In The Field

California Field School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Program starts September 29, 2023

 

• California Cultural Resource Management firms are looking for new employees.
• Foothill students are getting jobs.
• Why not you?
• No program fees.
• Why spend thousands on a field school when it is all available here at home during the school year.
• Equitable and Economical
• Learn survey, lab, excavation, ground-penetrating radar, mapping, and more.

APPLICATION LINK

The Anthropology Department is launching another season of the California Field School program that offers a suite of hands-on field courses aimed at developing excavation and lab ready employees in the CRM industry.  This Spring we are offering 

After 12 weeks our students are prepared for a job in CRM.  We have placed hundreds of students over the years in field tech jobs, transfer positions, and graduate schools via our field programs.  Building on our experience this past Fall at Hawthorns Ranch and Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, the Anthropology Department continues our local program in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains and foothills  that students can enjoy with minimal time commitment and cost. (It's just off the 280 behind the Foothill College campus). Check out a more detailed research website for details.

Working closely with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District , State Parks, and Hidden Villa we  provide a student field school experience locally that focuses on historic period colonial and native american interactions. What traditionally has been an expensive summer field school experience is being offered during the school year via 4 units of Spring Quarter courses beginning in September (Anth 51 Archaeology Survey, Anth 16L Archaeology Lab,  and Anth57 Applied Field Methods). Contact Dr. Sam Connell connellsamuel@foothill.edu or apply here.  Every student will be given a Certificate of Field School Completion.

  

 

 

  

 

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You will be part of a team that will work on all aspects of the research project, including archaeological survey, excavation strategies, and artifact analysis.

Project Directors & Instructors

 Samuel Connell, PhD (Foothill College)

Ana Lucia Gonzalez, MA  (Foothill College)

Mike Wilcox, PhD (Stanford University)

Daniel Cearley, MA (Las Positas College)

 

A Note About Covid: 

-Update Feb 2023 - This program is on, we are accepting applicants. Safety protocols have been put in place, see our website for further details. We are closely monitoring the current COVID-19 pandemic in advance of the 2023 field season.  

While we are planning for a field season in 2023, we will continue to monitor the issues around travel restrictions and the various jurisdictional requirements. We also anticipate applying strict COVID-19 safeguards to our operation both in the field and where we reside to protect ourselves as well as the community we are working in.  If, however, we are forced to cancel the program, we will alert all applicants immediately.

What will you be Learning?

• California and Bay Area Prehistory
• Cultural Resource Management
• Evaluate to Sampling Designs
• Use of Total Station Survey Instruments
• Excavation Methodology
• Artifacts ID, Curation, and Analysis
• Write Professional Field Notes
• Interpret data into behavioral activities
• Data Management
• Develop Field Reports.

 

Course Titles

 

1. ANTH 51 – Intro to Survey (F 10-2; 2 units - 6 field hrs/week)
2. ANTH 16L – Archaeology Lab (TBD; 1 unit - 3 lab hrs/week)
3. ANTH 57 - Applied Archaeology Field Methods (TBD; 1 unit)

Supplemental Classroom based courses (not required)

1. ANTH 8 – Intro to Archaeology 

Short Course Description:

This course will introduce students to fundamentals in archaeological field methods and theory. It will provide on-hand training for the investigation of different types of archaeological sites including field survey and sub-surface sampling strategies. Students will learn to identify local artifact types and lab techniques for artifact cleaning, analysis, photography, curation, and data management. The course will provide students a foundation in local cultural and environmental contexts with emphasis on the application of anthropological theory for final report writing.