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| ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar | Fall 2014

Archaeology

Doctor of Philosophy

Areas of Study

The department offers specialization in archaeometry, art, ceramic analysis, cultural resource management, ethnoarchaeology, forensic anthropology, geoarchaeology, historical archaeology, lithic analysis, palaeoanthropology, palaeoethnobotany, skeletal biology and zooarchaeology.

The student gains a comprehensive understanding of the discipline and strives to acquire a general knowledge of world prehistory, physical anthropology, and archaeological theory and method, in addition to gaining knowledge and expertise in particular areas of research interest. Depending on enrollments, individual or group courses can be arranged in addition to regularly scheduled courses.

Degree Requirements

A distinction is made between program enrolment and formal advancement to degree candidacy. A candidate is a student who successfully completes advancement to candidacy requirements (defined below). Normally, advancement happens once the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV residency is fulfilled, but not later than the end of the ninth term after PhD admission and not later than the end of the sixth term for MA students.

The doctoral program consists of these sequential steps: course requirements, comprehensive exam, thesis prospectus, colloquium presentation, advancement to candidacy, thesis completion and defence.

Course Requirements

In addition to the comprehensive exams and thesis, students must complete the two core graduate courses as shown below

ARCH 871 - Archaeological Theory (5)

Critical evaluation of new approaches to the study of the human past.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Sep 2 – Dec 1, 2014: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Sep 2 – Dec 1, 2014: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–1:20 p.m.
Burnaby
Burnaby
ARCH 876 - Research Design (5)

Seminar focusing on the development of thesis research design and data analysis.

Students also complete one or more additional courses for graduate credit. Individual course requirements are determined in consultation with the supervisory comittee.

Each term that these courses are offered, students are also required to complete both of

ARCH 872 - Graduate Seminar in Archaeology and Prehistory (0)

A seminar on selected problems in archaeological science and prehistory. Grading will be restricted to satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U).

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Sep 2 – Dec 1, 2014: Thu, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
ARCH 873 - Graduate Seminar in Archaeology and Prehistory (2)

A seminar on selected problems in archaeological science and prehistory. Students may take ARCH 873 for credit once in the graduate program.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
TBD

Comprehensive Exam

Students write a comprehensive examination prior to candidacy to test general knowledge in archaeology and in three regional or topical areas. Grading is on a pass/fail basis but the examination or parts thereof may be repeated once, at the department’s discretion.

Advancement to Candidacy

Formal advancement to candidacy happens when the following have been completed:

  • completion of two of the minimum three graduate courses, and successful performance in the comprehensive exam
  • submission of a written thesis prospectus to the supervisory committee, outlining proposed research and relevant background to the research.
  • approval of the thesis prospectus by the supervisory committee, followed by presentation of an oral colloquium on the substance of the prospectus.

The colloquium is not considered a defence of the prospectus, but a means whereby students may benefit from the department’s collective expertise.

Language Requirement

A knowledge of a language other than English is desirable, but there are no prescribed language requirements. However, if knowledge of a language is necessary for the field work or reading, he/she will be required to attain the necessary language proficiency.

Thesis

After the above, students advance to candidacy, and complete and defend the thesis. The defence topic will be the thesis itself and related matters. The thesis should represent original, problem-oriented research which makes a significant contribution to knowledge.

Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations

All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the  (residence, course work, academic progress, supervision, research competence requirement, completion time, and degree completion), as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled, as shown above.