Who is this course for?
The course is open to all regardless of previous educational experience, although prior study at Certificate level is recommended.
What will I be studying?
The Diploma is divided into three termly units.
Unit A: Osteoarchaeology and Palaeopathology
This unit will cover the theoretical and practical aspects of osteoarchaeology, the study of human skeletal and mummified remains from archaeological contexts. Students will learn how to record human bones and produce an osteobiography that could be for an excavation or museum report. These sessions are interleaved with lectures and discussions setting the specialism in context: its integration into field and research archaeology and funerary studies and the ethical aspects of working with human remains. Using 3D models, CT scans, and images, students will learn how to identify skeletal elements, understand how disease manifests in skeletal tissues, and learn about innovative techniques used in investigating human remains.
Unit B: The Origins of Human Burial
From individual graves to monumental landscapes there is a vast diversity in the way in which we respond to death. In this unit, we look at the earliest evidence for treatment and commemoration of the dead. From the natural world to ancestral hominins, over the term we explore different responses to death, building a picture of how mortuary practices developed. Predominantly rooted in Palaeolithic Europe and the African Middle Stone Age, we place the origins of mortuary behaviour in the wider context of global human evolution. Looking beyond the bones, we take a biocultural approach to funerary archaeology, combining osteology and burial practices to explore how bioarchaeology can unlock the past.
Unit C: Unwrapping the dead: funerary archaeology in Ancient Egypt
The funerary customs of the ancient Egyptians articulated their varied concepts of the soul and the afterlife, and mechanisms to ensure a smooth transition to the afterlife and a secure survival in it included mummification, the form and equipping of the tomb, funerary texts and the ritual of the funeral itself. Archaeology, anthropology and texts are combined to illustrate how these mechanisms were used and how far the actual differed from the ideal.
Please note that the units detailed above will not necessarily be run in this order.
What can I go on to do?
Undergraduate Diploma in Archaeology: Conflict Archaeology and Heritage
This Diploma course includes units on Conflict Archaeology, Dark Heritage, and Museums and Heritage.
Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Research Theory and Practice
Students who have successfully completed an Undergraduate Diploma in Archaeology course might be interested in progressing their studies further and apply to join the Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Research Theory and Practice (60 credits at FHEQ level 6) which will offer an Archaeology strand. Students on this course will have the opportunity to work closely and collaboratively with qualified researchers in their field and will be introduced to a research community where they will begin to forge an identity as a researcher in their own right.
Credit awarded by the Institute can also be transferred into the degree programmes of other higher education providers. However the amount of credit which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.
Do I choose a Certificate or Diploma level course?
The Certificate and Diploma courses have been designed to provide a progression path for your studies. The Diploma level course is suitable for those who have successfully completed the Certificate course or who have comparable knowledge and experience at FHEQ level 4 or equivalent.
If you are still unsure which academic level to study please contact the Academic Director for Archaeology, Dr Gilly Carr (gcc20@cam.ac.uk)
