World archaeology
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| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown.
Summary
This course explores the human past across all inhabited areas of the globe, from the last Ice Age to historic times. It covers most of the past 12,000 years, ending with the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe, but continuing until the eighteenth century in the Pacific and North America. Its main focus is the development of human culture and societies – from agriculture to technology, and from the earliest civilisations to the spread of populations worldwide. The course fosters a broad knowledge and understanding through a comparative approach to study, introducing methodology and theoretical issues when necessary.
Course content
This course will be of particular interest if you have studied or are thinking about studying history; history of science, technology and medicine; classical studies; or art history. The principal themes are the beginnings of agriculture; the development of cities, states and empires; and the spread of human populations around the globe. The major world civilisations, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Classical, Chinese, Aztec etc. are all included, along with other societies that did not develop to the same level of complexity.
The course also introduces you to the archaeological study of human societies. Its focus is not so much upon teaching basic study skills (appropriate to first level) but upon developing your ability to assimilate and synthesise information. There’s no examination at the end of the course; instead you’ll take some first steps in independent study as you complete an extended essay as an end-of-course assessment (ECA). Blocks 1-3 take a chronological and geographical approach to the development of human culture and society. Block 4 consists of a range of thematic studies that will extend your knowledge and understanding of how archaeology can add to our knowledge of the past.
Although this is a 30-point course it lasts only 18 weeks. Therefore you will be studying at a rate equivalent to a 60-point course, but for a shorter period.
This course’s core text is The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies edited by C. Scarre, which is sent as part of your course materials. Your work with the text will be supported by a study guide, which will contain in-text exercises and references to work on an audio CD and exercises based on using the internet. The course makes extensive use of the internet, introducing you to archaeology online and developing the skills you need to effectively use the internet for study.
You will learn
This course will provide you with a knowledge and critical understanding of the development of human cultures worldwide and some of the principles, concepts and techniques used in the study of the archaeology of the world.
It will provide you with the opportunity to apply knowledge and understanding accurately to a range of issues, questions and problems relating to the contemporary understanding of the global human past, through the critical evaluation and interpretation of archaeological evidence in a variety of case studies.
Through your assignments, you’ll be able to compare and use different approaches to issues in world archaeology. You’ll have the opportunity to deploy your skills to communicate information, arguments and ideas effectively, using the appropriate style and language. In the ECA, you’ll find, critically evaluate and use information accurately to write an extended essay using ICT tools and skills, as appropriate.
Entry
You’re not necessarily expected to have taken any other OU courses before this one. Nevertheless, it is a Level 2 course and therefore some work at Level 1 would be useful preparation.
Level 1 courses help you to develop study skills such as logical thinking, clear expression, essay writing and the ability to select and interpret relevant material. The arts past and present (AA100) offers an introduction to all the disciplines in the Arts Faculty and to interdisciplinary work. Your regional or national centre will be able to tell you where you can see reference copies of AA100, or you can buy selected materials from Open University Worldwide Ltd.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service. We particularly recommend doing so if you haven’t taken AA100 or done equivalent work at another university.
Preparatory work
No preparatory work is necessary for this course. If you have not taken a Level 1 course in the arts, you will find it useful to have The Arts Good Study Guide (E. Chambers and A. Northedge, The Open University), which will help you to develop your study skills.
Qualifications
A251 is an optional course in our
- BA (Honours) History (B01)
- BA (Honours) Humanities (B03)
- BA (Honours) Humanities (B03) (with Classical Studies)
- BA/BSc (Honours) European Studies (B10)
- Diploma in Classical Studies (D31)
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is suitable for a BA. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and where applicable: musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Large print versions of the course materials can be provided on request. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
Students with a visual impairment will find the visual material (plans, diagrams, illustrations) challenging since they are often intended to communicate complex visual as well as factual information. Where possible, the Course Team will provide written descriptions and explanations of a limited number of images. The fulfilment of the learning outcomes of the course will not be dependent upon powers of visual discernment in this course and assessment will not incorporate visual materials.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Printed course materials and an audio CD. Course website. You’ll also receive a copy of the course text:
C. Scarre (ed.), The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies, Thames and Hudson (2005).
You will need
The ability to play CDs.
This course makes extensive use of the internet. All the tutorials are online, an integral part of the course is a specially designed website, and some of your assignments will require you to use the internet. The course helps you to learn about using the internet to study archaeology and does not expect you to have highly developed online skills before you start. If you choose to take the course and you do not have regular access to the internet, you will find that your experience of the course is diminished.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance both in online conferences and by telephone or email. Teaching will also be via an online conference, for which full guidance will be provided.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
The end-of-course assessment must be submitted on paper.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in November 2010. We expect it to be available once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Arts and Humanities.
Study explained
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Student Reviews
I found that this course was very intense for the time alloted. The vast expanse of material needed a nine ...
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Enjoyable, but a little frustating. You really do study all the world's archeology in three months. This means that as ...
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