Teaching

Professor West currently offers the following courses at Boston University:

AR283
North American Archaeology

This course follows North American prehistory from initial peopling of the continent to the development of complex societies. We explore human entry into the New World, migration across North America, subsistence changes, human interactions with the landscape, encounters with Europeans and the history of North American archaeology, and the role of archaeology in contemporary Native cultures and identity.

AR290
Archaeology of Environmental Change

In this course, we will examine human impacts on the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities. We consider the implications of long-term records for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy.

AR307
Archaeological Science

Natural sciences (biology, chemistry, geology) form an integral part of modern archaeology and are applied to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical and chemical approaches. Lecture and Lab.

AR410
Archaeological Materials Analysis and Research Design

This laboratory-driven course engages students in independent research design and the hands-on analysis of archaeological materials. The course provides a foundation in the integration of theory, research design, and analytical methods through laboratory sessions where students work with archaeological materials.

AR518
Zooarchaeology

This course provides a basis for the use of faunal remains in the investigation of paleoecology, analysis of archaeological site formation histories, and techniques for interpreting human subsistence activities. Lecture and Lab.

For more information about courses offered by Prof. West, please visit the Archaeology Department’s Courses Page.