Archaeology

The Archaeology Program is one of the largest undergraduate major programs in the U.S. Leveraging the uniqueness of the Carolina Lowcountry and the global reach of its faculty, the program delivers a hands-on, global and interdisciplinary study of archaeology and its wider applications to the world.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Archaeology Program leverages globally engaged and research-oriented faculty with the unprecedented location of Charleston to develop the archaeologists of the future.

Unique and Interdisciplinary
The College of Charleston is the only university in the state and one of the few in the country that offers a major in archaeology. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to its curriculum, integrating the fields of:
- anthropology
- art history
- biology
- chemistry
- classics
- data science
- geology
- historic preservation
- history
- mathematics
Engaging, High-Impact Experiences

Students conducting fieldwork in Turkey

Archaeology at the College places you into an active and engaged learning environment from day one. Whether it is a class informed by a professor's research, analyzing artifacts or data in the lab, or fieldwork (here or abroad), you are an active contributor to understanding our past.
The Carolina Lowcountry as Laboratory

The Carolina Lowcountry contains a tremendous amount of cultural resources. You can work with state, local and national agencies; private cultural resource management firms; and descendent, Gullah Geechee and other communities via internships. These internships are available year-round. This work provides you with real-world experience, supports the entities for whom you are working and contributes to the broader community’s knowledge of its past.
Globally Engaged

Elijah Mcstotts '08 (r) excavating at Vatnsfjörður, Iceland
Archaeology at the College is global. Faculty conduct research in Egypt, France, Greece, Italy and the Caribbean, and students are active participants. Furthermore, you can leverage faculty and alumni networks to engage in such places as Central America, Scandinavia, western and central Europe, and the British Isles. College of Charleston archaeology students are global citizens in training.
Career Success

Program alumni are successful. Within two years of graduation, 80% of alumni are employed in a job related to archaeology or are pursuing advanced study. Alumni work in a variety of places such as museums, universities, government agencies, private foundations and consulting firms. They serve in many different roles such as educator, researcher, administrator and consultant. Alumni also find careers in such sectors as the law, spatial technology, informatics and energy.