11th January 2006, 01:50 PM
Totally agree with all said so far. Yes, university archaeology departments do need to spend more time 'training' people for a career in archaeology (how to use an SMR, PPG16, law, planning etc) but unfortunately the universities have very little power to do this at an undergraduate level (although some like Bradford do it) 
.
Departments are under more and more pressure to provide students with 'cross-transferable skills' - i.e. people can do an archaeology degree and then go off and have a completely different career. It is therefore at the postgraduate level, not undergraduate, when this training must take place. People will have already decided that archaeology is for them, but need more training, experience, and contacts to help them on their way.
Courses like the Oxford MSc Professional Archaeology are an excellent way of doing this. It enables you to have 3 three-month placements with different archaeological organisations (units, EH, local authorities, IFA, museums, academic departments etc). The course is available full-time and part-time. Both can be expensive (Oxford like to charge you extra just cos they're Oxford) but as Beer Beast said, there are grants etc. available if you ask enough (as an ex-graduate of this course with AHRB funding to do it I should know).
Sounds great and other unis should join in.... BUT (here's the bombshell [:0]) there is only ONE full-time person registered on this course this year - WHY?
Perhaps it is the cost, perhaps the department don't publicise it enough, perhaps it is not aimed clearly enough at undergrads who want to work in archaeology but need a little more experience. Any other ideas?
. Departments are under more and more pressure to provide students with 'cross-transferable skills' - i.e. people can do an archaeology degree and then go off and have a completely different career. It is therefore at the postgraduate level, not undergraduate, when this training must take place. People will have already decided that archaeology is for them, but need more training, experience, and contacts to help them on their way.
Courses like the Oxford MSc Professional Archaeology are an excellent way of doing this. It enables you to have 3 three-month placements with different archaeological organisations (units, EH, local authorities, IFA, museums, academic departments etc). The course is available full-time and part-time. Both can be expensive (Oxford like to charge you extra just cos they're Oxford) but as Beer Beast said, there are grants etc. available if you ask enough (as an ex-graduate of this course with AHRB funding to do it I should know).
Sounds great and other unis should join in.... BUT (here's the bombshell [:0]) there is only ONE full-time person registered on this course this year - WHY?
Perhaps it is the cost, perhaps the department don't publicise it enough, perhaps it is not aimed clearly enough at undergrads who want to work in archaeology but need a little more experience. Any other ideas?