lot of practicing archaeologists, especially if they are in CRM, treat GIS as a handy tool to make pretty maps for the client. Academic researchers have only recently begun to make full use of its potential for spatial analysis, predictive modeling, 3-D visualization/VR, etc, etc, etc. Edward Gonzalez-Tennant is one of the best guys working at the cutting edge, IMO.
Oh, to be 27 again... Nah. ;)
 

TheFedora

Active member
Updating again! Just got my MA in Archaeology! Seems like its been forever trying to work up to it as well. Currently working for a CRM company, and it's definitely hard work, but I feel that I have achieved a lot, having two Master's degrees and this should help get me pretty far.
 

Nosirrah

New member
Updating again! Just got my MA in Archaeology! Seems like its been forever trying to work up to it as well. Currently working for a CRM company, and it's definitely hard work, but I feel that I have achieved a lot, having two Master's degrees and this should help get me pretty far.
Well, congrats all over again! All this talk about infrastructure means more CRM work, I hope.
I've been busy, too. I defended my PhD dissertation literally hours before the university went into lockdown in March 2020. At 72, I'm now gainfully unemployed (read: retired) and that frees up me to work as a free-lance consultant, writer, and pro-bono advocate. The big advantage of doctorate (I hope) will be in applying for grants. Anyway, the university press likes my dissertation, and we've signed a book deal. Fingers crossed.
 

Canyon

Well-known member
Nosirrah, great to see you here! 👍

TheFedora, congratulations on your MA!!! 😁

As for myself, I studied archaeology for a time, but unfortunately didn't get to go on any digs. 😓
 
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