Careers in Archaeology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Careers in Archaeology - Research Paper Example Before World War II, professional archaeology grew out of the growth of antique markets and the development of large museums. Nevertheless, after the war, archaeologists found their place within a specialized department in most major universities, and in the 1970s, a private market for archaeology expanded with the growth of government regulations on cultural preservation (Patterson). Professional archaeologists in an academic setting choose between three generally defined subgroups of academia: the university, the college, and the community college. The first, the university, features a faculty that teaches graduate courses, courses in an upper-level undergraduate context, and introductory level courses. Since the university is the only institution that offers advanced graduate degrees in archaeology, such as the Ph.D., a Ph.D. is likely required to be hired to a university staff. However, having a Ph.D. alone is not good enough for a vast majority of universities looking to hire ne w faculty. A college or a community college offers only upper level and introductory level teaching positions. Faculty otherwise spend their time petitioning for research funds or actually conducting their research in laboratories or the field. Archaeologists may also find themselves in other departments within the college or university, such as in anthropology, art history, architecture, and history. Teaching archaeology, according to some authors, requires a high degree of creativity to allow students to understand the material and social processes that generate their own subjectivity and to question and transform these processes (Hamilakis 288).   Also primarily within the public sphere are museum positions open to archaeologists to contribute to the museum’s collection of historical artifacts.