Archaeology, Associate in Arts
Archaeology, Associate in Arts
This specialized program in Archaeology is not intended to be used as a license for independent unsupervised archaeological research. Rather it is designed to introduce students to archaeological research, and provide opportunities to actively participate in supervised archaeological survey, excavation, and artifact analysis.
To earn an Associate in Arts Degree with a major in Archaeology, students complete 24 specified units, plus General Education Degree Requirements for a minimum total of 60 units. These major requirements optimize preparation for upper-division coursework for advanced degrees in Archaeology offered by four-year institutions. In addition, earning this degree suggests an achievement of technical skills that may be helpful in seeking immediate employment with a local archaeological firm, or obtaining a position on an archaeological project either within or outside the United States.
In addition to General Education degree requirements, complete the following:
| Course ID | Title | Units/Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 18 | |
| ANTH M01 | Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| or ANTH M01H | Honors: Biological Anthropology | |
| ANTH M02 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH M03 | Archaeology | 3 |
| Choose 3 of the Following 4 Courses: | ||
| ANTH M05 | Archaeological Field Methods | 3 |
| ANTH M10 | Archaeological Survey and Mapping | 3 |
| ANTH M12 | Archaeological Laboratory Procedures | 3 |
| ANTH M19 | Professionalism in Archaeology: Cultural Resource Management | 3 |
| Units from Restrictive Electives | 6 | |
| Total Required Major Units | 24 | |
| Course ID | Title | Units/Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Restrictive Electives: Select and complete 6 units | ||
| ANTH M01L | Biological Anthropology Lab | 1 |
| ANTH M06 | Introduction to Native American Studies | 3 |
| ANTH M07 | Peoples and Cultures of the World | 3 |
| ANTH M08 | Linguistic Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH M09 | Sex, Gender, and Culture | 3 |
| ANTH M11 | The Anthropology of Magic, Witchcraft and Religion | 3 |
| ANTH M13 | The Chumash and Their Neighbors: Indians of California | 3 |
| ANTH M15 | Egyptology: Archaeology of the Land of the Pharaohs | 3 |
| ANTH M16 | Mysteries of the Ancient Maya | 3 |
| ANTH M17 | Forensic Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH M18 | Culture, Health, and Healing | 3 |
| ANTH M80 | Internship in Anthropology | 1-4 |
| ANTH M122 | Independent Study-Anthropology | 0.5-3 |
| BIOL M05 | Field Biology: A Natural History of California | 4 |
| GEOL M02 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| or GEOL M02H | Honors: Physical Geology | |
| GIS M01 | Introduction to Mapping and GIS | 3 |
| HIST M135 | Native American History and Culture | 3 |
| GEOL M03 | Earth History | 3 |
| MC General Education units | 28 | |
Double-Counted Units: 6-12 | ||
Electives to meet 60 associate degree units: 12-18 | ||
| Total Units Required for AA Degree | 60 | |
The plan of study is for the student to complete all classes within two years. Ideally, they would begin by taking core classes such as ANTH M01, M02, M03 and then continue with the "Saturday field classes," specifically ANTH M05, M10, M12, and M19. There is no particular order which these classes need to be taken, with the exception of ANTH M03, which is strongly recommended to be taken in the first semester (or as soon as possible).
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Units/Hours | |
| ANTH M03 | Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTH M05 | Archaeological Field Methods | 3 |
| ANTH M10 | Archaeological Survey and Mapping | 3 |
| or | ||
| ANTH M12 | Archaeological Laboratory Procedures | 3 |
| ENGL M01A | English Composition | 4 |
| MATH M05 | College Algebra for STEM Studies | 4 |
| or | ||
| MATH M15 | Introductory Statistics | 4 |
| Units/Hours | 24 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ANTH M01 | Biological Anthropology (and) | 3 |
| ANTH M01L | Biological Anthropology Lab | 1 |
| ANTH M05 | Archaeological Field Methods | 3 |
| or | ||
| ANTH M10 | Archaeological Survey and Mapping | 3 |
| or | ||
| ANTH M12 | Archaeological Laboratory Procedures | 3 |
| or | ||
| ANTH M19 | Professionalism in Archaeology: Cultural Resource Management | 3 |
| or | ||
| Any course from List of Restrictive Electives | 3 | |
| VCCCD/CSU GE | ||
| Units/Hours | 19 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ANTH M02 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH M05 | Archaeological Field Methods | 3 |
| or | ||
| ANTH M10 | Archaeological Survey and Mapping | 3 |
| or | ||
| ANTH M12 | Archaeological Laboratory Procedures | 3 |
| or | ||
| A course from the List of Restrictive Electives | 3 | |
| VCCCD/CSU GE | 6 | |
| Units/Hours | 21 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| VCCCD/CSU GE | ||
| Units/Hours | 0 | |
| Total Units/Hours | 64 | |
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives, theories, methods, and core concepts of archaeology as a social science and scientific discipline.
- demonstrate a skill set in archaeological field methods including mapping, excavating, and laboratory analysis that will enable them to be an active member of future archaeological research projects.