Heritage Studies

What Is Heritage Studies ?

The heritage studies program is designed to develop an appreciation for and a working knowledge of various anthropological issues and techniques. The certificate is awarded to undergraduate students upon the successful completion of a minimum of 27 credit hours, including a core curriculum of eight required courses, which includes an internship and a field course in archaeology. Those enrolling in the program pursue the certificate from the Department of Anthropology. The heritage studies certificate is offered both to students who are in the process of completing the requirements for an academic or professional degree, as well as to those who already hold bachelor's degrees. The certificate is not an accredited degree by itself, but offers a specialization to those earning other accredited degrees.

Success Factors

While each branch of anthropology carries its own special techniques and required skill sets, certain attributes common to all will help a student succeed:

• open-mindedness and willingness to understand how other social and cultural systems work
• intellectual curiosity about human similarities and differences
• desire to find out how things actually are vs. how someone thinks they "oughta be"
• analytic ability and, for some branches, some quantitative and statistical skills
• verbal facility: ability to read carefully and write clearly and concisely
• desire to cultivate a disciplined imagination

Career Possibilities

Graduates of this major pursue many different careers. They are employed as:

• Archaeologists
• Anthropologists
• Librarians
• Educators
• Diplomats

Graduates may work in research, evaluation or administration, at private or public archaeological firms, or in such specialized fields as medicine, epidemiology, law enforcement and linguistics.

Additional career options are listed on the Career Development Center's Web site. 

Major Details

The certificate program requires the successful completion of 28 credits with an overall GPA > 2.0, which includes an internship and field course to complete. The capstone course, ANTH 690, Archaeological Theory, should be taken in the graduating year. The internship represents either a paid or unpaid position with an environmental engineering firm, government agency, or organization that engages in cultural resource management work, or a volunteer effort with a cultural resource management oriented institution such as the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History which amounts to 90 hours of service.

Students may transfer up to nine credit hours from other universities; the program advisor will make determinations regarding transfer credits and substitutions.

Minor Details

There is no minor offered in heritage studies.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

Course Name	Course Number	Credits
Required Courses
Introduction to Archaeology	ANTH 107	3
Cultural Resource Management	ANTH 301	3
Southwest Prehistory	ANTH 303	3
Ohio Valley Prehistory	ANTH 309	3
Public Archaeology Internship	ANTH 512	3
Archaeological Theory	ANTH 690	3
Pick One of the Following:
Interpretation of the Archaeological Record	ANTH 422	4
Principles of Archaeological Analysis	ANTH 423	3
Pick One of the Following:
Field Course in Archaeology: Southwest		6
Field Course in Archaeology: Mesoamerica		6
Field Course in Archaeology: Midwest		6
TOTAL		2

Because not all courses are offered each quarter, and some only in alternate years, students are encouraged to consult the program advisor for the specific courses that will be offered during the succeeding quarter.

Special Opportunities

Students in the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, Tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

Internships

Internships offer the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on, learn-by-doing experience in the practice of Heritage Studies. In consultation with the program advisor, students select a company, government agency, not-for-profit organization, museum, or heritage foundation whose involvement in heritage studies best fits their interests and goals.

Internships require at least 90 hours of time that, ideally, is somewhat equally divided between instruction and practical application. In addition, the student is asked to submit a brief paper on the internship experience to the heritage studies program advisor, who may also seek an appraisal of the student's performance from the company, government agency, not-for-profit organization, or museum.

There are three kinds of internships:

(1) Those with heritage studies or environmental engineering firms doing contract work.

(2) Those with museums, not-for-profit historic preservation organizations, or local interest groups working on heritage studies issues (e.g., Archaeological Conservancy, Cincinnati Museum of Natural History).

(3) Those with federal, state, county, or municipal government agencies engaged in heritage studies (e.g., National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, State Department of Highways, State Department of Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Offices etc.)

Students must enroll in ANTH 512, Public Archaeology Internship.

Interns are expected to immerse themselves as thoroughly as time and circumstances permit in the practice and processes of heritage studies. Interns should seek opportunities to observe and participate in as broad a range of heritage studies. There may also be particular needs on the part of those who sponsor internships or specific requirements of the program advisor, such as learning how to prepare archaeological site forms, Phase I, II, and III compliance reports, and National Register of Historic Places nominations.

Admission Requirements

Admission criteria for this program vary based on the relative strength of test scores, class rank and GPA. Please see the Freshman Class Profile for this major in the Quick Facts sidebar on this page for the range of academic credentials typically accepted into this program. Test scores in the lower range may be acceptable with higher class rank and/or GPA.

Freshmen applying to this program should also have completed the following state of Ohio articulation requirements with no more than two units missing:

• English (4 units)*
• College-preparatory mathematics (3 units)*
• Science (2 units)
• Social science (2 units)
• Foreign language (2 units)*
• Fine arts (1 unit)
• Additional college-prep subjects (2 units) 

*McMicken College of Arts & Sciences does not allow units missing from these areas.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants who have received an associate degree from an accredited college or university and whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

Although midyear off-campus transfer students are not able to participate in early registration in the quarter prior to their enrollment, they are included in the summer registration period prior to their fall quarter enrollment.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree-seeking student in one of UC’s other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English Composition or its equivalent and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

Further details on individual programs are available online or in the A&S Office of Undergraduate Student Affairs and Advising (102 McMicken Hall).

Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting the university's General Education requirements, the requirements listed in the McMicken College Core Requirements are common to all potential graduates of the college, whether they are pursuing the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or bachelor of interdisciplinary studies degree.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the college, since many course sequences begin in that quarter. Applicants to the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in McMicken 102). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd Floor, University Pavilion).