About

The UCLA Interdepartmental Archaeology Graduate Program (AP) integrates archaeological faculty throughout the university for the training of graduate students who wish to pursue interdisciplinary research. Since the inception of the program, we have awarded over 100 M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Archaeology. The mission of the Archaeology Program is to train students in the best interdisciplinary practices and techniques of archaeological investigation. At the same time, we provide students with a strong background in archaeological interpretation and theory that will enable them to undertake independent research, explanation, and preservation of archaeological heritage worldwide. Our preparation of graduate students for academic careers consists of a number of formal components:

• A series of core courses for first-year students that provides cutting-edge training in archaeological theory and enables the formation of a yearly cohort of students.
• Training in a diverse range of laboratory methods, enabling students to select the methods and techniques best suited to their interest, geographic region and time period of study.
• Inclusion of students in the development of new technologies for demonstrating, analyzing and communicating the past to a variety of professional and public audiences.
• Links with partner institutions in which students can acquire more advanced training in specialized components of archaeological method and theory.

The Archaeology Program has traditional links to the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. The faculty of the program are also members of the Cotsen Institute; Archaeology Program Core Faculty supervise thesis research and Affiliated Faculty serve on committees and offer relevant courses for AP students.

The departmental and interdepartmental programs currently participating in the program include: Anthropology; Art History; Asian Languages and Cultures; Classics; Earth and Space Sciences; Geography; Germanic Languages; History; and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures.

Because both the Archaeology Program and the Cotsen Institute are housed on the ground level of the Fowler Building, students benefit from interaction with faculty, other students, and the many national and international scholars who frequent the Cotsen Institute for talks, symposia, and as visiting scholars. The Cotsen Institute also provides additional funding for student support and for innovative workshops and seminars. As a result of these many initiatives and institutional links, the Archaeology Program is one of the most robust archaeological training institutions in the U.S.

Contact information:

Stephen Acabado
Chair

Sumiji Takahashi
Student Affairs Officer

Mailing Address: 

Archaeology IDP Graduate Program 
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology 
308 Charles E. Young Dr. North
A148 Fowler Building/Box 951510
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1510

Fax: (310) 206-4723