Undergraduate Program

Majoring in Archaeology

Joining the major:

• No prerequisite courses are necessary before joining the major.
• Students can get major and advisor add forms from the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Nerissa Russell (nr29@cornell.edu).

Requirements for the major (for students joining in 2014-15 forward):

• Coursework requirements:
  • 32 credit hours from the Archaeology Courses of Study or related fields
    • 16 of the credit hours must be at the 3000-level or above.
• Major distribution requirements (Students are required to take the following number of courses from different categories within the Archaeology Courses of Study.)
  • Comparative Survey: One course.
  • Methods/Theory: Two courses.
  • Regional Concentrations: Students must take a minimum of one course in at least two different regional concentrations.
• Some notes on course credits:
  • Students select their courses in consultation with a major advisor of their choosing. In some areas of specialization, intensive language training should be coordinated with other studies as early as the freshman year.
  • To receive credit towards the major, students must receive a grade of C or better within a course.
  • A maximum of 4 of the 32 required credit hours can come from independent study courses (e.g., Arkeo 3000 Individual Study).
  • Fieldwork requirement:
    • Every student should gain some practical experience in archaeological fieldwork on a project authorized by his or her advisor.
    • This requirement may be waived in exceptional circumstances.
    • Scholarship opportunities for fieldwork: 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: see further information at http://ciams.cornell.edu/funding.

Graduating with honors: Please see Guidelines and Procedures for Undergraduate Honors in Archaeology

Minoring in Archaeology

Joining the minor:

• No prerequisite courses are necessary before joining the minor.
• Students can get minor add forms from the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Nerissa Russell (nr29@cornell.edu).

Requirements for the minor:

• Coursework requirements: (Students must take 5 archaeology courses, including courses from the following categories):
  • Comparative Survey: One course.
  • Methods/Theory: One course.
  • Regional Concentrations: Students must take a minimum of one course in at least two different regional concentrations.
  • Note: To receive credit towards the minor for a course, students must receive a grade of C or better.
  • Fieldwork: recommended, but not required
    • Minors are encouraged to gain some fieldwork experience.
    • Scholarship opportunities for fieldwork: Minors are eligible for Hirsch Scholarships in support of fieldwork on the same basis as majors.