Archaeology Colleges and Universities in the United States
Higher Education Articles March 27, 2013Depending on the specialization and degree-level, an archaeology degree program will prepare students to become a researcher, laboratory technician, preservation specialist, and museum curator. Programs vary in the laboratory experiences, fieldwork, and specializations they offer. In this article, we will discuss available degree programs along with how to select an archaeology college or university.
Selecting an Archaeology Degree Program
Archaeology programs are offered at the doctoral, master, and bachelor degree level s and are usually housed within anthropology departments. A student’s career aspirations and education level dictate which program will be appropriate for him or her to attend. However, students should consider attending a program that includes classroom-based learning, laboratory training, and fieldwork to ensure that they have received exposure to all three aspects of the field regardless of degree-level.
Many archeology entry-level positions require an undergraduate degree along with lab and field experience. Students should consider a college or university that offers state-of-the-art laboratory equipment to study excavated artifacts and one that operates an archaeology dig site to gain field experience. Having lab and field experience will be helpful in discovering an entry-level position after graduation.
Undergraduate degree students who do not have a specific area of interest can select programs that allow them to take courses in different areas, including Eastern history, art history, or ancient civilizations. The program will provide broad instructions in various types of archaeology, and help students identify their specific area of interest. Additionally, the program may offer students broad base skills that appeal to employers looking to fill entry-level positions.
Students enrolled in graduate programs should explore whether the program offers field experiences and coursework in areas of their interest. This will ensure that students are prepared for employment and received training in their specialization after graduation from the program.
Overview of Archaeology Program
Archaeology Bachelor Degree Program
Usually, an undergraduate degree program in archaeology prepares students to complete a graduate-level program in the field or work in a lab. Students who are enrolled in these programs will need to complete coursework in anthropological archaeology, foreign languages, and ancient civilizations. A majority of programs include laboratory and fieldwork components.
Archaeology Master Degree Program
Graduate degree program in archaeology usually allow students to specialize in a certain archaeological field. Available areas of concentration can include new world historical archaeology, old world archaeology, and African prehistoric archaeology. A majority of programs require students to write a thesis and include comprehensive examinations. Students who have graduated from these programs will be prepared for careers in historic preservation or museum curation.
Archaeology Ph.D. Program
Students in an archaeology doctoral program are trained to become museum curators, educators, and researchers. Students in these programs complete laboratory work, fieldwork, and courses in their area of specialty, and receive additional training in physical science, biology, and quantitative methods. These programs usually take four to six years to complete.
List of Colleges and Universities Offering Archaeology Programs in the United States
| Name of School | Student Enrollments | Location of School |
| University of Missouri – Columbia | 30,949 | 319 Jesse Hall – Columbia, OH 65211 |
| Boston University | 32,547 | One Silber Way – Boston, MA 02215 |
| Brigham Young University | 34,571 | 1 North University Avenue – Provo, UT 84606 |
| University of Wisconsin – La Crosse | 9,631 | 1725 State Street – La Crosse, WI 54601 |
| George Washington University | 25,367 | 2121 Eye Street NW – Washington, DC 20052 |
| Western Washington University | 14,576 | 516 High Street – Bellingham, WA 98225 |
| Pima Community College – Tucson | 34,136 | 4905 East Broadway Boulevard – Tucson, AZ 85709 |
| SUNY at Potsdam | 4,211 | 44 Pierrepont Avenue – Potsdam, NY 13676 |
| Palomar College | 26,813 | 1140 West Mission Road – San Marcos, CA 92069 |
| Ball State University | 20,788 | 2000 West University Avenue – Muncie, IN 47306 |
| Baylor University | 14,624 | 1311 South 5th Street – Waco, TX 76798 |
| Bowdoin College | 1,723 | 5000 South Street – Brunswick, ME 04011 |
| Bridgewater State College | 10,370 | 131 Summer Street – Bridgewater, MA 02325 |
| Brown University | 8,425 | 75 Waterman Street – Providence, RI 02906 |
| Cabrillo College | 16,581 | 6500 Soquel Drive – Aptos, CA 95003 |
| Canada College | 6,776 | 4200 Farm Hill Boulevard – Redwood City, CA 94061 |
| The College of Wooster | 1,800 | 1189 Beall Avenue – Wooster, OH 44691 |
| Cornell University | 20,850 | 410 Thurston Avenue – Ithaca, NY 14850 |
| CUNY Hunter College | 22,421 | 695 Park Avenue – New York, NY 10065 |
| Dickinson College | 2,388 | 28 North College Street – Carlisle, PA 17013 |
| Fresno City College | 24,788 | 1101 East University Avenue – Fresno, CA 93741 |
| Hamilton College | 1,872 | 198 College Hill Road – Clinton, NY 13323 |
| Haveford College | 1,169 | 370 Lancaster Avenue – Haverford, PA 19041 |
| Illinois State University | 20,885 | 100 North University Street – Normal, IL 61761 |
| Imperial Valley College | 8,943 | 380 East Aten Road – Imperial, CA 92251 |
| John Hopkins University | 7,418 | 1717 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest – Washington, DC 20036 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College | 22,437 | 6201 Winnetka Avenue – Woodland Hills, CA 91371 |
| Merced College | 10,884 | 3600 M Street – Merced, CA 95348 |
| Michigan Technological University | 7,281 | 1400 Townsend Drive – Houghton, MI 49931 |
| Mission College | 10,397 | 3000 Mission College Boulevard – Santa Clara, CA 95054 |
| Moorpark College | 16,090 | 7075 Campus Road – Moorpark, CA 93021 |
| New York University | 42,969 | 70 Washington Square South – New York, NY 10012 |
| Northland Pioneer College | 4,725 | 2251 Navajo Boulevard – Holbrook, AZ 86025 |
| Northwest College | 1,776 | 231 West 6th Street – Powell, WY 82435 |
| Norwalk Community College | 6,266 | 188 Richards Avenue – Norwalk, CT 06854 |
| Oberlin College | 2,865 | 37 West College Street – Oberlin, OH 44074 |
| Prescott College | 1,097 | 220 Grove Avenue – Prescott, AZ 86301 |
| Saint Mary’s College of California | 3,632 | 1928 Saint Mary Road – Moraga, CA 94556 |
| San Diego City College | 18,675 | 1313 Park Boulevard – San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Southern Adventist University | 2,895 | 4881 Taylor Circle – Collegedale, TN 37363 |
| Stanford University | 19,210 | 450 Serra Mall – Stanford, CA 94305 |
| Sweet Briar College | 826 | 134 Chapel Road – Sweet Briar, VA 24595 |
| University of Texas – Austin | 50,164 | 405 West 25th Street – Austin, TX 78705 |
| Tufts University | 10,300 | 419 Boston Avenue – Medford, MA 02155 |
| University of Evansville | 2,767 | 1800 Lincoln Avenue – Evansville, IN 47722 |
| University of Indianapolis | 4,779 | 1400 East Hanna Avenue – Indianapolis, IN 46227 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 21,828 | 3451 Walnut Street – Philadelphia, PA 19104 |
| University of Rio Grande | 1,877 | 218 North College Avenue – Rio Grande, OH 45674 |
| University of Southern California | 36,124 | 699 Exposition Boulevard – Los Angeles, CA 90089 |
| Washington University – St. Louis | 13,667 | One Brookings Drive – St. Louis, MO 63130 |
| Wellesley College | 2,498 | 106 Central Street – Wellesley, MA 02481 |
| Wesleyan University | 3,133 | 45 Wyllys Avenue – Middletown, CT 06459 |
| Western Wyoming Community College | 4,000 | 2500 College Drive – Rock Springs, WY 82901 |
| Wheaton College | 2,978 | 501 College Avenue – Wheaton, IL 60187 |
| Willamette University | 2,776 | 900 State Street – Salem, OR 97301 |
| Yale University | 11,668 | 155 Whitney Avenue – New Haven, CT 06511 |
| University of Akron | 24,464 | 302 East Buchtel Avenue – Akron, OH 44304 |
| University of Massachusetts | 14,364 | 100 Morrissey Boulevard – Boston, MA 02125 |
| University of North Carolina | 28,706 | 209 South Road – Chapel Hill, NC 27599 |
| Ohlone College | 12,896 | 43600 Mission Boulevard – Fremont, CA 94539 |
| University of California (UCLA) | 39,967 | 405 Hilgard Avenue – Los Angeles, CA 90095 |
| Pennsylvania State University | 45,233 | 201 Old Main – University Park, PA 16802 |
| University of Minnesota | 50,980 | 231 Pillsbury Drive S.E. – Minneapolis, MN 55455 |
