The MS in Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management is designed to be an accessible, affordable, local option for students looking to start or accelerate a career in the archaeology industry. This program will prepare students for careers across the private, non-profit, and public sectors, focusing on the skills they will need to flourish.
Graduates will have a competitive edge in a growing job market by offering practical, hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for the demands of the Cultural Resource Management (CRM) profession and creating a pathway for further academic study. For decades, Connecticut students seeking a career in the CRM industry have needed to move out of state, take on enormous debt, and compete for a limited number of spots in highly selective institutions. This program will provide a local, accessible, affordable opportunity for Connecticut students to pursue this career path and earn a good living here in the state.
SCSU faculty provides the expertise necessary to educate students in this program and is committed to the program’s goal of providing a curriculum that prepares them for industry work or doctoral training at top-tier universities. Leveraging partnerships with the state’s industry-leading firms and government institutions, the program will offer student internships and career pathways and recruit part-time faculty with years of industry experience. SCSU has amazing opportunities for students of this program outside of anthropology, and we have left flexibility in the degree program for students to take advantage of courses in history, earth sciences, geographical information systems, sociology, biology, or any other related field.
- Archaeological theory, method, and ethics
- Field work
- Laboratory work
- Cultural Resource Management
- Methodological specialties including but not limited to: Bioarchaeology, lithics, ceramics, historical period artifacts, museum studies, zooarchaeology, and archaeobotany
- Independent research and thesis writing
- Experiential learning opportunities in the field and laboratory
- Internship placements with partners in industry, government, and the non-profit sector
- An Accelerated Pathway 4+1 program for undergraduates looking to matriculate into a Master’s
- Rolling admissions and flexible one year, two year, and three year completion schedules
- Access to materials to complete original research, present at conferences, and publish in peer-reviewed journals
Students who complete the MS in Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical, methodological, and ethical standards of archaeology.
- Students will receive a strong framing for these skills in their first two semesters in Archaeological Methods, Laboratory Methods in Archaeology, Seminar in Archaeological Theory and Ethics, an advanced technique in archaeology course, and in their first summer with their Field School. In addition to assessment within the individual courses, students will be expected to fully express mastery of all three frameworks in their Thesis or Project.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts, legislation, and research trends in Cultural Resource Management (CRM).
- Students will receive training in these areas in their first semester in Cultural Resource Management. They will be expected to apply these skills as a part of their Internship. Faculty will collect feedback from external internship hosts to assess effectiveness of their knowledge.
- Be able to implement research methods, write technical reports, and conduct all the duties necessary for employment as a primary investigator in the CRM industry.
- Students will receive training in these skills in Laboratory Methods in Archaeology, Cultural Resource Management, Field School, and their Internship. Final projects in Lab Methods and CRM will be designed with feedback from industry professionals and used as assessment instruments.
- Understand the technologies, field techniques, and laboratory techniques necessary to conduct archaeological research.
- These skills will be taught and assessed in Archaeological Methods, Laboratory Methods in Archaeology, Field School, as well in electives where students can choose to focus on more specific skills. In addition to assessment within individual courses, students will be expected to express mastery in their Thesis or Project.
- Demonstrate the ability to conduct original research, including integrating elements of research design, literature review, methodology, and data analysis.
- The final projects of Archaeological Methods, and Laboratory Methods in Archaeology will require students to learn the process of conducting original research. Students’ Thesis or Project will require mastery of these skills. Assessment will be conducted by instructors and ultimately by each students’ thesis or project committee.
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of how archaeologists interpret our findings and educate about past peoples in a way that is humanistic and inclusive.
Students will learn these skills in Seminar in Archaeological Theory and Ethics, Cultural Resource Management, as well as in their advanced technique in archaeology courses, and others. Students will be assessed in each of these classes but will be expected to integrate an ethically-grounded, humanistic, and inclusive framework into their Thesis or Project.
Careers
This program will prepare students for managerial and executive positions in cultural resource management, heritage museums, and local, state, and federal heritage agencies. The program will also prepare students for doctoral training at research universities.
Typical Job Titles
- Primary Investigator
- Senior Archaeologist
- Project Archaeologist
- Museum Curator
- Historic Preservation Officer
- Staff Archaeologist
- Environmental and Heritage Reviewer
- Research Scientist
Accreditation
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation require a “graduate degree in archeology, anthropology, or closely related field.” These guidelines are followed by the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA). Archaeologists who do not meet these qualifications and/or are not members of the RPA cannot conduct many tasks required by federal and state statutes.