Historical Archaeology Master’s Program
Illinois State University
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Schroeder Hall 332
Campus Box 4660
Normal, IL 61790-4660
Department telephone: 309.438.8668
Department fax: 309.438.5378
Coordinator:
The multidisciplinary approach of the program allows students to take courses from an array of departments including Sociology & Anthropology, History, and Geology-Geography. Instruction focuses on the analysis, examination, and presentation of professional reports of investigation and scholarly studies detailing original research in historical archaeology. A personalized research experience is a key component of the program.
The program is designed to prepare graduates for professional careers in Historical Archaeology in such settings as cultural resource management firms and museums, as well as preparing graduates to enter doctoral programs at other institutions. Our graduates have followed all of these avenues of employment and further education.
This master’s program is one of the first in the country to focus on Historical Archaeology. It was founded by Distinguished Professor Charles E. Orser, Jr., a leading expert in the field and the founding editor of the International Journal of Historical Archaeology. He holds an adjunct professorship at University College Dublin, and annually includes students from across North America in his Irish research. His research concentrates on documenting and interpreting daily life in rural Ireland during the 1650-1850 period.
This international experience is only one way students may complete an advanced field school course, which is part of the unique master's program. Beginning in 2004, the department began to offer a second field school in historical archaeology. Headed by Elizabeth M. Scott, this research project focuses on the colonial French settlements along the middle Mississippi Valley of Missouri and Illinois. This important area includes Ste. Genevieve, New Bourbon, and other colonial villages.
A third field school, in prehistoric archaeology, is offered by Professor James M. Skibo. This research project, located in northern Michigan, sometimes investigates contact-period Native American settlements and later historic-period sites.
