Digging at the Lott House, Brooklyn, New York.
Field Schools
The Department of Anthropology requires majors to have hands-on experience in the field or in the lab. This requirement can be met by taking any one of the following courses: Anthropology 3470 (Summer Archaeological Field School (Intensive Program)), 3015 (Anthropology Abroad), 3480 (Intersession Archaeological Field School), 3475 (Archaeological Field School: Site Supervision), 4110 (Summer Ethnographic Field School), 3240 (Osteology), 3440 (Zooarchaeology), or 4104 (Ethnographic Theory and Methods).
Field schools usually occur during the summer sessions or the winter intersession. Students go to research sites near home or abroad, and participate in collecting, preparing, and analyzing data. This may involve digging, as is the case for archaeology and biological anthropology, or interviewing and participant-observation, as is the case with ethnography or linguistic anthropology. In all cases, students work directly under the supervision of a faculty member. Individual field schools may have additional fees for living expenses, airfare, and tuition.
Field schools are a unique experience, probably like nothing you have ever experienced before. Learning occurs outside of the classroom, living and working conditions range from tents to hotels, hard work and new, shared experiences forge strong bonds with your colleagues. You owe it to yourself to try it; it’s a lot of fun!
