Archaeology Paths to Success

The following are examples of course sequences that a student may want to take to prepare them for specific jobs or careers

The listed courses for particular career paths are suggestions only. Be sure to seek the advice of Keri Canada, your Academic Success Coordinator, as well as your professors to help you choose courses best suited for your career endeavors. Consult the CSU Course Catalog to ensure you are meeting degree requirements. Also, pursue practical experience through field school, practicums, internships, and volunteer opportunities.

In addition to taking the required courses for an anthropology major with a concentration in archaeology, the sections below illustrate other courses useful to specific career paths.

Cultural Resource Management

  • ANTH 260 - Introduction to Field Archaeology
  • GR 311 - GIS for Social Scientists
  • ANTH 352 – Geoarchaeology
  • ANTH 360 - Archaeological Investigation
  • ANTH 457 - Lithic Technology
  • ANTH 458 - Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management
  • ANTH 465 - Zooarchaeology
  • ANTH 460 - Field Class in Archaeology
  • ANTH 461 - Anthropological Report Preparation
  • ANTH 462 - Anthropology Curation & Exhibition Methods

A Cultural Resource Specialist conducts archaeology within a framework of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines for the protection and management of the nation’s cultural heritage. Jobs in this category are found at ShovelBums.org, Centennial Archaeology, Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc., and SWCA Environmental Consultants.

National Park Service

  • ANTH 260 - Introduction to Field Archaeology
  • ANTH 281A2 - Introduction to Museum Studies
  • ANTH 360 - Archaeological Investigation
  • ANTH 456 - Archaeology and the Public
  • ANTH 458 - Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management
  • ANTH 460 - Field Class in Archaeology
  • ANTH 461 - Anthropological Report Preparation
  • ANTH 462 - Anthropology Curation & Exhibition Methods
  • HIST 476 - History of America's National Parks

Archaeological Technicians working for the National Park Service focus on the preservation, conservation, resource management, and interpretation in the national parks throughout the United States. Jobs in this category are found at.

GIS Specialist

  • ANTH 352 – Geoarchaeology
  • ANTH 360 - Archaeological Investigation
  • ANTH 420 - Archaeological Geophysics: Practice and Theory
  • ANTH 458 - Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management
  • ANTH 460 - Field Class in Archaeology
  • ANTH 461 - Anthropological Report Preparation
  • GR 311 - GIS for Social Scientists
  • GR 315 - Quantitative Geographical Methods
  • GR 323 - Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
  • GR 420 - Spatial Analysis with GIS
  • Obtain professional GIS certificate

A GIS analyst collects, manages, analyzes, models, and presents geographic or spatial data relating to the environment, geography, geology and archaeology. Jobs in this category are found at.

Museum Curator/Collections Assistant

  • ANTH 260 - Introduction to Field Archaeology
  • ANTH 281A2 - Introduction to Museum Studies
  • ANTH 457 - Lithic Technology
  • ANTH 465 - Zooarchaeology
  • ANTH 456 - Archaeology and the Public
  • ANTH 460 - Field Class in Archaeology
  • ANTH 461 - Anthropological Report Preparation
  • ANTH 462 - Anthropology Curation & Exhibition Methods
  • ART325 - Concepts in Art Education
  • HIST 479 - Practice of Public History
  • LEAP 300 - Arts Outreach and Community Engagement

Museum curators and collections assistants are tasked with the organization, management, preservation, and interpretation of artifact collections held in museums, repositories, and interpretive centers. Jobs in this category are found at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Museum Employment Resource Center, and National Center for Preservation Technology Training.