Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2005-2006 (archived)

Module ARCH1041: SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN ARCHAEOLOGY

Department: ARCHAEOLOGY

ARCH1041: SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN ARCHAEOLOGY

Type	Open	Level	1	Credits	20	Availability	Available in 2005/06	Module Cap	None.	Location	Durham

Prerequisites

None; only available to students taking the BSc (Hons) Archaeology [F402] or to students in the Faculty of Science.

Corequisites

None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

This module is only available to students in the Faculty of Science. In addition, Applied Archaeological Methods (ARCH1081) may not be taken after or with this module.

Aims

This module will provide students with a grounding in a range of scientific methods and techniques used in contemporary archaeology through a critical examination of case studies which stress the significance of scientific techniques appropriate to archaeological questions.

Content

Students will be taught the basic principles underlying the scientific techniques used in archaeology by means of a series of case studies.
The module will include the following topics: dating, environmental archaeology, archaeological prospection, human remains in archaeology, and archaeological materials.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

By the end of the module, students will have gained an introductory knowledge of the fundamentals of archaeological science.

Subject-specific Skills:

Basic familiarity with a wide range of biological, physical and environmental methods used in archaeology

Key Skills:

To gain direct experience in essay writing
Use of the Library
Tutorial work
Problem solving

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

TEACHING & LEARNING: Lectures; tutorials; self-guided learning.
ASSESSMENT: Examination; essays; short-answer test.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Lectures	22	2 Per Week with Gaps	1 Hour	22
Tutorials	3		1 Hour	3
Preparation and Reading				175
Total				200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Written examination	3 hours	100%

Formative Assessment:

Two essays of approx 2,000 words. One short-answer test.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University