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Unit of study_
ARCO3101: Revealing the Past: Theory and History
2025 unit information
The unit provides an introduction to theory and explanation in archaeology. By exploring changes in archaeological thought over time, in a historical context, students will come to better understand the diversity of contemporary archaeological practice and the various ways in which archaeologists seek to explain past societies. The focus of weeks 1-6 is on the historical development of archaeological thought and theory, from its earliest manifestations right up to the present day while weeks 7-14 focus on major themes, such as social organization and ethno-archaeology and exploring how archaeological theory is applied in order to understand humankind’s past and present.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Archaeology |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
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12 credit points at 2000 level in Archaeology |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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ARCA2635 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. understand the key elements of archaeological theory and explanation and how they have changed over time
- LO2. understand why theory is important to the history and practice of contemporary archaeology
- LO3. apply aspects of archaeological theory to explanation and practice in archaeology today
- LO4. integrate literature review into archaeological argument building
- LO5. exercise critical judgement and an increased capacity for rigorous and independent thinking
- LO6. access, assess, organise and communicate knowledge and ideas with increased competency
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
