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To view the Spring 2024 Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2024/spring.html.
Archaeology
The department offers specializations in archaeometry, art, ceramic analysis, cultural resource management, ethnoarchaeology, forensic anthropology, geoarchaeology, historical archaeology, lithic analysis, palaeoanthropology, palaeoethnobotany, skeletal biology, and zooarchaeology.
In addition to gaining knowledge and expertise in particular areas of research interest, the student will gain a comprehensive understanding of the discipline and strive to acquire a general knowledge of world prehistory, physical anthropology, and archaeological theory and methods. Depending on enrollment, individual or group courses can be arranged in addition to regularly scheduled courses.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 in the SFU Calendar. Normally, students must have completed an MA thesis in order to be admitted to a PhD program at SFU. Students who have an exceptional record of publication may be admitted to the PhD program without an MA thesis.
Program Requirements
This program consists of the following sequential steps for a minimum of 33 units; course requirements, comprehensive exam, thesis prospectus, colloquium presentation, advancement to candidacy, thesis completion, and defence.
Students must complete the following
Critical evaluation of new approaches to the study of the human past.
Discussion of recent developments in archaeology and archaeological science, with invited speaker presentations. Required course for graduate students in archaeology. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Discussion of recent developments in archaeology and archaeological science, with invited speaker presentations. Required course for graduate students in archaeology. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Seminar focusing on the development of thesis research design and data analysis.
and one or more additional courses with a minimum of three units and approval by the supervisory committee. Doctoral students entering with an MA from the Department of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University are required to take three courses for a minimum of thirteen units.
and a prospectus and presentation of colloquium
and a comprehensive exam
and a thesis
Comprehensive Exam
Students write a comprehensive examination prior to candidacy to test general knowledge in archaeology and in three regional or topical areas. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis but the examination or parts thereof may be repeated once, at the department’s discretion.
Advancement to Candidacy
A distinction is made between program enrollment and formal advancement to degree candidacy. A candidate is a student who has successfully completed the advancement to candidacy requirements (defined below).
Formal advancement to PhD candidacy takes place when the following requirements have been met:
- Completion of three required graduate courses;
- Completion of ARCH 874;
- Completion of ARCH 875.
Thesis
The defence topic will be the thesis itself and related subject matter. The thesis should present original, problem-oriented research which makes a significant contribution to knowledge.
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements within fifteen terms, and are encouraged to complete in less time.
Other Information
There are no prescribed language requirements but knowledge of a language other than English is desirable. If knowledge of another language is necessary for field work or reading, however, the student will be required to attain the necessary language proficiency.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.