Master of Archaeology

The Master of Archaeology is a 72-unit coursework program offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law. The course may be taken over four semesters full-time or the equivalent part-time.

The Master of Archaeology articulates with the 18-unit Graduate Certificate in Archaeology and the 36-unit Graduate Diploma in Archaeology.

Students may choose to exit from the Master of Archaeology with the Graduate Certificate in Archaeology or Graduate Diploma in Archaeology, provided that they have met the requirements for these degrees.

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Credit
  
• Program of study
  
  

Admission requirements

Applicants must normally hold:

• an approved bachelor degree or equivalent qualification in Archaeology or a related discipline from an approved tertiary institution and have achieved a grade point average of 5.6 in the upper level topics in the major sequence in Archaeology or a closely related discipline, or
• a Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or an equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution in one of the following disciplines and have achieved a grade point average of 5.6 in this award: Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Management, Maritime Archaeology or a closely related discipline, or
• an approved Honours degree in Archaeology or a closely related discipline from an approved tertiary institution.
  

Under exceptional circumstances and subject to specific conditions, the Faculty Board may admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

The course aims to meet the research and professional needs of graduates with an interest in Australian archaeology and archaeological field practice.

It aims to increase the theoretical knowledge, research skills and applied skills required to develop appropriate depth of understanding of issues in a number of related specialisations in archaeology and to provide students with the opportunity to complete a substantial research project.

The course draws on both theoretical and practical material and provides the opportunity for students to apply both the principles and the practical skills developed during the course.

Learning outcomes

Upon graduating successfully, students will be equipped to:

• enter the workforce as skilled and knowledgeable professional archaeologists
• understand the requirements of undertaking archaeological fieldwork and be able to employ a wide range of advanced fieldwork methods and techniques on any archaeological research project
• understand major issues in Australian archaeology, conservation and archaeological field methods and practice and be able to apply this knowledge to a wide range of practical situations
• undertake large-scale archaeological research or consultancy projects
• undertake their work as professional archaeologists in an ethical manner.

Credit

Students who have successfully completed the requirements of the Graduate Certificate in Archaeology, on admission to the Masters degree, receive 18 units of specified credit towards the course. Students who have successfully completed the requirements of the Graduate Diploma in Archaeology, on admission to the Masters degree, receive 36 units of specified credit towards the course. Students who have successfully completed the requirements of an approved Honours degree in Archaeology or a closely related discipline may be eligible to receive up to 36 units of credit on admission to the course.
Unspecified credit may, under certain circumstances, and subject to specific conditions, be granted for candidates who show relevant and extensive experience.

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Archaeology, a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

Students undertake 27 units of core topics and 45 units of option topics of which at least 31.5 units must be chosen from Group A topics.

Core - Year 1 & 2 topics

27 units comprising 

 ARCH8020  Research Methods in Archaeology  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8309A  Advanced Research Projects  (4.5 units)

plus 18 units from the following

 ARCH8506  Archaeology Thesis  (18 units) 
 ARCH8506A  Archaeology Thesis  (9 units) 
 ARCH8506B  Archaeology Thesis  (9 units)

plus 45 units of option topics. At least 31.5 units must be chosen from Group A topics.

Option - Group A topics

 ARCH8018  Introduction to Cultural Heritage Management  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8150  Maritime Archaeology in Australia  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8151  Coastal and Underwater Archaeology  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8152  Maritime Archaeological Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8401  Historical Archaeology of Australia  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8402  The Museum  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8404  Directed Study in Archaeology  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8405  The Archaeology of Australian Stone Artefacts  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8407  The Archaeology of Art  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8408  Human Osteology  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8409  Issues in Australian Rock Art  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8410  Archaeology of Indigenous Australia  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8411  Paleoanthropology  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8518  Cultural Heritage Practicum  (4.5 units) OR
 ARCH8518A  Cultural Heritage Practicum  (9 units)
 ARCH8801  Archaeological Field Methods  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8802  Conservation Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8803  Indigenous Australian Archaeology Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8804  Ethnoarchaeology in Aboriginal Australia Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8805  Australian Rock Art Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8806  Historical Archaeology Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8807  Advanced Archaeology Field School  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8808  Introductory Archaeological Geophysics  (4.5 units)

Option - Group B topics

 ARCH8015  Grants and Sponsorship Proposals  (4.5 units)
 ARCH8017  Cultural Heritage and the Law  (4.5 units)
 BIOL8703  Vertebrate Palaeontology GE  (4.5 units)
 ENVS7711  Environmental Management  (4.5 units)
 ENVS8711  Australian Environmental Change GE  (4.5 units)
 ENVS8732  Environmental Impact Assessment GE  (4.5 units)
 ENVS8741  Managing Environments GE  (4.5 units)
 ENVS9701  Sustainable Environmental Management  (4.5 units)
 ENVS9702  Urban Environmental Management  (4.5 units)
 ENVS9712  Environmental Policy Development/Analysis  (4.5 units)
 GEOG8700  Geographical Information Systems GE  (4.5 units)
 GEOG8701  Introduction to Remote Sensing GE  (4.5 units)
 GEOG8731  GIS Modelling GE  (4.5 units)
 HIST8005  Heritage and Community History  (4.5 units)
 TOUR8111  Essentials of Festival and Event Design and Management  (4.5 units)
 TOUR8115  Essentials of Interpretation  (4.5 units)
 TOUR8118  Destination Image and Tourism  (4.5 units)