THERE IS AN old cliche that says excavation is destruction in itself. This may upset many aspiring archaeologists who dream of discovering gold hordes and skeletons in bogs.
In fact, many of the newer disciplines in the field, such as geophysics, are non-invasive - no excavation at all! However, the good news is that it's still a fascinating subject.
"Archaeology is like being involved in a permanent Panoromastyle documentary. And it's a very time-consuming sort of thing," says Tom Condit, press officer for the Irish Association of Professional Archaelogists. It's the sort of work you tend to take home with you, he adds.
In Ireland, UCD, UCC, UCG TCD and QUB offer full-time archaeology programmes. Many students who study archaeology at college will not become professional archaeologists.
Professor John Waddell, of UCG's archaeology department, says studying archaeology provides students with a good further education, a solid grounding in analytical techniques and research methods - and these will stand to people whatever career they choose.
In UCG, first-year students opt for four arts subjects. The philosophy, Waddell explains, is to encourage students to try subjects they haven't done at Leaving Cert. In second and third years, students may continue with archaeology as part of their two-subject honours arts degree. There is no restriction on the number of places available.
A steady number will continue their studies to master's level, he says, usually by research. UCG also offers a postgraduate programme in archaeology and geophysics.
Professor Peter Woodman of UCC says that there are no particular subject requirements for archaeology, but students who feel comfortable with history, classical studies, geography, English or art history, or who have language or scientific skills, may well enjoy archaeology. It is a much broader discipline than most people realise, he says.
Students can take a joint or single honours degree in archaeology at UCC and there is no restriction on the number of places. While the college provides some practical training, Woodman recommends that all honours students work on an excavation during their holidays.
"When students have a good honours degree and they're really interested, I would recommend that they take a postgraduate programme," he says. UCC's two-year master's programme is professionally oriented and students will learn about areas such as planning, accountancy, recording and analytical techniques, as well as specialising in their own area of interest.
In UCD, archaeology can be studied at undergraduate level as a joint honours programme in arts or as one of three subjects in the BA in Celtic studies. A college spokeswoman explains that many students take archaeology as a third subject at college, intending to drop it at the end of third year; however, they often become so interested they continue with it.
The college also offers a range of specialist postgraduate programmes.
In TCD, arts students can opt to study ancient history and archaeology. The course is designed for students with a particular interest in Greece and Rome - it deals with all the major aspects of classical history and archaeology.
Archaeology can also can be studied through arts or science at Queen's University Belfast. After a common first year, students can opt for single or joint honours degree. The minimum Leaving Cert requirements are three Bs and two Cs at higher level.
In the single honours programme students do two terms of practical archaeology as well as six weeks of field work. QUB runs its own training investigations.
