Postgraduate Course: Theoretical Archaeology (PGHC11329)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course explores, at an advanced level, the diverse and changing nature of archaeology, from its beginnings in the 19th century to the present day. It covers the emergence of archaeology as an independent discipline, the progress of archaeological ideas and the intellectual relationship of archaeology with cognate disciplines in natural and social sciences, and humanities. The course aims to strengthen the engagement with the discipline and to facilitate an understanding of theories and methodologies developed since the 19th century. |
| Course description |
This core course is compulsory for all students on the MSc Archaeology course and may be taken as part of the MSc European Archaeology and MSc Mediterranean Archaeology. It explores, at an advanced level, the diverse and changing nature of archaeology, from its antiquarian beginnings in the 18th -19th centuries to the more explicitly theoretical perspectives of the present day. Moreover, it investigates the emergence of archaeology as an independent discipline, the progress of archaeological thought and the intellectual relationship of archaeology with cognate disciplines in natural and social sciences, and in the humanities.
The course aims to strengthen students' engagement with the discipline, to enhance their theoretical sophistication, and to facilitate an understanding of theories and methodologies used by archaeologists to interpret the past. It also aims to develop further skills of analysis and critical appreciation of archaeological interpretation. To that end it presents archaeological ideas against the background of cognate disciplines, covering broad definitions as well as important and influential perspectives in current archaeological research.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Theoretical Archaeology (ARCA10064)
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Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 14 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 33,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
3,500 word Essay (80%)
750 word Review of a key article (20%)
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate command of the body of knowledge considered in the course
- read, analyse and reflect critically upon relevant scholarship
- understand, evaluate and utilise a variety of source material
- develop and sustain scholarly arguments in oral and written form, by formulating appropriate questions and utilising relevant evidence
- demonstrate independence of mind and initiative; intellectual integrity and maturity; an ability to evaluate the work of others, including peers
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Reading List
Bentley, R. A., H. D. G. Maschner and C. Chippindale (eds) 2008 Handbook of Archaeological Theories. Lanham, MD: AltaMira.
Bintliff, J. L. and M. Pearce (eds) 2011 The Death of Archaeological Theory? Oxford: Oxbow
Díaz-Andreu, M., S. Lucy, S. Babic and D. N. Edwards 2005 The Archaeology of Identity. Approaches to Gender, Age, Status, Ethnicity and Religion. London and New York: Routledge
Hodder, I. (ed.) 2001 Archaeological Theory Today. Cambridge: Polity
Johnson, M. 1999 Archaeological Theory: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell
Kristiansen, K., L. Smejda and J. Turek (eds) 2015 Paradigm Found: Archaeological Theory - Present, Past and Future. Oxford: Oxbow
Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. (eds) 2005 Archaeology: The Key Concepts. London: Routledge
Trigger, B. 2006 A History of Archaeological Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Ucko, P. (ed.) 1995 Theory in Archaeology: A World Perspective. London: Routledge |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
Jointly taught with Theoretical Archaeology (ARCA10064) |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
The PG seminar hour will run in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 |
| Keywords | TheoArch |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Manuel Fernandez-Gotz
Tel: (0131 6)51 5223
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Danielle Jeffery
Tel: (0131 6)50 7128
Email: |
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