Even though it is not a common degree, archaeology has started to become more and more popular amongst students from all over the world.
Archaeology degrees are designed to give students a wider perspective about human society throughout time, whether we talk about culture, history, or ways of life in the past.
Undoubtedly, Archaeology is a challenging degree, due to the fact that it is based on cross-disciplinary research. Thus, any student will develop various skills such as surveying, data analysis and textual criticism.
The advantage of an Archaeology course is that you are highly employable for this industry. This field, as compared to others, does not have enough human resources to meet the market’s needs. Consequently, graduates from this degree are the perfect candidates.
Additionally, archaeology graduates are equipped with transferable skills. More precisely, the skills gained during the degree can be applied to a variety of careers. One example can be business and management, an area which emphasises critical thinking, analytical and practical skills, and the ability to work in a team. These are just a few of the competencies gained from an archaeology degree.
Therefore, graduates from this field are highly sought after for their skills which can be applied not only in Archaeology but also in other specialities.
Archaeology courses are three-year commitments, although there are many institutions which now include a fourth year of studies. It can be offered either as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Sciences (BSc) degree.
If you choose Archaeology as part of a BA, it is likely to focus more on humanities. In contrast, a BSc will give you a science-oriented perspective. Regardless of your choice, you should keep in mind that the course is a combination of arts and sciences.
Lastly, every Archaeology course requires fieldwork. Some universities might even offer you the chance to conduct excavations in countries like Egypt or Greece.
The International Program (MA) at the Department of Archaeology offers a number of interesting courses on Israeli archaeology, from Prehistoric to Medieval times. This is ideal for those seeking to do research related to these periods and regions. The department offers a number of insightful courses in more scientific disciplines applied to archaeology (sedimentology, archaeozoology, and so on) and weekly departmental seminars with researchers from abroad or from other Israeli universities. There are a number of facilities open to students (a stunning library, first of all, a gym, a private tennis field), but life on campus and in the dorms are mostly quiet. Before the ongoing pandemic, the activities were rare and hardly accessible to English speakers. Although hosting a few foreign researchers during the year, the core of international students is limited and their involvement in dedicated campus activities is almost zero. It would be helpful, especially for medium-long term students from abroad, to have free (or at least affordable to a student on scholarship) Hebrew-language courses, to allow them to blend in an environment that is mostly intended for Hebrew speakers. I would suggest that the department offers also a course in academic writing, to be held in English, to guide the future members of academia from their earliest steps.
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