Archaeology

Program Overview

The UWA Archaeology program immerses students in the study of human history from its origins to the present. Through coursework, lab classes, and field schools, students develop practical skills in archaeological methods and gain an understanding of the role of archaeology in understanding past societies and cultures. With opportunities for international study and professional experience, graduates are well-prepared for careers in archaeology, heritage management, and related fields.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Archaeology is the only discipline to study more than three million years of human history in all its facets. You will develop practical skills through laboratory classes and fieldwork units, with three field schools held each year. UWA archaeologists are actively engaged in fieldwork around the world, from Australia to Africa, America and Asia – even Europe! We are also part of the Indian Ocean research area. In your second and third years, you'll have the opportunity to take part in a rock art and/or archaeological field school.

Outline:

Level 1

• Core
• ARCY1002 Experimenting with Archaeology (6 points)

Level 2

• Core
• ARCY2000 Think like a Neanderthal: The Archaeology of Human Origins, Rock Art, and Creativity (6 points)
• ARCY2006 Archaeology of Death (6 points)
• ARCY2100 Heritage Futures (6 points)
• ARCY2220 Doing Archaeology: Fieldschool (6 points)

Level 3

• Core
• ARCY3003 Doing Archaeology: Analytical Skills (6 points)
• ARCY3011 Australia in the Indo-Pacific: The last 65,000 years (6 points)
• ARCY3012 Australia in the Indo-Pacific: 500 years of Historical and Maritime Archaeology (6 points)
• ARCY3100 Doing Archaeology: Advanced Fieldwork and Collections Research (6 points)

Careers:

Archaeology graduates use their skills in a wide variety of workplaces including Aboriginal corporations, government heritage agencies (state and commonwealth), heritage consulting firms, museums, resource industry advisors, universities.

Other:

• Students will have the opportunity to learn from the wide range of partners UWA has productive partnerships with, including heritage professionals, industry, government, museums, and Aboriginal organisations.
Examples include Fremantle Prison, Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, National Trust, Rio Tinto, and the WA Museum. These partnerships play a vital role in delivering transferable skills to our students.
• Honours is the minimum qualification required to call yourself an archaeologist.
At UWA we have honours, masters, and PhD programs in Archaeology. Throughout your studies, you can undertake independent vocational training using the Arts Practicum.
• Current UWA students are eligible to take one of our professional experience units.
These units bridge the gap between university and the workplace by providing opportunities to gain hands-on, practical experience. You can master new skills, make connections and network, get a taste of the opportunities in the workforce and add experience to your resume, all before graduating.
• This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees.
It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.
• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Philosophy
• Work with industry, government, Indigenous groups and the broader community to better understand the past and create sustainable heritage futures
• Gain a comprehensive range of transferable skills that give you a competitive advantage in the job market
• Participate in internationally recognised, research-led, hands-on training in global and Australian archaeology, with access to the internationally recognised Centre for Rock Art Research and Management and Centre for Forensic Anthropology
• Gain practical skills through labs and field schools labs and field schools, including specialist training in environmental archaeological sciences not widely offered in Australia
• Expand your skills - Taking a second major either in a complementary area or in something like Economics or Business Law will show you have developed transferable skills such as, teamwork, critical thinking, digital literacy and presentation skills – which are highly sought after in the workforce.
• Add it to your resume – Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in a variety of areas.
Two majors will expand your career prospects and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
• Study your passion alongside your interests – Do you love Marketing?
Law? History of Art? Pursue a career while studying something else you love! Your second major can be from any other school across the university.
• No additional time – Choosing two majors instead of one won’t add any additional time to your undergraduate degree.
A standard bachelor degree consists of the same amount of units either way. It’s very common for undergraduate students to be unsure. Choosing two majors in different areas will give you the opportunity to explore multiple interests and see what fits best. Majors can be switched until the end of your first year without adding any time onto your degree.
• demonstrate essential cognitive and social skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, ethical conduct and working in groups
• display essential practical skills such as OHS practices, understanding legislation and ethics, and working with diverse stakeholders
• display discipline specific skills for archaeological fieldwork and lab-work
• build a professional network with leading experts in archaeology and heritage
• Top 100 in the world and 9th in Australia for Archaeology (QS WUR by Subject 2024)
• The Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen is one of Europe's oldest universities.
Several hundred years of history in the sciences and humanities have been written here. Today, Tübingen remains a place of research and teaching. In addition to the nearly 85,500 inhabitants, there are some 28,300 German and international students. Teaching at the University of Tübingen reflects the broad, interdisciplinary spectrum of its research. More than 280 courses are on offer.
• The University of Oslo (UiO) is the oldest university in Norway and is recognised as one of Northern Europe's most prestigious universities.
Today, UiO is the country's largest public institution of research and higher learning. The overriding goal of UiO's Strategy 2020 is to strengthen its international position as a leading research university through a close interaction across research, education, communication and innovation.
• UVM thinks big and inspires others to do the same.
Its academic program combines faculty-student relationships most commonly found in a small liberal arts college with the resources of a major research institution. The university is home to 10,267 undergraduates and 1462 graduate students. Located in Burlington, Vermont, UVM's setting on the shores of Lake Champlain, between the Adirondack and the Green mountain ranges, gives a perspective of all that's possible.
• Zane first discovered his passion for archaeology by watching Indiana Jones movies as a kid.
It wasn't until much later that he realised what he had fallen in love with was, in fact, the study of archaeology.
• As part of his honours project, Zane has travelled to the Dampier Archipelago to investigate how people responded to sea-level rise in that area over 10,000 years ago.
• "The great thing about archaeology is that it combines so many of the sciences into a cohesive way of understanding past human behaviours."
• "Working with the archaeology department here at UWA has changed my life.
We are so lucky to have some of the best archaeologists in the world here, and they have been nothing but supportive and encouraging throughout my degree."
• Interested in Archaeology Honours?
Visit, handbooks.uwa.edu.au/undergraduate/honoursdetails?code=HON-ARCGY