Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Archaeology

Anthropology/Archaeology students at Mercyhurst explore the four major subfields of Anthropology: Archaeology, Sociocultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology. Our emphasis on highly individualized mentoring, hands-on instruction, intercultural research, and communication skills affords excellent career versatility and leads to work and educational opportunities in a wide variety of corporate, government, non-profit, museum, educational, and other settings. Our program's career-oriented approach and flexible curriculum offer students abundant opportunities to match their coursework and experiences to their desired post-graduate outcomes.

• Anthropologist and Archaeologist both consistently rank among the top 10 Best Science Jobs by U. S. News and World Report.
• Mercyhurst is ranked as a "Top-20 Value" program for a degree in Archaeology by College Values Online.
• Our program emphasizes close mentoring and hands-on training inside and outside of the classroom—students will learn excavation methods, ethnographic research, traditional skills, and gain experience in laboratory facilities dedicated to multiple types of artifact and data analysis.

In the Classroom

Students in several of our archaeology courses explore the design, production, and use of stone tools, such as those that have been made in the past by many people around the world, and even by some of our most ancient ancestors. Learning how these items are made provides valuable insights when analyzing and interpreting stone tools in archaeological collections. Students also practice target shooting using atlatls (spear throwers) and darts, traditional hunting technologies that have been used by many cultures throughout history and, in North America, pre-date the adoption of the bow and arrow.