Learn about archaeology from multiple perspectives

Archaeologists use skills and knowledge from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, data science, and mathematics to study the human past. Check out our current courses and imagine the possibilities.

Spring 2025

Courses listed here contribute to the Archaeology major and minor. Core courses are offered each semester. Most other courses are offered on a rotating basis.
  • Archaeology Core Courses
    ANTH 202: Introduction to Archaeology
    • An introduction to basic theory and methods in the archaeological recovery and interpretation of past cultural remains. 
    CLAS 104: Introduction to Classical Archaeology 
    • A survey of major sites, artifacts, and monuments of the Classical world from Bronze Age Greece through Imperial Rome. Emphasis on the development of archaeology as a discipline and issues such as recording and interpretation of evidence, relationship between historical and archaeological events and use and misuse of ancient texts. 

    either

    GEOL 103: Environmental Geology
    • The study of plate tectonics, volcanism, and surficial geological processes provides the foundation to examine geological hazards, environmental changes, and earth resources. The students’ understanding the principles of geology will aid them to understanding practical solutions to environmental problems and resource depletion. Lectures three hours per week. 

    or

    GEOL 104: Environmental Geology - Race, Equity, and Inclusion 
    • The study of plate tectonics, volcanism, and surficial geological processes provides the foundation to examine geological hazards, environmental changes, and earth resources through the lens of race, equity, and inclusion topics and case studies. The students’ understanding the principles of geology will aid them to understanding practical solutions to environmental problems and resource depletion. Lectures three hours per week.
    and
    GEOL 103L: Environmental Geology Lab (1 credit)
    • A laboratory course to accompany GEOL 103 or GEOL 104. Laboratory three hours per week. 
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  • Capstone courses
    ANTH 493: Field School in Archaeology
    • Students will participate in ongoing research conducted by professional archaeologists. This is a comprehensive archaeological field school in which participants will receive systematic in-depth training in all phases of basic archaeological field research.  
    • Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor and ANTH 202.

    or

    ARCH 400: Archaeological Internship
    • An opportunity for students to have a supervised field placement in areas related to the field of archaeology. Consult the Archaeology Internship Coordinator for details.
    • Prerequisite(s): ANTH 202, CLAS 104, a minimum GPA of 2.000 in archaeology, and a minimum overall GPA of 2.000. In exceptional cases Archaeology Internship Coordinator may override these pre-requisites.
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  • Humanities Electives
    ARTH 221: Preparing the Museum Professional*
    • Join us as we go behind the scenes and deconstruct what makes a museum viable and successful in the 21stcentury.  What special challenges do museums of different sizes and specialties face?   By examining relationships between museum professionals and various constituencies - artists, board members, donors, accreditors and the community, we will examine the dynamics of museum life.  How do technology and physicality enhance education and exhibition? When does a provocative exhibition become a cultural war?  We will look at the growth of online exhibitions/collections and analyze traveling exhibitions. What duties does a museum have when confronting fakes, forgeries, stolen art and cultural property?  Finally, we will look at compelling public relations campaigns and analyze funding of the general museum programs and the financing of special exhibitions. 
    ARTH 338: American Vernacular Architecture and Material Culture
    • This course explores diverse examples of common architecture and material culture in America from earliest settlements up to the present day. The course will investigate the cultural roots of architectural forms and traditions and will also address such topics as cultural landscapes, the development of building technologies, folklore and folklife, and the relationship of the built environment to the natural environment over time.
    • Prerequisite(s): 6 credit hours of ARTH or ARTH 299 or HPCP 101 or permission of the instructor
    CLAS 303: Ancient Technology and Craft Production*
    • Ancient civilizations’ material remains—tools, statues, containers, buildings, water systems, clothes—offer evidence of how people of the past lived. These material remains were created by complex interactions of human craft-workers with their environment, their materials, and other people. This course uses archaeological theories and case studies drawn from Greek and Roman sites to explore production processes, knowledge landscapes, and social roles of laborers and craft-workers. 
    HIST 270: Special Topics: Introduction to Ancient Egypt & Nubia*
    • This course is an essential primer in ancient Egyptian civilization and culture, including the accuracy of current popular perceptions of ancient Egypt, as well as its legacy and impact on the modern world. Using ancient Egyptian texts and archaeology as a basis, this course surveys the political and social history of ancient Egypt from its beginnings to the arrival of the Greeks the Great (5000-332 BC). Topics include: anthropological origins and ethnicities, political and historical development, geography, social institutions, pyramids, status of women, religion and magic, daily life activities, language and writing, science, technology, and medicine. The class will also consider how the modern west interprets Egypt as a major contributor to the development of western civilization, viewing itself in many ways as an heir of Egyptian culture, while at the same time it categorizes much of it as culturally alien and otherly.           
    HONS 225: Special Topic: Heritage, Identity, and Diplomacy*
    • Using frameworks from the disciplines of Anthropology, Archaeology, and International Relations, this course will explore concepts related to cultural heritage and how we shape our social and cultural identities. We’ll look at how the tangible remains and intangible traditions of the past influence  how we conceive of ourselves in the present within communities, as modern nations, and as a global humanity.  Through selected case studies , we’ll consider  the role of heritage as an engine of peace and as a tool of domination and destruction.  We’ll examine the ethical considerations of museum collections and who claims rights of ownership of cultural property in our globalized world.  We’ll also  interrogate connections between cultural heritage preservation, diplomacy, foreign policy, and political authority.  
    HPCP 101: Introduction to Historic Preservation
    • An inspiring introduction to the history and contemporary practice of historic preservation and heritage management in the U.S. and internationally. The course includes a survey of the content and context of the heritage to be preserved and examines current preservation practices in preserving buildings, landscapes and material culture. Issues related to archeology, architectural history, equity, race, gender, social history and the effects of the above on community planning will be covered.

    * items marked with an asterisk are included in the Archaeology program with approval of the Director.

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  • Social Science Electives
    ANTH 309: Perspectives on Deep Histories of Native North America
    • Explore archaeological perspectives on Native American indigenous cultures.
    ANTH 309: Ancient Technology and Craft Production
    • Ancient civilizations’ material remains—tools, statues, containers, buildings, water systems, clothes—offer evidence of how people of the past lived. These material remains were created by complex interactions of human craft-workers with their environment, their materials, and other people. This course uses archaeological theories and case studies drawn from Greek and Roman sites to explore production processes, knowledge landscapes, and social roles of laborers and craft-workers. 
    HONS 265: Museums, Memory, and Commemoration in Charleston*
    • Who owns the past? Museums and public monuments create powerful representations of the past, shaping public memory, identity, and shared visions of the future. How have Lost Cause narratives impacted the interpretation of our city and surrounding plantation landscapes? How are writers, historians, artists, and activists reshaping public memory in 21st - century Charleston? In Charleston, we are surrounded by structures and landscapes that interpret our Nation’s history, so much of which has transpired beneath our feet. During this interdisciplinary course, students will examine some of the ways Charleston’s writers, museums, monuments, and events have remembered and commemorated the city’s past. Led by faculty with expertise in museum studies, archaeology, literature, and Southern studies, students will participate in thought-provoking discussions inspired by literary depictions of Charleston’s past, site visits and archival research. This research will equip students to propose new forms of interpretation that will add texture to Charleston’s historical tapestry. 

    * items marked with an asterisk are included in the Archaeology program with approval of the Director.

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  • Natural Sciences, Data Science, and Mathematics Electives

    BIOL 323 and BIOL 323L: Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates
    • Lectures on the functional morphology and phylogeny of vertebrate organ systems, and laboratory dissection of shark and cat. Lectures three hours per week; laboratory four hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 111, BIOL 111L, BIOL 112, BIOL 112L, BIOL 211(or BIOL 213), and four credit hours of BIOL 300:380.
    BIOL 340 Zoogeography
    • An introduction to the study of the distribution patterns of organisms, their origins and their significance for ecology and evolution. Lectures three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 111, BIOL 111L, BIOL 112, BIOL 112L, and BIOL 211(or BIOL 213)
    BIOL 341 and BIOL 341L: General Ecology
    • Consideration of organisms and their environmental relationships. Lectures three hours per week; laboratory three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 111, BIOL 111L, BIOL 112, BIOL 112L, and BIOL 211(or BIOL 213)
    BIOL 350: Evolution
    • A study of the mechanism and patterns of plant and animal evolution, with emphasis on the species level of organization. Lectures three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 111, BIOL 111L, BIOL 112, BIOL 112L, BIOL 211(or BIOL 213), and BIOL 305
    BIOL 432 and BIOL 432L: Biology of Fishes
    • Undergraduate level study of the biology of fishes, emphasizing diversity and evolution, morphology, ecology, physiology, life history, behavior, systematics and biogeography. Laboratory work focuses on groups important in the local fauna. Lectures three hours per week; laboratory three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 111, BIOL 111L, BIOL 112, BIOL 112L, and BIOL 211 (or BIOL 213)
    CHEM 220 and CHEM 220L: Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
    • A study of the fundamentals of analytical chemistry with special attention given to quantitative analysis including volumetric analysis, electrochemical measurements, optical spectroscopy, chromatography, quality assurance, calibration methods, and statistical treatment of data.
    • Prerequisite(s): CHEM 112 and CHEM 112L
    CHEM 421 and CHEM 421L: Instrumental Methods of Analysis
    • Theory and principles underlying the techniques of modern analytical chemistry. Topics include qualitative and quantitative analysis using chromatrographic, spectrophotometric, electroanalytical, magnetic resonance, radiochemical and other selected instrumental techniques. Lectures three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): CHEM 220, CHEM 220L, CHEM 232, CHEM 232L
    DATA 101 Introduction to Data Science
    • An introductory course on the use of computer-based tools and programs such as Python and SQL to analyze data sets for knowledge discovery. Students will explore and learn some of the basic principles and tools in data science. Topics include cleaning, visualizing, and interpreting data, databases, and cloud computing.
    GEOL 272 and GEOL 272L: Stratigraphy and Sedimentation
    • This course will introduce students to the various stratigraphic principles, relationships and analyses used by geologists to interpret sedimentary rock sequences. Students will also be introduced to sedimentary processes and properties that can be used to identify and interpret sedimentary environments in the stratigraphic record. Lectures three hours per week; laboratory three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): GEOL 103 and GEOL 105 or HONS 155 and HONS 156; or permission of the instructor.
    GEOL 333 and GEOL 333L: Paleobiology
    • An investigation of the record of past life on Earth as preserved in the fossil record. Processes and patterns of evolution, evolutionary thought, taxonomic classification and the origin of life on Earth and its subsequent development are among the subjects covered. The paleobiology of invertebrate taxa, including their morphology, phylogeny and ecology are stressed in the laboratory. Lectures three hours per week; laboratory three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): GEOL 103 and GEOL 105 or HONS 155 and HONS 156; or permission of the instructor.
    GEOL 402 and GEOL 402L: Geospatial Science
    • The course introduces the concepts and components of a geographic information system (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) by teaching the essential skills using Google Earth, ArcGIS online, ArcGIS desktop and image processing software packages. Students will understand the operational processes of spatial data acquisition, metadata development, geodatabase design, GIS application development, cartographic mapping and dynamic visualization, and GIS implementation. Students will also use common open source tools, as well as image processing and global positioning systems (GPS).
    • Prerequisite(s): Sophomore rank or higher, GEOL 103 ,GEOL 103L, MATH 110 or MATH 104 or MATH 111 or MATH 120
    GEOL 442 and GEOL 442L: Geological Applications of Remote Sensing
    • This course will cover the application of remote sensing to environmental problems. Topics include: remote sensing theory, data collection, reduction and application, computer software tools, data acquisition and ties to geographic information systems (GIS). This course assumes a basic understanding of remote sensing. Lectures three hours per week; laboratory three hours per week.
    • Prerequisite(s): GEOL 103 and GEOL 105 or HONS 155 and HONS 156. Some computer experience is helpful.
    MATH 250 Statistical Methods I
    • Course topics will include descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, correlation and simple linear regression. Statistical quality control, analysis of variance and other topics will be introduced as time permits. A statistics software package will be used. The Honors version of this course is HONS 217. Students may not receive credit for both.
    • Prerequisite(s): Placement or MATH 116 with a C- or better or MATH 111 or MATH 120
    MATH 350: Statistical Methods II
    • Statistical methods with topics selected from regression, correlation, analysis of variance, nonparametric statistics, and other models.
    • Prerequisite(s):MATH 250; and either MATH 120 or MATH 116 with a C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

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