Graduate Courses

History of ships, harbors, and human-sea interaction, particularly in the Mediterranean and Near East, until the Industrial Revolution. Covers archaeological methods for identifying and analyzing maritime sites; the evolution of shipbuilding technology and seafaring; and contemporary…

Human-environment interaction, adaptation, and system dynamics. Students will demonstrate natural and social science reasoning to describe the past through present human biological, behavioral, and cultural adaptations to ecological systems, and to describe social institutions and…

This introductory survey-level course in the field of modern underwater archaeology includes a study of prehistoric and early “historic” archaeological sites in Europe and North America. It will focus on ancient and indigenous watercraft as well as inundated habitation/specialized sites.…

Exploration of different theoretical approaches to the evolutionary study of human behavior, from Darwin through the development of ethology, sociobiology, human behavioral ecology, dual inheritance theory, and behavioral economics. Examination of topics such as influence of genes versus…

Explores contemporary and past hunter-gatherer societies. The course examines cultural anthropologists' attempts to understand the similarities and differences between the lives of foragers and ourselves, ecological anthropologists' attempts to explain diversity of foraging behaviors, and…

Provides a solid academic basis for the practice of cultural resource management (CRM) in North America and in a broader global context. The course will cover CRM from a conceptual standpoint; how current legislation affects CRM; and will integrate theoretical, practical, and ethical…

Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains in archaeological contexts. The skeleton is a dynamic structure that responds to stressors in the natural and built environments, offering insights on health, human-environment interactions, and social processes in the past. This course covers…

Two indigenous urban societies of the Americas, from farming village beginnings to the Spanish conquest, and their lasting impact on modern middle American culture. Topics include ecology, economy, political organization, urbanism, militarism, beliefs, art, architecture, and literature.…

An introduction to methods of biomolecular analysis in archaeology, including ancient DNA, stable isotopes, organic residues (proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates), and amino acids. The course will also cover applications such as dating, dietary and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and…

Through hands-on experience, students will be trained in different methods and techniques for conducting all phases of archaeological field and laboratory work, including surface survey, remote sensing, excavation, data and material recovery, recording, processing, and analysis. Students…

Students will gain an understanding of different approaches to studying the evolution of monumental architecture and sculpted monuments. Students will utilize archaeological and historical data to recognize patterns and interpret trajectories in monumentality across time and space.…

Archaeological geology examines the use of earth science methods and theories in the study of archaeological sites and their contents. The four major areas covered include: (1) the archaeological site and geology; (2) age determination techniques; (3) exploration techniques; (4) artifact…

Human osteology is the study of our bones. Osteology is relevant to disciplines that depend on detailed knowledge of the human body, e.g., forensic anthropology and paleoanthropology. Students will learn to identify and describe bones and use a comparative approach to understand their…

The evolutionary history of the order Primates, a group of mammals that includes humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians. Through the study of the fossil record, illuminated by the principles of modern evolutionary and ecological theory, we can reconstruct a broad outline of how primates…

Introduction of the theoretical framework of Conservation Biology using primates as examples, including population demographics, life-history strategies, primate ecological services, human activities affecting primate populations (e.g., habitat loss, hunting, climate change), and…

Examination of the scientific principles of human adaptation through intersection impacts of physical, social, and cultural stressors on human variation. 

When this course is taught as a split level, additional requirements for graduate students: Written paper developed after…