Overview
Anthropology 476: Archaeological Theory is a senior-level anthropology course designed to provide the student with an understanding of the historical development of the theoretical aspects of the discipline of archaeology. Additionally, ANTH 476 provides an introduction to current theoretical trends taking place within anthropological archaeology.
Outline
Anthropology 476: Archaeological Theory is divided into ten (10) units, each of which examines a specific topic in archaeological theory.
- Introduction
- Unit 1 Introducing Archaeological Theory
- Unit 2 The Antiquarian Roots of Archaeology
- Unit 3 Early Approaches to Scientific Archaeology
- Unit 4 Culture-Historical Archaeology
- Unit 5 Functionalism
- Unit 6 Neoevolutionalism and the New Archaeology
- Unit 7 The Rise of Postprocessual Archaeology
- Unit 8 Current Theoretical Issues (I)
- Unit 9 Current Theoretical Issues (II)
- Unit 10 The Future of Archaeological Theory
Evaluation
To receive credit for ANTH 476, students must complete a research paper outline, a research paper, a midterm examination, and a final examination, and achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on both the midterm and final examinations, and an overall grade of D (50 percent) for the entire course. All work must be submitted or completed by the end of your course contract date.
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: research paper outline | 15% |
| Midterm examination | 30% |
| Assignment 2: research paper | 25% |
| Final examination | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Hodder, Ian (editor). 2012 Archaeological Theory Today. 2nd ed. Polity Press, Cambridge.
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Praetzellis, Adrian. 2011 Death by Theory: A Tale of Mystery and Archaeological Theory. Revised ed. AltaMira Press, Lanham.
Trigger, Bruce. 2006 A History of Archaeological Thought. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Other Resources
All other materials are available online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the ANTH 476 challenge registration, students must complete a 3-hour invigilated Challenge exam and receive at least a D (50 percent).
Challenge for credit course registration form