Perseverance is one of the most important characteristics of an archeologist.
That's because it can take years of education and experience to become one.
In addition to your bachelor's degree, you'll need a master's degree.
A doctorate degree, however, is optional. Many master's graduates are very
happy with the work they find.
Few schools have archeology departments for undergraduates. Archeology
is usually offered as a subspecialty of anthropology rather than as a program
on its own. Most students get a bachelor's degree in anthropology while
taking as many archeology classes as they can.
Expect to take classes like archeological research, prehistory, cultural
resource management and botanical and artifact analysis. Students may
also take practicum courses and enroll in field school or internship
programs.
"I would also strongly recommend coursework in geology, business management
and statistics," says Anthony Klesert. He is the director of an archeology
department.
Klesert adds that it's important to get hands-on training in field methods
like excavation and surveying. That way, you'll acquire some essential
research skills, like lithic (stone) analysis, computer graphics or GIS (geographic
information systems).
"Do a lot of reading about other peoples and cultures around the world,"
he suggests. "It is very important that you are able to appreciate and respect
the varieties of cultures and people in the world."
Elin Danien says that high school students should learn another language
to prepare for international jobs. Danien is a research associate at a university's
museum of archeology and anthropology.
"Not only will future archeologists probably be working in other countries,
where a knowledge of the language will be essential, but many of the early
reports are in French, Spanish, German and have not been translated," she
says.
Danien adds that math, physics and biology are also good preparation.
And believe it or not, artistic skills come in handy.
"Drawing classes are good," says Danien. "Even though we now rely on computer
programs for recording sections and plans, there are times when computers
aren't available. And photographs of artifacts frequently do not register
the slight variations that can be detailed by a pencil."
The ability to write grant applications will be crucial when you're looking
for research money. "Take writing courses so you can learn to communicate
clearly, simply and with passion," says Danien.
Most archeology majors are required to enroll in field school for academic
credit. Some colleges and universities have their own field school programs
that might send you to do archeological work in Scotland or Spain.
Field school can be expensive. Books are also an expense. Later
in your career, fieldwork is often paid for by grant money.
Links
Archeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin
Listings for archaeological projects around the world.
Exploring Historical Archaeology
Information on careers in historical archeology