Re: Studying Archaeology in Ontario, Canada

Posted by Inby from ppp24.nwnetwork.net on February 15, 2001 at 19:57:25:

In Reply to: Studying Archaeology in Ontario, Canada posted by INDY 500 on February 15, 2001 at 19:19:45:

I'm not familiar with the archaeology programs at those schools, but have heard of McMaster (chalk me up as an ignorant American).
Thus while I can't offer advice specific to any of those programs, I can suggest a few criteria you might find useful.
In no particular order...
1. Find a faculty member whose research interests you. Don't feel like you have to commit for life, just know who is out there and whether or not their courses sound interesting/dull/other.
2. Do the programs offer an in-house field school? In other words, if you want to do some field archaeology, ever, it would help if you couold learn pratical (accredited) methods from your own faculty, in your own backyard. Fieldwork opps or fieldschools supported by your department in other places are good too; but a determined student can usually join another school's program too.
3. Are there archaeological research collections available to you for research/study? Coursework should ideally access these to train you in analysis/curation too. Does the department faculty have relations with any nearby museums?
4. What kind of archaeology do you think you would like to pursue? If you want to dig up amphorae in Macedonia, and a particular faculty emphasizes Neanderthals and/or voyageur trading post archaeology, then it may not be a great fit.
5. How active is the faculty in the academic field? How large is the anthro/archaeo faculty? Do they emphasize teaching, research, or (ideally) both?
6. Is there an anthro club or some similar sense of "communitas" at the school?
7. How current are any lab facilities?
One more tip that will prove invaluable to you in your archaeological career, taught me by an old friend:
"Dig faster and don't break anything".
Best of luck,
Inby

Follow Ups:

Thanks Sean and Inby! INDY 500 15:44:16 2/16/2001 (0)

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: I'm not familiar with the archaeology programs at those schools, but have heard of McMaster (chalk me up as an ignorant American).
: Thus while I can't offer advice specific to any of those programs, I can suggest a few criteria you might find useful.
: In no particular order...
: 1.  Find a faculty member whose research interests you.  Don't feel like you have to commit for life, just know who is out there and whether or not their courses sound interesting/dull/other.
: 2.  Do the programs offer an in-house field school?  In other words, if you want to do some field archaeology, ever, it would help if you couold learn pratical (accredited) methods from your own faculty, in your own backyard.  Fieldwork opps or fieldschools supported by your department in other places are good too; but a determined student can usually join another school's program too.
: 3.  Are there archaeological research collections available to you for research/study?  Coursework should ideally access these to train you in analysis/curation too.  Does the department faculty have relations with any nearby museums?
: 4.  What kind of archaeology do you think you would like to pursue?  If you want to dig up amphorae in Macedonia, and a particular faculty emphasizes Neanderthals and/or voyageur trading post archaeology, then it may not be a great fit.
: 5.  How active is the faculty in the academic field?  How large is the anthro/archaeo faculty?  Do they emphasize teaching, research, or (ideally) both?
: 6.  Is there an anthro club or some similar sense of "communitas" at the school?
: 7.  How current are any lab facilities?
: One more tip that will prove invaluable to you in your archaeological career, taught me by an old friend:
: "Dig faster and don't break anything".
: Best of luck,
: Inby

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