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.

Requirements for the major:

• Coursework requirements:
  • 32 credit hours from the Archaeology Course List 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 Course List.)
  • 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:
  • In order to extend student learning in the practice of archaeology outside the classroom, students are required to participate in a research experience approved by their advisor. This goal may be achieved through participation in field-based coursework, field-based research directed by Cornell faculty or outside researchers or institutions, hands-on laboratory research, or another supervised research experience that goes beyond classroom learning. CIAMS provides substantial scholarship support to reduce or eliminate costs associated with undergraduate participation in extramural fieldwork or other kinds of materials-based research. Our current curriculum offers a fieldwork course (ARKEO 2610) through which students may fulfill the requirement by participating in a local, historical archaeological excavation.
  • 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 https://archaeology.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.

Requirements for the minor:

• Coursework requirements: (Students must take 5 archaeology courses, including courses from the following categories - see Archaeology Course List):
  • 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. See further information at https://archaeology.cornell.edu/funding.