Archaeology Minor
Minor Description
There are two tracks in the Minor: the Archaeology Minor and the Experimental Archaeology linked minor with the College of Design and Engineering (CoDES), which focuses on reverse-engineering ancient technologies. The Archaeology Minor requires 6 credits. Students must take ARCP204 Intro to Archaeology and 4 additional ARCP courses. Minors can also apply one approved material cultures course from another discipline toward the minor. The Experimental Archaeology/CoDES linked minor requires 7 credits, including ARCP204 Intro to Archaeology, 3 CoDES core courses for design/engineering fundamentals, and 3 experimental and project-based seminars in Archaeology (see list below).
Admission to the Minor
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Minor Requirements
ARCHAEOLOGY REVISED MINOR REQUIREMENTS (6 credits)
- ARCP204 Introduction to Archaeology (or ARCP203 Ancient DNA and Archaeology with approval of the Chair)
- Four additional ARCP courses. At least one course should come from the Archaeological Cultures & Communities course list and at least one course should come from the Archaeological Sciences course list. ARCP310 can also be taken twice to count as one of the four ARCP electives. With approval of their advisor, students may also count one field school or collections internship as an ARCP elective credit.
- One approved material culture course in a related discipline. Potential external courses might include object-based research courses, art historical courses, or courses that involve archival research.
*Please also see below for a description of the Experimental Archaeology/CODES linked minor.
Cultures & Communities Track Requirements:
Students following the Cultures & Communities track should develop a plan of study that allows them to specialize in the archaeology of one or two world regions and engage with the communities where their research is taking place. At least 3 of the 6 ARCP courses should come from the “Cultures & Communities” list of courses that focus more heavily on regional topics and topics related to cultural heritage, archaeological ethics, and museum collections management. Students in the Cultures & Communities track are also encouraged to learn languages that will help them with their fieldwork, research, or community-based collaborations. One intermediate or advanced language course from another department (grade B or higher) can count as an elective credit toward the Cultures & Communities track.
Archaeological Sciences Track Requirements:
Students following the Archaeological Sciences track should develop a plan of study that allows them to specialize in one or two scientific approaches for the analysis of archaeological materials and sites. At least 3 of the 6 ARCP courses should come from the “Archaeological Sciences” list of courses that focus more heavily on scientific methods and hands-on laboratory techniques. Students in the Archaeological Sciences track are also encouraged to gain additional background in natural science methods, data analysis methods, or spatial analysis methods that will help them with their fieldwork, research, or experimental projects. One course from another math or natural science department (grade B or higher) can count as an elective credit toward the Archaeological Sciences track. Commonly recommended courses include GIS, statistics, and geomorphology.
External Material Culture Course Requirement:
As part of their major or minor, students should take one course from another related discipline that also engages with the study of material culture through object-based research. Potential external courses might include object-based research courses, art historical courses, or courses that involve archival research such as HIST337 Missionary Mysteries: The Objects and Archives of Wesleyan’s Past, ARHA213 Cross, Book, and Bone: Early Medieval Art, ca. 300-1100, AFAM307 Black Middletown Lives: The Future of Middletown’s African American Past, or IDEA212 Metal Manufacturing Through the Ages: The Science Behind Metal and Impact of Metal in Society. Students are encouraged to consider how other disciplines approach the analysis of material culture and how these approaches can benefit their archaeological training. External courses require advisor approval.