UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This Unit provides intensive training in essential archaeological field skills. Students receive hands-on instruction before and after the field school and learn to: formulate a research design, satisfy all legal, safety and ethical compliances, conduct field surveys, create and use artefact and site recording forms, recognise and excavate stratified deposits, take samples for radiocarbon dating, use camera equipment, use survey equipment for site and topographical mapping, prepare and create section drawings, process finds, analyse finds, store finds, and publish results. During fieldwork students develop skills working in teams and with stakeholders such as land owners, Indigenous Australians, media, and the public. The final report is an output that can be listed on the student's professional CV.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Semester 2	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 2 core unit in the Archaeology major sequence

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) develop research designs utilising key theoretical, practical, and ethical principles of archaeological field work; (2) use appropriate knowledge, skills, and methods to undertake and process basic archaeological surveying, excavation, sampling, and surface collection; (3) work in a team in field conditions in a safe, efficient, and ethical manner; and (4) create recording forms and field journals to professional standards.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) technical assignments; (2) final trip report; and (3) field journal. Further information is available in the unit outline.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Emilie Dotte and Professor Alistair Paterson

Unit rules

Prerequisites

ARCY1001 Think Like an Archaeologist
and ARCY1002 Experimenting with Archaeology

or

ARCY1001 Think Like an Archaeologist
or ARCY1002 Experimenting with Archaeology and one of ANTH1001, GEOG1104, GEOG1106, EART1104, EART1105
or HIST1901

Incompatibility

Successful completion of

ARCY3002 Doing Archaeology: Fieldschool

Approved quota: 35—selection is based on the weighted average mark (WAM). However, selection will guarantee a place to anyone needing to take the unit to complete their major.

Incidental fees

Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available "
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):
(1) Field School expenses (outside metropolitan area) (estimated cost - Between $100-$600)
(2) Field School expenses (within metropolitan area) (estimated cost - Between $100-$600).

Contact hours

3-hour lecture-practical every second week
field school: 7-9 days during the mid-semester break, and 8 hours of laboratory artefact cataloguing during semester following the field school

Note

This unit teaches skills and content that are recognised and can be recorded as Group A and/or Group B Skills according to the Australian Archaeology Skills Passport of the Australian Archaeological Association: https://australianarchaeologicalassociation.com.au/careers-resources/the-australian-archaeology-skills-passport/

To deliver the individual and group learning outcomes of this unit, participation in all learning experiences and assessment tasks is essential. Non-participation will result in some, or all vital content being missed, marks not earned, and/or penalties being applied.

The field work component runs for ~7-12 days, usually during the mid-semester break. Students should ensure that they are able to attend every day of the field school during these times. Students should not enroll for this unit if they are unable to attend each day of the fieldschool or the lecture-practicals before and after the fieldschool. This is a great Work Integrated Learning experience that teaches essential archaeological skills in a real-world situation. And it is fun!

There are incidental fees up to $600 for this unit to cover fieldwork-related costs for the running of the field school component.

This unit teaches skills and content that are recognised and can be recorded as Group A and/or Group B Skills according to the Australian Archaeology Skills Passport of the Australian Archaeological Association: https://australianarchaeologicalassociation.com.au/careers-resources/the-australian-archaeology-skills-passport/ .

If students anticipate difficulties in completing their fieldwork due to special circumstances (e.g. health reasons), they should contact the unit coordinator as soon as possible. Alternative arrangements may be possible in limited circumstances.

Texts

Burke, Heather, Michael Morrison  and Claire Smith. 2017. The archaeologist's field handbook. Crow's Nest: Allen & Unwin.

Book is available in electronic and hard copy in Reid Library.