Minor in Archaeology

Archaeology, especially historical archaeology, Southeast Asian, Asian and Singapore archaeology, and history of objects and material culture, is an emergent area of study. Archaeology was officially incorporated in the National Heritage Board’s Heritage Plan 1.0 in 2019. In Heritage Plan 2.0, archaeology continues to occupy a major position (2023-2027). Archaeology plays an important role in the research, analysis, curation, and preservation of Singapore’s intangible and tangible heritage. The latter three form foci of archaeology in environmental, landscape, maritime archaeology, and zooarchaeology, for example, as well as computer programs which can be utilized in the mapping, presentation, and reconstruction of sites and societies.

The archaeology minor programme brings together insights from different disciplines across the humanities and sciences. In a broad sense, archaeology is the study of material culture and through the examination of remains not limited to architecture art, culture, technology, religion, natural materials, and the field notes, photographs and illustrations etc and their context comprising the environment, soil and geology, topography etc, archaeology constitutes a good example of a logical pairing of physical and human sciences. Context is essential in the study of archaeology; for example, historical archaeology will require students to draw insights from not just historical records, but also literary works which describe not only the sights and sounds, structures, but also the activities and behavioural patterns of the persons who dwelled in that specific time period.

Students will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the material culture of human society, intellectual tools necessary to interpret and understand them using a combination of sound methodology and reflexive thinking, settings in which to discuss ideas and analyses within a conducive and open environment, and consider and propose ways for us to appreciate, integrate and mediate the past, present and future and to discover new ways to perceive the role of culture, history, and objects of the ancient and recent pasts in order to derive new perceptions about probable futures.

The Minor in Archaeology is open to all undergraduate students across the university.

Students will have to read 5 courses totaling at least 15 AUs in total for this program. There will be a core compulsory course (HH1125 History and Archaeology: An Introduction), and four other courses from list of courses below. 

The compulsory course is designed to provide students with essential knowledge under this Minor in Archaeology. Students who have declared their intent to read the Minor will then be able to take Archaeology courses even if they do not have the necessary course-based prerequisites. HH1125 will be considered a pre-requisite for the Minor in Archaeology courses that have course-based pre-requisites.

 ACADEMIC STRUCTURE

Students will read the courses below as Broadening & Deeping Electives (BDE).

Compulsory core course
  •  HH1125 History and Archaeology: An Introduction

Students are to take four courses from this list and at least one course each in Art History and History:

Art History
  • HR2008 Faith and Art
  • HR2010 Introduction to Museum Studies
  • HR3004 Art in the Age of Colonialism
  • HR3008 Aesthetic Manifestations of Buddhist Devotion and Practice
  • HR3009 19th Century Southeast Asian Art: Interactions and Refractions
  • DD2013 Visualization of Cultural Heritage
History
  • HH1025 World Archaeology
  • HH2025 The World of Southeast Asia to 1600
  • HH2125 The World in 12 Objects
  • HH2126 Heroes and Heroines in Asia
  • HH3007 Southeast Asian-China Interactions
  • HH3023 Burma/Myanmar: A History
  • HH3046 Colonial Cities in Asia
  • HH4005 Culture and Heritage: Perspectives from History
  • HH4030 Prehistory and Archaeology in East and Southeast Asia
  • HH4031 History and Archaeology of Ancient China
  • HH4125 Colonial Archaeology of Southeast Asia