Undergraduate Study

The Archaeology Department at the University of Sydney offers students access to one of the most diverse and exciting teaching and research environments available. Units of study are taught in the archaeology of different regions of the world, Heritage Studies and archaeological theory, method and practice.

In 2008 we introduced a new code ARCA (Archaeology) as part of major curriculum review. Some undergraduate units temporarily retain old system codes (ARNE and ARPH); Heritage Studies Units of study are identified by the HRTG code. The wide range of available subjects allows students first to broaden their knowledge and then to specialise in a region/area of interest through their choice of units at senior level.

In first year students normally take ARCA1001 (Ancient Civilisations) in Semester 1 and ARCA1002 (Archaeology: An Introduction) in Semester 2. At senior level students select from a range of units, most of which are offered every other year, currently coded as ARCA, ARPH and ARNE or HRTG. We offer two BA programmes – in Archaeology and in Heritage Studies. There are three separate fourth year Honours programmes: Classical Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, and Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology (which includes the possibility of working in Heritage Studies). Each Honours programme has slightly different pre-requisites. Please check with the relevant Honours Coordinators for further information.

Archaeology is highly inter-disciplinary. Students are encouraged also to study in cognate areas including Ancient History, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Fine Arts, Religious Studies, Australian Studies, Aboriginal Studies/Indigenous Australian Studies, Museum Studies and more, including sciences and other relevant areas beyond the Faculty of Arts. (See also crosslisted units.) For some senior Archaeology units, ANHS1600 and ANHS1601 are acceptable as first year preparation.

A Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree from the University of Sydney provides a solid foundation in archaeological practice, method and theory and prepares students for future study at the postgraduate level or employment in archaeological consulting and heritage management.

Many units of study focus on the archaeology of one region of the world. Particular departmental strengths lie in Classical archaeology (ancient Mediterranean: Aegean, Greek, Etruscan and Roman), Near Eastern archaeology (from the origins of agriculture to the coming of Islam), central Asian and south-east Asian archaeology, and Australian and Pacific archaeology (both prehistoric and historical). These are the regions in which staff members have active research projects.

Several of our newly introduced and revised ARCA units of study aim to teach field, laboratory, scientific and computer methods relevant to Archaeology in all parts of the world. For practical reasons, hands-on field methods classes are primarily taught using local examples although the techniques are common to archaeology generally. All such units require ARCA 1002 as a prerequisite.
The new ARCA 3600 (Archaeological Research Principles) unit teaches archaeological research design and archaeological theory relevant to all types of archaeology covered in the Department. Students may choose their own essay topics and examples to reflect their interests in any sub-discipline of Archaeology or Heritage Studies. ARCA 3600 is a pre-requisite for entry into all three Honours programmes from 2009 onwards.

Museums and heritage places are a vibrant part of Australia's cultural and intellectual life. They are places for life-long learning, discovery and entertainment. Museum collections and heritage places are the focus for public debates about our history, heritage and cultural identities. The study of museums and heritage places - the history and philosophy of heritage and museums, how collections and places are conserved, managed and curated and how museums engage with the public is an exciting and growing area of intellectual inquiry in Australia and overseas. The Heritage studies program examines the historical, theoretical and political issues associated with the conservation, management and interpretation of indigenous and non-indigenous heritage places and the history and role of museums in contemporary society.