Online Archaeology Courses and Training Programs

Archaeology is the understanding of past civilizations, in both ancient and modern times, through a scientific review of the material remains of that society or culture. Online programs lead to professional certificates, undergraduate or graduate degrees in archeology.

Summary of Online Archaeology Courses

Students interested in archaeology, which is a branch of anthropology, explore how past humans lived by studying the physical evidence that remains today. Well-known archaeological examples include the pyramids of Egypt and the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. Online archaeology programs lead to a bachelor's or master's degree in archaeology or anthropology, or a professional certificate for individuals already working in the field. Archaeologists are employed as field researchers, cultural resource specialists, college instructors, public and private government archaeologists, and as researchers or interpreters at national parks and museums.
Online archeology programs teach students the skills, tools and techniques used in field work, which is the main, time-consuming aspect of this discipline. Students survey and excavate sites, and analyze the materials found during an archeological 'dig.' These items are usually catalogued and referenced; archaeologists then issue reports on these findings.

Course Requirements

All discussion, content and communication for these archeology courses take place online. Students must have a computer with access to the Internet; they also need to know how to navigate the Internet and log into a school's virtual classroom. Successful students must know how to send e-mail with attachments and to communicate effectively in writing. Online archaeology course requirements include weekly lesson plans and reading assignments. Quizzes are taken online or may utilize an off-campus testing site.

List of Online Archaeology Courses

Theories and Approaches of Archaeology Course

Students in this introductory archeology course discuss why we study ancient cultures and what we can learn from them. They examine the approaches used in archaeology, and how that information is used to help us understand humanity's cultural shift toward the creation of cities and civilizations and the domestication of animals and plants.

World Archaeology Course

This online course focuses on major discoveries in archaeology. Students review ancient civilizations found in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, and study the findings of prehistoric sites. Students also learn about the achievements made by humanity through time and how they have shaped today's society.

Classical Archaeology Course

Online students learn about the archaeology of Italy, especially the growth and collapse that occurred between the Iron Age and the end of the Western Roman Empire. The architecture created by the Etruscan civilization is also reviewed. They learn to use historical and archaeological information to better understand how this peninsula developed culturally, socially and economically.

Archaeology of the Americas Course

Students review the archaeology of the Americas, especially before 1492. Because of the lack of written records before that time, archaeologists must study the pottery, tools, homes, earthworks and sculptures of the first Americans to gain an understanding of how these people lived. This course also covers the growth of civilization in the Americas.

Ancient Greece Archaeology Course

Students review Greek archaeology through the ages, based on images left behind and on descriptions found in Greek literature. This online course spans the Bronze Age through the Classical period, with emphasis on the city-states of Greece. Students explore the Dark Age, as well as the Mycenaean and Minoan eras.