Undergraduate Course: Archaeology 1A (ARCA08004)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology | 
College | College of Humanities and Social Science | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 20 | 
ECTS Credits | 10 | 
 
 
| Summary | Archaeology 1A provides a basic introduction to archaeology for those who may or may not have studied the subject before. The lectures start by outlining what archaeology is, and how it is practised. | 
 
| Course description | 
    
    A series of lectures under the sub-heading 'Discovering the Past' deal with the principles and methods of archaeological investigation, analysis and reconstruction. There are also sections on 'how humans evolved' (introducing human evolution and the hunter-gatherers of the Palaeolithic) and 'early agricultural societies', which charts the crucial shift from hunting and gathering to farming in the Near East and Europe; the first sedentary food-producing societies are introduced as a prelude to the rise of civilizations in the Near East and Europe, covered in Archaeology 1B. 
 
The course is designed to provide a systematic introduction to Archaeology, and to present some important areas of archaeological research. It aims to help students to develop their: 
ability to find and evaluate information, and set it in context;  
ability to critically appraise evidence and present reasoned argument; 
skills in literacy, in particular the preparation and writing of academic essays.
    
    
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
 
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
		| High Demand Course? | 
		Yes | 
     
 
Course Delivery Information
 |  
| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) 
  
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Quota:  111 | 
 
| Course Start | 
Semester 1 | 
 
Timetable  | 
	
Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
200
(
 Lecture Hours 22,
 Seminar/Tutorial Hours 9,
 Summative Assessment Hours 2,
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
 | 
 
| Assessment (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
 | 
 
 
| Additional Information (Assessment) | 
Coursework (50%): consisting of 1 main essay (40%) and 1 short report (10%).   
Written exam (50%). 
 
Essay: 1500-word limit (excluding bibliography) 
Short Report: max 700-word limit  (excluding bibliography) 
Exam: 2 hours; 2 questions to be answered from a choice of 7 
 
To pass the course, you must hand in the required coursework (short report and essay) and obtain an overall mark for the course of 40% or better, including a minimum Grade D in the exam. | 
 
| Feedback | 
Students will receive written feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the tutor/Course Organiser during their published office hours or by appointment. | 
 
| Exam Information | 
 
    | Exam Diet | 
    Paper Name | 
    Hours & Minutes | 
    
	 | 
  
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Archaeology 1A | 2:00 |  |  | Resit Exam Diet (August) |  | 2:00 |  |  
 
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - demonstrate, by way of coursework and examination as required, a sound knowledge of the subject considered in the course;
 - demonstrate, by way of coursework and examination as required, an ability to assimilate a variety of sources and formulate critical opinions on them;
 - demonstrate, by way of coursework and examination as required, an ability to research, structure and complete written work of a specified length, or within a specified time;
 - demonstrate an ability to make informed contributions to class discussion and give an oral presentation as required;
 - demonstrate an ability to organise their own learning, manage their workload, and work to a timetable.
 
     
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Reading List 
RENFREW, C. & BAHN, P. 2012. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. 6th edition. London: Thames & Hudson.  Companion website: http://college.thamesandhudsonusa.com/college/archaeology/archaeology6/  
 
SCARRE, C. (ed.) 2013. The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies, 3rd edition. London: Thames and Hudson. 
Companion website: http://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/web/humanPast/ 
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
Not entered | 
 
| Additional Class Delivery Information | 
Also tutorials | 
 
| Keywords | Archaeology 1A | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Dr Catriona Pickard 
Tel: (0131 6)50 2372 
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Ms Amanda Campbell 
Tel: (0131 6)50 2501 
Email:  | 
   
 
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© Copyright 2017 The University of Edinburgh -  6 February 2017 6:08 pm 
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