University Education and Maritime Archaeology

Matching Undergraduate Education with Maritime Archaeological Research

Dave Parham Bournemouth University

BSc Marine Archaeology Program

•  Is a science based undergraduate archaeology program •  Develop in its students an understanding of archaeology •  Develop the skills needed to work in archaeology or other

professions •  Is marine themed •  Does not have to involve diving •  Involves students in research •  Should be economical in terms of cost

1st YEAR

Introduction to Archaeology

20 credits

Art/Geo/Eco

20 credits

Themes in Contemporary Archaeology

20 credits

Research Skills

20 credits

Field Archaeology

20 credits

Introduction to Marine Archaeology

20 credits

2nd YEAR

Theory in Contempary Archaeology

20 credits

Reconstruction of Environment and Economy 20 credits

Post Excavation Data Analysis

20 credits

Field Excavation and Field Survey

20 credits

Research Methods

20 credits

Early Ships & Boats

20 credits

Work Experience Placement 5 weeks

3RD YEAR

Personal Research Project

40 credits

Professional Studies

20 credits

Option 1 Period Unit

20 credits

Option 2 Scientific Unit

20 credits

(Non) Option 3 Thematic Unit; Archaeology of Shipwrecks 20 credits

Optional Scientific Unit Applied Marine Archaeology 20 credits

BSc Marine Archaeology - Course Breakdown

Chance to be involved in projects outside of the program

Marine Units •  Introduction to Marine Archaeology – provides a core introduction to the

background, methodological approaches and management of marine archaeology

•  Early Ships and Boats -basic boat recording techniques, ship science and the development of North Western European boat and ships from prehistory to 1945.

•  Applied Field Methods (Marine Archaeology) – A practical understanding of the aims, strategies, and methods of marine archaeology conducted in an intertidal context. In addition, the unit aims to develop team skills, as well the capacity for each individual to carry out practical tasks, solve problems and to lay foundations for more advanced teaching and project work.

•  Archaeology of Shipwrecks - provides a view of how marine archaeological research has added to the general pool of knowledge of the past.

•  Applied Marine Archaeology – An understanding of, and some practical experience of, the application of the skills required to undertake marine archaeology

Applied Field Methods (Marine Archaeology) • Conducted Salcombe Estuary

• Involves a period of ‘tool training’

• In conjunction with Devon County Council & South Hams District Council

• Provides students with an introduction to field techniques

• Fulfils the archaeological requirements of the Estuary Management Plan

• Provides research (for us) & management (for DCC) data

• Dovetails with other Bournemouth Projects (PW’s)

• Is in a nice place

Applied Marine Archaeology • Conducted on Protected Wreck Sites - Swash, West Bay, Erme & Salcombe

• Places limited = competitive places

• Provides archaeological ‘tool training’

• Provides students with full involvement in a project

• Exposes students to active research

• Is funded via a combination of teaching, research & management funds

• Supports staff research

• Makes management work possible that could otherwise not be done

• Can lead to CMAS 3* - Approved Qualification under DWR’97

Project Based Teaching • Grounds the students archaeological education by exposing them to archaeological material at source

• Provides focus for study, contextualises desk / laboratory based research

• Allows students to develop practical skills taught as part of the program

• Allows cohort to work as a team

• Introduces students to concept of ‘risk’ and responsibility

• Makes students think and question what they are doing / have learnt

• Provides valuable experience - some students leave with 60+ archaeological dives

Background

• Graduate Income

• Careers

• Employers

• Initial Experience

• Industries Aspirations

• General Aspirations

• Students Aspirations

Rank Subject Graduate 1 Medicine £31,079 2 Dentistry £27,865 3 Chemical Engineering £23,675 4 General Engineering £23,169 5 Economics £23,060

29 Food Science £18,775

57 Communication and Media Studies £16,365 58 Art & Design £16,218 59 Drama, Dance and Cinematics £16,082 60 Celtic Studies £15,841 61 Archaeology £15,529

Top Five

Bottom Five

Average

What do Graduates Earn? (Higher Education Statistics Agency Ltd 2004–05)

Where do they go ? Bournemouth University First Designation Survey 2005/06

Average BSc Archaeology Graduate Salary £15,000

Average BU Graduate Salary £17,115

Student pre-degree diving experience

No of dives before degree

Type of dives

What does the Archaeological Industry want from it ? General Requirements for a Coastal and Marine Archaeologist - Wessex Archaeology

Essential •  Content and relevance to coastal and marine archaeology of degree studies •  Specific competence with respect to site types found in inland, coastal and marine waters •  Track record in preparing archaeological reports (and/or other forms of technical report). •  Experience of surveying, excavating, recording and interpreting waterlogged remains, with specific expertise in the investigation

of timber structures and/or watercraft •  Experience of working in inter-tidal areas and/or onboard vessels •  Familiarity with the principal sources of both terrestrial and marine archaeological data, with their constraints, and with their

interpretation •  Familiarity with the principles and practical application of marine geotechnical and geophysical methods •  Writing and word-processing (MS Word) skills •  Experience of using databases and spreadsheets (MS Access/MS Excel). •  Working knowledge of current frameworks for the management of coastal and marine archaeology. •  Working knowledge of current Health, Safety and Welfare requirements relevant to working in inter-tidal and marine

environments, including diving and working on vessels. Desirable •  Higher degree in coastal/marine archaeology or other relevant subject •  Specialist knowledge relating to the archaeology of ships and boats, the archaeology of coastal and inland waters, and/or to the

archaeology of submerged prehistoric material. •  Experience of implementing strategic research-based projects. •  Commercial diving qualifications and experience (HSE III / surface supplied) •  Experience of commercial diving supervision, notably certification as ADC Inland/Inshore Diving Supervisor •  Current First Aid at Work and related qualifications •  Other marine qualifications (e.g. sea survival; VHF; boat handling) •  Experience of driving vans, minibuses and 4x4 vehicles. •  Experience of using AutoCAD •  Experience of using GIS (e.g. ArcGIS) •  Experience of using monument recording databases

A graduate in Archaeology typically will have the ability to: •  Understand the intellectual vitality of archaeology, its theoretical basis and its relationship to other disciplines. •  Appreciate the historical, social, cultural, and political context of archaeological interpretation. •  Apply scholarly, theoretical, and scientific principles and concepts to archaeological problems. •  Use diverse sources of evidence such as excavated, documentary representational, observational,

artefactual, environmental and scientific material. •  Appreciate the importance of recovering primary data through practical experience.

Critically apply methodologies for quantifying, analysing, and interpreting primary data. •  Understand the concepts and application of scientific methods used in collecting, analysing and interpreting

archaeological data. •  Interpret spatial data, integrating theoretical models, traces surviving in present-day landscapes, and

excavation data. •  Practise fieldwork and laboratory techniques. •  Select and apply appropriate statistical and numerical techniques. •  Marshal and critically appraise other people's arguments •  Produce logical and structured arguments supported by evidence. •  Communicate effectively both orally, visually and in writing to diverse audiences •  Use IT, information retrieval and presentation skills effectively in a variety of graphical media •  Execute research, working independently. •  Collaborate effectively in a team. •  Be sensitive to different cultures and deal with unfamiliar situations. •  Be able to critically evaluate one's own and others' opinions.

Did you know that graduates of this subject develop skills in interpersonal sensitivity?

What does the rest of the World want ? (http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Education/documents/2007/04/17/Archaeology.pdf)

What does the student what from it ? •  Good Education

•  Learn new skills

•  Be exposed to interesting experiences

•  Taught by people that know what they are doing (or appear to)

•  Be taught by a range of relevant individuals

•  Understand the subject

•  Have enhanced job prospects

•  A degree

•  Enjoyment

•  Networking (professional & social)

•  Prospect of travel

•  Changing Direction

•  Extracurricular Activities (i.e. sports etc)

•  Additional Qualifications

•  Life skills

What does the Archaeological Industry want from it ? General Requirements for a Coastal and Marine Archaeologist - Wessex Archaeology

Essential •  Content and relevance to coastal and marine archaeology of degree studies •  Specific competence with respect to site types found in inland, coastal and marine waters •  Track record in preparing archaeological reports (and/or other forms of technical report). •  Experience of surveying, excavating, recording and interpreting waterlogged remains, with specific expertise in the investigation

of timber structures and/or watercraft •  Experience of working in inter-tidal areas and/or onboard vessels •  Familiarity with the principal sources of both terrestrial and marine archaeological data, with their constraints, and with their

interpretation •  Familiarity with the principles and practical application of marine geotechnical and geophysical methods •  Writing and word-processing (MS Word) skills •  Experience of using databases and spreadsheets (MS Access/MS Excel). •  Working knowledge of current frameworks for the management of coastal and marine archaeology. •  Working knowledge of current Health, Safety and Welfare requirements relevant to working in inter-tidal and marine

environments, including diving and working on vessels. Desirable •  Higher degree in coastal/marine archaeology or other relevant subject •  Specialist knowledge relating to the archaeology of ships and boats, the archaeology of coastal and inland waters, and/or to the

archaeology of submerged prehistoric material. •  Experience of implementing strategic research-based projects. •  Commercial diving qualifications and experience (HSE III / surface supplied) •  Experience of commercial diving supervision, notably certification as ADC Inland/Inshore Diving Supervisor •  Current First Aid at Work and related qualifications •  Other marine qualifications (e.g. sea survival; VHF; boat handling) •  Experience of driving vans, minibuses and 4x4 vehicles. •  Experience of using AutoCAD •  Experience of using GIS (e.g. ArcGIS) •  Experience of using monument recording databases

•  Most people entering maritime archaeology as a profession are interested in heritage management, theory or geophysics. These pursuits are laudable in themselves but they cannot function without with traditional archaeological data (Respondent, IFA Identifying Skill Needs in Maritime Archaeology survey)

•  A practical diploma in maritime archaeology would be of more use to an employer than a BA or an MA (Respondent, IFA Identifying Skill Needs in Maritime Archaeology survey)

•  The problem with marine archaeologists is that they seem to relish undertaking the survey work but once located, can't tell me whether or not a wreck is significant. What I really want to know is does it matter? And if so, why? (Gill Andrews, Archaeological Consultant)

Concerns

Constraints

•  Less than 50% of Students become archaeologists •  Low wage structure (can’t charge MBA prices) •  Field Skills teaching is very high, it cost approx £9.30 per minute to

keep an archaeological student under water •  It takes considerable investment, approx £44,000 in our case •  Staff have to raise considerable sums to involve students at an

economic price •  Suitably experienced, qualified and dedicated staff are in very short

supply •  The level of responsibility for staff supervising university diving

projects is very high •  Students have to make a considerable investment (in time etc) •  Students have very limited initial diving experience

Role of Universities

• Client is the student (they pay)

• Provide a valuable experience for the student

• Provide transferable skills that are applicable to a wide range of professions

• Provide a broad education that teaches students to think and question as well as do

• Provide an in depth introduction to the subject they teach

• Introduce knowledge and skills that can be later fitted into specific processes / systems, but not necessary to teach these

• Involve students in research as well as pure education

• Skills / knowledge shouldn’t be taught as individual items but as part of a package

• Provide CPD ? Where applicable

Avocational (Amateurs) • Organised groups can and do produce fantastic results (see Antiquity Vol. 82 etc)

• Need ‘advice, support and practical assistance’ (TTW)

• Need some training in basic techniques & concepts (Old NAS Part 1)

• May need some specialist training

• Can have very high levels of expertise

• Beware of ‘badge’ syndrome

• Need specialist advice

• Value training poorly against time on site

Thanks to • Paola Palma

• Olivia Merritt

• Neville Oldham

• Nigel Nayling

• Nigel Bryant

• Elizabeth Rundle

• Frank Elston

• Kevin Stratford

• Mick Palmer, Ron Howell, Jim Tyson, Dave Illingworth & SWMAG

• Past & Present BSc Marine Archaeology Students

University Education and Maritime Archaeology

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