How much education does it take to become an archaeologist?

Hello all.
I've been trying to deicde whether to pursue an MBA and become filthy rich or be an archaeologist studying the traces of humanities past, and hopefully finding mythical places such as Atlantis or something. Though I've tried finding information on the schooling it takes to become an Archaeologist it seems a bit complicated and there are not any one path to take in order to study for this. Does anyone know the amount of education it takes, and where the best education in this field is at?

In France BAC + 4-5 years in Louvre - it 's ok for you ?

Good luck chapo

I have a minimal collage education with zero degress. I am in NO way claiming to be an archiologist.
I just happen to KNOW people and organisations that are involved in many aspects of archiology. I have been invited along on quite a few dig sites and to ancient living spaces in the western USA four corners area. I have only worked in the areana of the ancient Anasasi culture. I have experianced the thrill of what it would truly be like to do this kind of work full time. It really doesnt pay much, the rewards are in the process of discovery.
You can get/find a job with the park service and find yourself involved in this area of study purely by accident. Park service employess though generally dont get to pick and choose where they are asigned, so it really isnt the best route.
Get involved in a group such as U.R.A.R.A (Utah rock art reasearch assc) or another study group along the same lines........in THIS way you can get a taste of what it really takes, and be involved in discovery in a real way WITHOUT having to have the degrees usually asscociated in the field. That might be a good first step to help you make your choice.
ALSO...think........IF you get RICH$$$$$ you can retire early and focus on things you would rather be doing besides making money. You would then also have the cashflow to back up the adventures you choose to partake in......................MOST true archiological digs NEED volunteers to do alot of the work. Rich folks can CHOOSE to go and do this kind of thing, whereas someone who scrapes by trying to make a living at it, may not have as many choices as to WHAT/WHERE they can make a living. They must go where the bread and butter is and that is NOT looking for Atlantis.

My advise is to get involved in a research group to whet your appitite, but get the degree that will make you the most money in the shortest amount of time. Then you can persue your hearts desire full time without the constant worry of bill paying. Get am MBA and start a company that focuses on Archiology and discovery...............


[edit on 7-11-2004 by theRiverGoddess]

My sister wanted to be an archaeologist, but didn't have the required amount of $$$.

She said they want you to be quite good in MATH (obviously geometry, lat/longitude, calculating dates, etc, etc, etc)
So make sure ya got a high grade in that.
(this was over 8+ years ago, things might have changed)


(I wanted to pursue such a job as well and explore the world, but alas.. my math skills are the WORST!)

If you are intrested in pursuing a career in Archeology you will need extensive schooling. Archeology is offered at many liberal arts institutions at the undergrad and graduate levels. Archeology is tremendously intresting but much of it is book work and tiresless detailed digging, if you have idealistic dreams of finding Atlantis you may be sorrowfully disapointed. Archeology is definatly not a get rich quick venture and most of your finds are attributed to a universtiy or museum that you are working for, therefore your salary is rather fixed and you are dependent on winning grants. If you are intrested in Archeology but do not want to make a career out of it there are many amature groups as well as professional organizations that allow you to volunteer time or work summers at dig sights. You might be intrested to know that many great archeological finds have been made by absolute amatures. The discovery of the city of Troy was made by a wealthy German banker.

Research your local and state archaeology associations. Join up. You can volunteer as an amateur right now to assist on digs nearby or overseas. Take or audit a course at a local college- the Professor will be a great guidence counselor for you. If this is your life's passion, go to a major university and take the reccomended courses plus Archaeoastronomy or astronomy. If not, begin studying business now and pursue the volunteer digs and self study. Then go for it at retirement. Albert Schweitzer became a surgeon at 45 or something like that. Either way, follow your intellectual hunger, look for the forgotten angle, you will succeed and the money will follow. Especially if YOU become the Professor.

[edit on 7-11-2004 by Chakotay]

"How much education does it take to become an archaeologist?"

Four years playing in a sandbox as a kid and practice using a shovel?

Purely going by what some of them claim it would seem that no more education than that is needed ....

Originally posted by TheBigD
I've been trying to deicde whether to pursue an MBA and become filthy rich or be an archaeologist studying the traces of humanities past, and hopefully finding mythical places such as Atlantis or something. Though I've tried finding information on the schooling it takes to become an Archaeologist it seems a bit complicated and there are not any one path to take in order to study for this. Does anyone know the amount of education it takes, and where the best education in this field is at?

Okay, I can give you a direct answer here-- it will take a PhD before you get put in charge of any digs, though you can do work with a Master's degree.

I'm kind of in the same situation -- my (second) Masters' that I'm getting now is in Anthropology and I had exactly ZERO courses in it before running off to become an anthropologist. I have had to take five courses to "level" and then the courses for the degree in Applied Anthropology... say, working fulltime and going to school in the evenings it's about a 3 year process. You will need courses in anthropology as well as geology and you'll need field school expeirence.

It's really quite fun, though you'll come to find that archaeologists are EXTREMELY picky and EXTREMELY literal. And you'll get to learn lots about rocks and sedimentation and how sites are formed and how to date sites and an incredible amount of other trivialities. Along the way you'll learn odd skills like flintknapping arrow and spear points and how to throw an atlatl and how to read ancient languages. And you'll start learning your target cultures in depth.

And read. Oh heavens will you get a BOATLOAD of reading!

You will NEVER see the world in the same way again... I can promise you!

Some of your local archaeological societies will offer you field schools, and you should take every one of those that you can manage. It's gruelling work and the data is often confusing and the darn Primary Investigators won't TELL you anything. You have to learn how to figure things out for yourself. They will, however, tell you in excruciating detail when you're wrong.

I don't know much about schools outside Texas. Here in Texas, University of North Texas (where I am) has a good school with some folks that are "names" in the field. The profs are accessible -- a bonus.

Texas A&M is probably THE place for things like rock art and pre-Clovis culture.

SMU (where I'll be getting a PhD in Anthropology) is top-notch for paleoindian material and for paleontologists (who aren't archaeologists but study dinosaurs and mammoths and other life forms.)

When you go for your PhD, you'll want enough money to support your family and you for about 2 years. You will need to go fulll-time and will be expected to become a Teaching Assistant for the department. The TA job pays about $10/hour currently, so you can see that you'll need other sources of income to make your way.

There's a yahoo group called "shovelbums" that has regular announcements and you can run off for a week or six on a project (once you have a field school behind you) and earn some wages digging on projects around the US.

Originally posted by Chakotay
Research your local and state archaeology associations. Join up. You can volunteer as an amateur right now to assist on digs nearby or overseas. Take or audit a course at a local college- the Professor will be a great guidence counselor for you. If this is your life's passion, go to a major university and take the reccomended courses plus Archaeoastronomy or astronomy. If not, begin studying business now and pursue the volunteer digs and self study. Then go for it at retirement. Albert Schweitzer became a surgeon at 45 or something like that. Either way, follow your intellectual hunger, look for the forgotten angle, you will succeed and the money will follow. Especially if YOU become the Professor.

By the way, Chakotay gives excellent advice here. You CAN volunteer on digs and get experience. And archaeoastronomy is a neat course if you can find it.

He's right... it's never too late. I'm proof of that, too!

Only to Byrd (all of you chut up ) Hi Byrd, good news from you-anthropologie - Castaneda like: or diplomes and very,very ...up?

Felicitations boy!! chapo

Originally posted by chapo
In France BAC + 4-5 years in Louvre - it 's ok for you ?

Good luck chapo

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And Idon't say the rest; here is free bingo !!! chapo

Originally posted by chapo
Only to Byrd (all of you chut up ) Hi Byrd, good news from you-anthropologie - Castaneda like: or diplomes and very,very ...up?

Felicitations boy!! chapo

Castaneda �tait un anthropologue qualifi� par universit�. Mais il �tait trop paresseux pour rechercher et ainsi a compos� son mat�riel. Nous toute la cr�dibilit� perdue avec sa fraude.

J'�tudie l'anthropologie de l'Internet. Ce n'est pas le secteur habituel de recherche en mati�re d'anthropologie. J'�tudie beaucoup de groupes peu communs sur l'Internet. C'est amusement.

TRANSLATION FOR THOSE WHO DON'T SPEAK FRENCH (I'M USING BABELFISH, AND DON'T WRITE FRENCH. I'M SURE THE FRANCOPHONES WILL CATCH ME AT THIS)
( Castaneda was a university trained anthropologist. But he was too lazy to research and so made up his material. We all lost credibility with his fraud.

I am studying the anthropology of the internet, which is an unusual anthropology research area. I'm researching internet groups. It's fun.)

Cool. I appreciate everyones responses and participation, thank you. I've decided I'll try and find some amateur archaeological groups while I pursue an MBA to become filthy rich, then when I'm filthy rich I'll become an archaeologist. Thanks everyone!