Focus in Archaeology

Two archaeologists standing in an excavated archaeological site. Photo © G. Crawford.
Photo © G. Crawford.

What is Archaeology?

Archaeology is the study of all aspects of human life in the past, using material remains as evidence of past human activity. It is one of the four traditional subfields of anthropology.

At UTM, you can learn about the field of cultural heritage management, also known as cultural resource management or applied archaeology, which aims to protect artifacts, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, that have meaning for people in the present.


Are you interested in conservation, heritage, preservation, artifacts, community, and culture? Consider a focus in archaeology at UTM.

Career areas include:

  • Cultural heritage management
  • Local, provincial and federal governments
  • Consulting
  • Conservation
  • Parks/ Historical Sites
  • Heritage Foundations
  • Libraries/Archives
  • Academia
  • Museum

"Cultural resource management can span anywhere from working in museums as curation staff to working for construction companies to do commercial archaeology, which is where they scan a site to make sure there's nothing important buried there before they build on it." - Undergraduate student studying archaeology at UTM


Undergraduate programs

UTM undergraduate students who focus in archaeology normally enrol in one of the following programs:

  • Specialist Program in Anthropology (Science) ERSPE0105
  • Major Program in Anthropology (Science) ERMAJ0105

Please note that a focus in archaeology is also possible with a Major/Specialist program in Anthropology (Arts), but be sure to include ANT200H5 and ANT201H5 among your course selections because these core second year archaeology courses are pre-requisites for upper year 3rd and 4th year archaeology courses.

Learn about Anthropology programs at UTM


Undergraduate courses

Most of our recommended upper-level courses for a focus in archaeology are anthropology science (SCI) credits.


Spotlight on ANT300H5 Cultural Heritage Management: The Past in the Present and for the Future

Cultural heritage management, also known as cultural resource management or applied archaeology, aims to protect traces of the past such as artifacts, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, that have meaning for people in the present.

Topics covered in ANT300H5 may include: 

  • Why cultural heritage matters in the present, and why we need to preserve aspects of it for the future
  • International, federal, and provincial contexts of heritage management
  • Mechanisms for the protection of heritage and archaeological sites
  • Stakeholders and the politics of the past
  • The heritage management industry

Learn about Anthropology courses at UTM


Teaching and Research Specialties

At UTM, our faculty teaching and research specialties in archaeology include:

  • Cultural heritage management
  • Origins of food production and villages
  • Ancient technology, style, material culture
  • Complex societies and early states

Regions of interest include:

  • China
  • Eastern North America
  • East Asia
  • Northeast North America
  • South Asia

Virtual Showcase Information Session: A brief overview of Archaeology at UTM presented by Dr. Steven Dorland (4:20)