The Major
Prospective majors must complete ARKEO 1200 or one of the basic courses as defined below before they will be admitted to the major. This initial course will not be counted toward the major requirements. Because the major draws on the teaching and research interests of faculty from many departments to present a broad view of the archaeological process, interested students should discuss their course of study with a participating faculty member as early as possible. In some areas of specialization, intensive language training should be coordinated with other studies as early as the freshman year.
Once admitted to the major, students must take at least 32 additional credits from the Archaeology Courses of Study or from related fields, selected in consultation with a major adviser of their choosing. A grade of B- or better is required to receive credit towards the major. The courses chosen should provide exposure to a broad range of cultures known through archaeology and to the methods of uncovering and interpreting them. Sixteen of the credit hours should be at the 3000 level or above. At least two courses must be taken from each of the following categories: II. Anthropological Archaeology; III. Classical, Near Eastern, and Medieval Archaeology; IV. Methodology and Technology. Only 4 credits of ARKEO 3000 Individual Study or other supervised study can count toward the major.
Courses basic to the discipline of archaeology are marked with the word “Basic” after the number of credit hours. It is recommended that majors who are planning to pursue graduate studies in archaeology should take at least two of the basic courses in each category. Further courses in languages and in geology are also recommended.

Honors. Honors in archaeology are awarded on the basis of the quality of an honors essay and the student’s overall academic record. Prospective honors students should have a 3.5 GPA (grade point average) in the major and a 3.0 grade point overall. They should consult with the director of undergraduate studies before the beginning of the senior year. Students enroll in ARKEO 4981 Honors Thesis Research, and to complete the thesis, they enroll in ARKEO 4982 Honors Thesis Writeup. Both courses are offered in the fall and spring. Only ARKEO 4981 may count toward hours for completion of the archaeology major requirements. The credit hours for these courses are variable.

Fieldwork. Every student should gain some practical experience in archaeological fieldwork on a project authorized by his or her adviser. This requirement may be waived in exceptional circumstances. The Jacob and Hedwig Hirsch bequest provides support for a limited number of students to work at excavations sponsored by Cornell and other approved institutions.

The Minor
To minor in archaeology, the student must complete five courses, all with a grade of B- or better. The five courses must consist of either: (1) ARKEO 1200 and four other courses from categories II–IV (described above), at least three of which must be basic courses, or (2) five courses from categories II–IV, at least four of which must be basic courses. Note that categories II-IV must be covered with at least one class. Minors are encouraged to gain some fieldwork experience. They are eligible for Hirsch Scholarships in support of fieldwork on the same basis as majors.

First Year Writing Seminars. For course descriptions, see the First-Year Writing Program brochure.

For more information, contact Margaret Rolfe, Undergraduate Coordinator, (607) 255-5137, mr37@cornell.edu.