Indigenous Archaeology (BA)

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology: Indigenous Archaeology offers a profound exploration into the preservation and understanding of indigenous perspectives on cultural heritage. Amidst the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, this option stands as a pathway for those intrigued by the intricate tapestry of indigenous archaeological perspectives.

Indigenous Archaeology forms one of the five options available within the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, providing a nuanced lens into the evaluation and safeguarding of cultural heritage sites from indigenous standpoints. This option delves deep into historical contexts, enabling a comprehensive grasp of contemporary issues in indigenous archaeology while nurturing specialized analytical, laboratory, and field skills.

Completion of this option equips individuals to venture into diverse career paths, including cultural resource management in tribal, federal, state, and local government sectors, alongside private consulting firms. Graduates are also well-positioned for pursuing advanced studies in archaeology, fostering a comprehensive academic foundation. The Indigenous Archaeology option is transcripted, underscoring students' academic prowess and expertise on their official academic records. This recognition serves as a valuable asset for both graduate program applications and employment opportunities in the field. This non-competitive option warmly welcomes all Anthropology majors, fostering an inclusive environment for an in-depth exploration of indigenous perspectives within archaeology.

Engage in an enriching academic journey that honors indigenous perspectives on cultural heritage, equipping you for a future in safeguarding and comprehending the significance of cultural legacies within the realm of archaeology.

BA Indigenous Archaeology Requirements - 55 credits total

Note: not all courses are offered regularly. The Anthropology Curriculum Forecast tool provides tentative course offerings for ANTH, ARCHY and BIO A classses. Check the Time Schedule for all current course offerings. 

Core Requirements (20 credits)

• 5 credits: BIO A 201 – Principles of Biological Anthropology
• 5 credits: Any 200-level ARCHY course
• 5 credits: Any 200-level ANTH course
• Statistics course chosen from:
  • CS&SS / SOC / STAT 221 – Statistical Concepts and Methods for the Social Sciences (5 cr)
  • STAT 220 – Statistical Reasoning (5 cr)
  • STAT 311 – Elements of Statistical Methods (5 cr)
  • Q SCI 381 – Introduction to Probability & Statistics (5 cr)
  • BIOST 310 – Biostatistics for the Health Sciences (4 cr)
  • EDPSY 490 – Basic Educational Statistics (3 cr)
  • PSYCH 315 – Understanding Statistics in Psychology (5 cr)
  • QMETH 201 – Introduction to Statistical Methods (4 cr)
  • Occasionally other basic statistics courses may be accepted. Contact Advising for approved courses.

Upper Division Electives (20 credits)

Any 300–400 level ANTH, BIO A, and/or ARCHY courses. Certain AIS courses may apply (AIS 317, 330, 335, 340, or 443).

Additional Electives (15 credits)

Any 200-level or above ANTH, BIO A, and/or ARCHY courses. Certain AIS courses may apply (AIS 202, 203, 209, 210, 311, 330, 335, 340, 425, 443, or 480).

Indigenous Archaeology Option Requirements

5 credits from:

• AIS 102 – Introduction to American Indian Studies

15 credits from approved IA core list:

• ARCHY 304 – Archaeology of the Americas
• ARCHY 320 – Archaeology of the Northwest Coast
• ARCHY 325 – Archaeology of Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific
• ARCHY 345 – Global Ethnoarchaeology
• ARCHY 369 – Special Problems in Archaeology
• ARCHY 377 – Archaeology of the Arctic
• ARCHY 410 – Introduction to Archaeological Theory
• ARCHY 468 – Special Topics in Archaeology
• ARCHY 469 – Special Studies in Archaeology
• ARCHY 472 – Historical Archaeology
• ARCHY 473 – Historical Archaeology Laboratory
• ANTH 492 – Settler Colonialism

15 credits from the department-approved list:

• ARCHY 270 – Field Course in Archaeology
• ARCHY 303 – Archaeology of Africa and Eurasia
• ARCHY 309 – Archaeology of Mainland Southeast Asia
• ARCHY 312 – Looting and Loss: Middle Eastern Archaeology
• ARCHY 319 – Archaeology of Australia
• ARCHY 320 – Archaeology of the Northwest Coast
• ARCHY 372 – Archaeological Field Recording Techniques
• ARCHY 373 – Principles of Archaeological Field Recording
• ARCHY 378 – Prehistory of the Arid West
• ARCHY 403 – The Archaeology of Landscapes
• ARCHY 459 – Special Topics in Archaeological Science
• ARCHY 470 – The Archaeology of Extinction
• ARCHY 472 – Historical Archaeology
• ARCHY 473 – Historical Archaeology Laboratory
• ARCHY 480 – Advanced Archaeological Analysis: Ceramics
• ARCHY 481 – Zooarchaeology
• ARCHY 482 – Geoarchaeology Seminar
• ARCHY 483 – Lithic Technology
• ARCHY 484 – Archaeological GIS
• ARCHY 486 – Geoarchaeology Laboratory
• ARCHY 487 – Dating Methods in Archaeology
• ARCHY 489 – Archaeology Practicum
• ARCHY 490 – Museum Curation Practicum: Archaeology
• ARCHY 495 – Quantitative Archaeological Analytic Techniques
• ARCHY 499 – Undergraduate Research
• ANTH 363 – Applied Visual Anthropological Practices
• ANTH 461 – Historical Ecology
• ANTH 471 – Colonialism and Culture
• AIS 202 – Introduction to American Indian Contemporary and Social Issues
• AIS 203 – Introduction to American Indian and Indigenous Literature
• AIS 209 – The Unsettling of the Red Continent: American Indian History to 1815
• AIS 210 – Inconvenient Indians and the "American Problem": American Indian History since 1815
• AIS 335 – American Indians and the Law
• AIS 425 – Indians in Western Washington History
• AIS 480 – Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence Movements in the United States, Canada, and Mexico
• CHID 280 – Global Indigenous Politics: Culture, Representation, Decolonization

How the Indigenous Archaeology option courses appears in DARS

Indigenous Archaeology option courses appear in a separate option block in DARS. Many of these courses also apply toward Upper Division and Additional Elective requirements. This overlap is intentional and allows students to complete the option within the 55-credit BA total with careful planning.

Additional Requirements for the Major

• At least 25 credits in the major must be completed with a minimum grade of 2.5 in each course
• At least 15 credits of upper-division (300–400 level) ANTH, ARCHY, or BIO A coursework must be completed in residence at UW
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses applied to the major
• Note: a limited number of Independent Study credits may be applied to the major - up to 12 credits of ANTH 499, ARCHY 499, and/or BIO A 499; up to 18 credits for departmental Honors courses