ARCH30770 Environmental Arch in Practice

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module seeks to provide students with a practical grounding in environmental archaeological methods and practice. Delivered by a combination of lectures a significant practical element, it is intended that this module helps students engage with environmental remains in a laboratory setting. The module will provide students with practical experience of how environmental methods are used within the archaeological profession and guide them on the first steps towards specialist practice. Students will engage with archaeological material and work with experts in the fields of geoarchaeology, archaeobotany and archaeoentomology.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students are expected to learn how to:
1. Understand and critically assess how and why environmental samples are taken on archaeological sites;
2. Critically appraise the ways in which environmental archaeological methods are used by field archaeologists;
3. Acquire practical laboratory competency in the fields of archaeobotanical, archaeoentomological and geoarchaeological analysis
4. Effectively interpret and present environmental archaeological data in a professional manner

Indicative Module Content:

Environmental guidelines: sampling, practice, implementation
The what, when, how of environmental archaeology
Geoarchaeology in practice
Archaeoentomology in practice
Archaeobotany in practice
Presenting and reporting environmental data

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

36
Specified Learning Activities

4
Autonomous Student Learning

160
Total

200
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The key approach here is learning by doing. The module is intended to be a practical primer in environmental methods and as such it is critical that students 'get their hands dirty' and engage with material. The module is also seen as a first step in students learning to become professional environmental archaeologists: as such it is important that they fully engage with professional practice in the discipline, learning from recognized specialists in the field. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Specialist report based on environmental archaeological dataset Week 10 n/a Graded No

60
Class Test: Online MCQ/short answer quiz testing students on a range of practical aspects Week 5 n/a Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

20
Class Test: Online MCQ/short answer quiz testing students on a range of practical aspects Week 12 n/a Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

20

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Helen Lewis Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Meriel McClatchie Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Spring
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 31, 32, 33 Fri 12:00 - 12:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 11:00 - 12:50
Spring