Double major or load up on anthropology/archaeology courses?

[bulev]

My goal is graduate school in Archaeology.

I have four semesters left after this one, and I will have plenty of time to do a double major if I want to. Should I go for it, or would I be better off just doubling down on my research/labs/thesis planning (I'm scheduled to do summa) within the Anthropology department and not worry about the 2nd major? I go to a major state U with plenty of opportunity for advanced study within the discipline and can always take supplementary courses that don't "count" toward anything but will broaden my knowledge and hopefully strengthening my application. Thoughts?

Edited April 15, 2011 by bulev

[inca2011]

My goal is graduate school in Archaeology.

I have four semesters left after this one, and I will have plenty of time to do a double major if I want to. Should I go for it, or would I be better off just doubling down on my research/labs/thesis planning (I'm scheduled to do summa) within the Anthropology department and not worry about the 2nd major? I go to a major state U with plenty of opportunity for advanced study within the discipline and can always take supplementary courses that don't "count" toward anything but will broaden my knowledge and hopefully strengthening my application. Thoughts?

It's good to go in depth into anthropology/archaeology and work on a good research project and experiences, if you already know what you want to do. Grad schools like to see that you are committed to research and can handle tougher coursework. Can you do minors or concentrations? That might be a better option than doing a whole second major, since you could do both more anthropology and more of other-things. If not you could take courses to shore up your knowledge on your particular region/area of interest, maybe making a non-official concentration.

[mutualist007]

My goal is graduate school in Archaeology.

I have four semesters left after this one, and I will have plenty of time to do a double major if I want to. Should I go for it, or would I be better off just doubling down on my research/labs/thesis planning (I'm scheduled to do summa) within the Anthropology department and not worry about the 2nd major? I go to a major state U with plenty of opportunity for advanced study within the discipline and can always take supplementary courses that don't "count" toward anything but will broaden my knowledge and hopefully strengthening my application. Thoughts?

What is your primary major? Do a minor in Anthropology and tailor it to a specific subfield and include one foundations class.

[bulev]

What is your primary major? Do a minor in Anthropology and tailor it to a specific subfield and include one foundations class.

My primary major is anthropology. I was thinking about double majoring in history.

[Armadilla]

My primary major is anthropology. I was thinking about double majoring in history.

I think geology would be a perfect second major if you are very interested in archaeology. Or any geo sciences in fact.

[inca2011]

I think geology would be a perfect second major if you are very interested in archaeology. Or any geo sciences in fact.

It may depend on the type of archaeology, however. If it's a historical archaeology (e.g. of colonial America, medieval China, etc. etc.) history may be a better complement.

[Armadilla]

It may depend on the type of archaeology, however. If it's a historical archaeology (e.g. of colonial America, medieval China, etc. etc.) history may be a better complement.

oh yeah, I completely agree!!!And if the student's focus is paleoanthropology for example, I would double major in biology. Also, from my friends' experience, any geosciene major is a benefit because the recent trends in archaeology lean towards an extensive knowledge of a "geo science" specialized software (I've no idea what kind of software they use, but they're always running around the depratment proccupied with whatever GIS or something shows in the research, no idea what that is).

[bulev]

I think geology would be a perfect second major if you are very interested in archaeology. Or any geo sciences in fact.

I'm already doing a minor in Environmental Geoscience. My UG advisor cautioned against getting too focused on the geoscience approach, however, because a lot of it is so "cutting edge" that older profs (usually the decison-makers) may not be up to speed on areas of study like geomagnetism or archaeointensity and therefore are unlikely to appreciate it fully. Even so, I'm doing research in a federally funded geo-magnetism lab.