MAPA Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

The MA in Anthropology: Public Archaeology requires students to take five core courses, four electives, an internship, a writing and a thesis course. During their first year, MAPA students take courses that provide a foundation in archaeological practices, heritage issues, relevant laws and policies, and the current state of the discipline. Students are encouraged to take additional classes outside of archaeology, including geology, remote sensing, forensics and GIS.

During the summer after the first year of classes, students plan and conduct a research project, typically based on an internship with an appropriate institution.

Upon returning to Binghamton for the second year of the program, students are dedicated to completing a Master's thesis based on their summer internship with courses focused on professional development, writing skills and publication practices. Students also provide a colloquium based on the student's summer internship experience and proposed MA thesis.

Students are expected to finish all degree requirements in 20 months.

Degree Schedule:

  • Year 1 – FALL SEMESTER
    • Anth 551 – Strategies in Archaeology = 4
    • Anth 585 – Heritage Resource Management (Policy & Procedures) = 4
    • Elective Course (Methods Based) = 4
  • Year 1 – SPRING SEMESTER
    • Anth 554G – Heritage and Community = 4
    • Elective Course (Methods Based) = 4
    • Elective Course = 4
    • Summer – Internship = 4
  • Year 2 – FALL SEMESTER
    • Anth 555 – Practice of Public Archaeology = 4
    • Elective Course = 4
    • Anth 576 (Area) or 583 (Methods) = 1
  • Year 2 – SPRING SEMESTER
    • Colloquium during the first half of the semester
    • Anth 590 (Writing) = 2
    • Anth 599 (Thesis) = 1

Total  = 40 CREDITS

Details About Class Requirements

For the Public Archaeology track, a student must complete their coursework with a summary GPA of 3.0 or better and satisfy the following requirements:

  • Pass, with a B- or better each of these five 4-credit courses; ANTH 551 – Strategies in Archaeology, ANTH 554G – Heritage and Communities, ANTH 585 – Heritage Resource Management – Policy and Procedures, ANTH 555 – The Practice of Public Archaeology, and ANTH 501 – History of Anthropological Thought with grades of B- or better.

  • Enroll for 4 credits of ANTH 595 – Internship, and complete a summer internship in Public Archaeology.

  • Present a colloquium based on the student's summer internship experience and proposed MA thesis.

  • Complete 4 elective courses, one of which must focus on archaeological theory (ANTH 554), two on methodological practica (ANTH 583), and a the third can be a practica or area (ANTH 576) course.

  • Completion of a master's thesis, in part facilitated through ANTH 590 - Writing Skills and Publication, and 1 credit of ANTH 599 – Thesis.