This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2005-2006 (archived)
Module ARCH2041: APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
Department: Archaeology
ARCH2041: APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 2 | 20 | Available in 2005/2006 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- Scientific Methods in Archaeology (ARCH1041) OR Applied Archaeological Methods (ARCH1081) PLUS a Science A level.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- The module presents the scientific procedures and methods that form the basis of a selection of key archaeological science techniques including: data analysis, scientific dating methods, geophysical techniques, materials analysis and palaeoenvironmental analysis.
- To provide an insight into the principles of such techniques from a theoretical standpoint and relate this discussion to experimental methods used and the interpretation of the results.
Content
- The module offers students training in the theoretical and applied aspects of methods employed in archaeological science drawn from the following themes: dating, human palaeoecology, materials and prospection.
- The relationship between the theoretical principles and experimental procedures of techniques employed is explained, together with the different types of data obtained and approaches to their analysis.
- These aspects are examined in the context of current applications of the method as presented in the current research literature.
- The module is taught by lectures, seminars and tutorials.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module the student will have gained: i) an understanding of the theoretical basis of several key areas of archaeological science methods and their application to archaeological problems and ii) a grounding in the relationship between theory, observation and interpretation in archaeological science research.
Subject-specific Skills
- Gain core skills pertaining to archaeological science including the selection of appropriate survey, compositional, dating and metric methods for analysing archaeological sites and materials.
- Gain core skills pertaining to archaeological science including the interpretation of elemental composition, taphonomic, geophysical and dating data.
Key Skills
- Develop competence in transferable skills such as independent research and effective written communication of complex scientific and archaeological issues.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- TEACHING & LEARNING: Lectures; tutorials; seminars; self-guided learning
- ASSESSMENT: Examination; essay.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 6 | 3 Per Term (Term 1 and Term 2) | 2 Hours | 12 | |
| Tutorials | 6 | 3 Per Term (Term 1 and Term 2) | 1 Hour | 6 | |
| Seminars | 3 | 3 in Term 2 | 2 Hours | 6 | |
| Revision | 1 | 1 in Term 3 | 2 Hours | 2 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 174 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 34% | Essay | 3000 words | 100% | |
| Summative Assessment | 67% | Examination | 2 hour exam paper | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Essay (1500 - 2000 words) submitted in Michaelmas Term.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.