Professor talking to a TV crew at a field site — Professor Mica Glantz (left) talking to a TV crew during a field research program in Kazakhstan with students and other faculty in 2013.

Archaeology

Students in the Archaeology concentration learn how past societies interacted with each other and shaped the landscapes and environments they inhabited by excavation and analysis of their material culture.

When you choose an Archaeology concentration at CSU, you will learn about and investigate ancient and historic societies and examine material cultures in the Americas and worldwide. Our Archaeology program provides a broad range of courses designed to provide foundational knowledge in the classroom and further engage students in experiential learning in our labs and field school.

Our students acquire theoretical and foundational knowledge in the classroom and acquire practical skills via experiential learning through our Archaeology Field School, internships and work in the CSU Archaeological Repository and other faculty-led labs, Education Abroad classes, and more. Many Archaeology students also complete a certificate in Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies.

With a concentration in archaeology, students learn how to preserve, catalogue, and manage cultural resources, use technologies such as LiDAR and remote sensing. You also learn methods based in geoarchaeology and geophysics to understand past populations and share that knowledge with the public and among archaeology and anthropology professionals.

What You’ll Study

As an Archaeology student, you complete an Anthropology B.A. with a focused courseload and curriculum to help you prepare for research and careers in archaeology and cultural resources management. Archaeology students enroll in additional Archaeological Concepts and Practice courses and Archaeological Methods courses while fulfilling other general Anthropology requirements.

Our archaeology faculty research and teach topics that explore archaeology in Colorado, the Americas, and globally, examining a range of subjects and study areas. Classes are offered on-campus and online as well as abroad and field school opportunities.

CSU Course Catalog

ANTH 140: Introduction to Archaeology

Students are introduced to and explore the origins of human society from the Stone Age to urban civilization. Learn what past architecture, art, tools, and other material remains can tell us about past peoples and societies.
ANTH 352: Geoarchaeology

Learn about analytical techniques, concepts, and field methodologies from the earth sciences that can be applied to better understand the archaeological record.
ANTH 457: Lithic Technology

Explore and apply the method and theory behind production, use, and discard of stone tools by prehistoric peoples. Students gain hands-on applications with stone tool use in lab settings.

Career & Professional Pathways

Graduates in archaeology have the skills to build careers in government agencies, cultural resource management (CRM), historical preservation, law, public education, and museum curation.

Careers in archaeology include:

Cultural resources specialist
Environmental archaeologist
National Park Service technician
Archaeology project manager
Museum director and collections manager
Geospatial analyst
Archaeology lab director

careers page

Student Experiences

Archaeology Field School

Running since 1969, the CSU Archaeology Field School provides a formative experiential learning opportunity, bringing students to locales across Colorado and beyond to apply classroom lessons at archaeological sites. Students learn archaeological field methods and gain valuable training for careers in archaeology and cultural resource management.

field school page

Study Abroad

Archaeology students can travel to and learn at archaeological and cultural-heritage sites in England and Italy through unique and innovative education abroad classes that combine international travel with additional online instruction.

Edge of Empire: Hadrian’s Wall in England

Pompeii: Life and Death of a Roman City in Italy

Two students packing sand and plaster mix into mini muffin molds making dig kits

Anthropology Club

The undergraduate Anthropology Club and Geography Club are open to all interested students and community members. Clubs meet several times a month throughout the school year and host social and academic events.

Anthropology & Geography Club Page

Student Work and Research

Faculty Labs and Student Research

CSU Archaeology students learn valuable research skills in faculty-led archaeology labs and research centers. Labs include the CSU Archaeological Repository, the Center for Archaeology and Remote Sensing, the Center for Mountain and Plains Archaeology, and the Center for Research in Archaeogeophysics and Geoarchaeology.

Labs & Centers Page

Internships

Many students also complete internships with federal agencies, museums, and cultural resource management firms and gain training with GIS, artifact curation, geoarchaeological analyses, remote sensing methods, and report writing.

Internships page