What Education Is Needed to Become a Marine Archaeologist?

Marine archeologists study material and historic evidence covered by the sea.

Archeologists or scientists who specialize in the recovery and systematic study of material covered by the sea are known as marine or nautical archeologists. Items studied by these specialists could include pottery remaining from past human life and culture, buildings, shipwrecks, graves and tools. Marine archeologists locate and study various underwater sites using state-of-the-art technology. They provide vital information about past human behavior through their work.

Education

Marine archeology is a specialization course in the field of archeology. As such, the first educational requirement for this discipline is the possession of a foundational degree in archeology or anthropology. This will be followed by a graduate degree in marine archeology. The numbers of universities that offer degrees in marine archeology or closely related fields are growing significantly. Some of these universities include the University of Chicago, University of Arizona and Florida State University. Marine archeology candidates learn the discipline’s specialized research methods through hands-on work. It is, however, worthy of note that many universities and colleges may not offer research opportunities that cover the field of marine archeology. Nevertheless, some of them do allow the students to develop or build their own research interests if programs on marine archeology are not available.

Program Overview

The major degree programs that lead to specialization in marine archeology includes Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology, Masters of Arts in Nautical or Marine Archeology and Doctor of Philosophy in Marine/Nautical Archeology. For students already pursuing undergraduate degrees in anthropology, taking elective courses in marine archeological techniques will be necessary for specialization in that field. Competition may be keen for graduate students because few schools offer master's degrees in marine archeology. However, it is possible for students interested in this field to enroll for PhD programs even though they may not have earned master's degrees. In that regard, they may be required to complete many course hours.

Skill Requirements

Students who want to specialize in marine archeology are required to be well-grounded in research design and methodology. Selecting a program that will train them on how to conduct historical research as well as on-field and laboratory research method is important. Students can achieve their goal faster if they begin obtaining and refining these skills as undergraduate students.

Job Prospects

Career opportunities for marine archeologists should continue to grow for two main reasons. The world is increasingly becoming more aware of the cultural value of archeological findings and those who uncover those details make unique contributions to the overall understanding of the past through their work. It is thus not surprising that their services are highly valued by private archeological consulting firms, museums and restoration programs, historical societies, state, local and federal agencies, universities and colleges.

References

• Oceanography at Palomar College; Careers in Oceanography; August 2011
• “Divers”; Tony Hyland; 2007
• Advisory Council on Underwater Archeology: Education and Careers
• Florida Division of Historical Resources: Bureau FAQs
• Education Portal; Schools With Nautical Archeology Programs – How To Choose; 2011
• Society for Historical Archeology; Guide to Graduate Programs on Historical and Underwater Archeology; 2007
• “Archeology”; Paul Devereux; 2009