Wide variety of material covered, interesting, lots of fieldtrips
Disadvantages:
possible expense of uni tuition !
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
(Excuse the & in the title. I would have written 'Archaeological And Forensic Sciences at Bournemouth University' but I ran out of characters!!) I was stood in a field, up to my elbows in muddy water when I decided I would finally get around to writing about my university course!
… The explanation for the muddy water and the field should become clear as I go on!
I'm starting my second year of 'Archaeological and Forensic Sciences' in the Conservation Sciences school at Bournemouth University (which is actually in Poole by the way!) This review should give information of the course, and my views of it, and also some of the university in general - all from the first-into-second year standpoint. ~ - ~ Grade Requirements and Some Background Info ~ - ~ I have to admit that this course at this university was not my first choice. I was predicted BBC at Alevel and with those grades hoped to study straight Archaeology at Reading University. On results day I found I did quite badly all around and 'only' came out with CDD, and only just enough to get into the Bournemouth course.
According to the University website, the next year's (2007) entry requirement is currently BC at Alevel (180points). This gradually increases across the year and the final requirement is BBC (280points). Luckily for me, I applied quite early and got the lower end of the offer range, otherwise I would not have made it in!
The course is gradually gaining a good reputation, and I believe this will only be the third year it has been run. Archaeological and Forensic Sciences (AFS) is a three-year course. In my class there are currently just under 20 students, and I believe around the same number starting the third year. This year's first year intake is said to be bigger.
In addition to the tuition fees for this course, you must also pay a fieldwork fee each year. This covers the expenses of all fieldwork carried out throughout the year. I believe mine was around £140 last October, and if you paid by a certain date 10% was knocked off.
~ - ~ First Year Classes ~ - ~ Each year you take six classes. In the first year these are all compulsory and you have no say in which units to take. The purpose of the first year is to bring everybody up to the same level, so that they can move ahead together in the following years. As this course overlaps both the archaeology side of the school and the forensic side, the classes reflect this.
This is a brief overview of each of the six classes:
-Study, Communication and Research Skills- All undergraduates in the Conservation Sciences school take this class together. It includes a basic computer course, math/statistics course and general guidance in how to use the library. This is examined by a multiple-choice test (in a lecture hall) and coursework. The test covers the statistics taught, and you are allowed a single A4 sheet of notes to assist you.
-Introduction to Archaeology and the Historic Environment- (More commonly referred to as 'Intro') Across the three terms of the first year, you briefly cover, more or less, every era of British history. My lecturers were Miles Russell for the prehistory and Roman part and Iain Hewitt for the post roman and medieval sections. Both of these lecturers obviously share a passion for their subjects and it is conveyed in the way they teach. My class voted Miles Russell the best lecturer of the year for making lectures interesting and the information memorable. Intro is examined using coursework and a summer examination. Prehistory, Roman, and Medieval are each covered in the exam and coursework can be based on a particular aspect of one of these periods.
-Field Archaeology- This unit gives a brief introduction to many different areas of the practical side of archaeology. This provides a basic for much of the summer fieldwork and the field trips throughout the year, further detail of these can be found later. Field Arch is also examined using coursework and a summer examination.
-Molecular Biology- This is taken by all the more science-based archaeology courses, and the forensic courses. Much of the material covered is taught to an Alevel standard. As I took Alevel biology it was slightly boring at time, but people who did not take Alevel biology found it very useful to make the whole course more understandable Biology is examined through coursework and an inclass multiple-choice test.
-Chemistry- Likewise in chemistry, for those who had taken the subject at Alevel it often appeared to be a waste of time, but for those who hadn't it was most useful. This said, on the topics of bio and chem, all syllabuses at Alevel cover slightly different material and there are parts that may not have been covered. I had not previously studied Entropy until taking this class. Chemistry is also examined through coursework and an inclass multiple-choice test. The chem test is an open book affair.
-Crime Scenes And Forensic Sciences- This is a basic introduction to police structure, processes and general crime scene practices. On the AFS course there was one Crime Scene field trip (details below) and two lab sessions that were intended to reinact what might happen in a crime lab. Personally, I found Crime Scenes my hardest class and it was the class I achieved the lowest grade in overall. Prior to this course I had no knowledge what so ever of the forensic process, and as such struggled for the first few weeks. An independent expert was brought in to teach this class (I had Gareth Roberts) and he was only contactable by email except for the 2hour period a week when he was on campus. Crime Scenes was examined by an examination and through coursework. Part of the coursework is based on the fieldtrip earlier in the term.
All six classes must be passed (both coursework and exam parts) in order to progress to the second year. People who fail units (up to three I believe) can resit them in late August (this week in fact!) to try and get a passgrade. More than three (I think) units failed and you must either repeat the entire year or drop out.
-Second and Third year classes- I haven't got there yet, so can't really comment on the units, but according to the website the units are: (Second year) Laboratory and Analytical Skills Forensic Biochemistry Biological Anthropology Forensic Biomolecules Innovation, Production, and Consumption Research Methods and Project Management
(Third year) Personal Research Project Forensic Science in Practice Forensic Anthropology Forensic Archaeology Techniques of Geophysical and Chemical Prospection~ - ~ Work load ~ - ~ The AFS timetable includes around 15 hours of lectures a week, and three full day fieldtrips. The allotted class time is much lower than many other degree programs, but it is intended that you spend the extra hours in the library. As we were reminded many many times over the year, we are 'reading' for a degree, and so much 'read' to achieve it! I have to be honest and say I didn't spend nearly enough time in the library and could have done much better in my first year had I followed the advice given!
~ - ~ Lab work ~ - ~ Large amounts of both the biology and chemistry courses include laboratory work. One particular exercise (spread across two Wednesdays) was to act like a crime lab and carry out a series of tests on some given materials. One week was poisoned liver and the other week was bullets. Using the knowledge we had gained over the year, we then had to determine which liver/bullet was the guilty one! The chemistry coursework was largely based on the write-up of one of these experiments. The university provides all equipment, except for goggles and safety coats.
~ - ~ Field work ~ - ~ Both the archaeological and forensic sides of this course contain fieldtrips during the year.
-Archaeology- We went on fieldtrips to monuments of various ages and in different geological areas (namely HoundTor on Dartmoor, Badbury Rings in Dorset, and …. Erm ….. somewhere else that I can't remember!) Part of this was to see the monument first hand, and part was to gain experience in archaeological surveying. The other Archaeology courses also visited Stone Henge and Maiden Castle. On these days we did forensic work instead. Also as part of the AFS course, you must complete the four-week excavation period (or five-weeks if you want) in the summer between years one and two. I am on this right now! The excavation acts as a training dig and all the archaeology students from the Conservation Sciences school come together to learn and put into practice the theory taught in Field Archaeology. Archaeological excavation is not the other thing that goes on on this dig. Students (and volunteers) get the opportunity to try a hand at field walking, geophysical surveying (I am on tomorrow), environmental processing (I did today), find processing, microscopy (next week!) and a few other areas which aren't coming to mind right now.
(The environmental processing from today is why I was stood with my arms in cold water thinking about writing my review finally!)
To find out more information on this years excavation specifically, search for the 'Knowlton Prehistoric Landscape Project' at High Lea Farm :-)
-Forensics- The forensic fieldtrip was a crime scene exercise. We were taken to a specialist facility that laid on several make-believe (and interconnected, although we didn't know that at first!) crime scenes to allow us to practice all of the practical skills taught in lectures, such as lifting finger prints, sampling blood (not real!) and packaging evidence. We also had to fill out all the authentic paperwork and log records to see how this process was carried out. To replicate the 'real thing' we were told very little information about the day before hand, and did not know when it would finish. We were also provided with the proper forensic clothing (white suits, gloves and face masks) to make the day even more authentic. The Crime Scene and Forensic Sciences coursework was largely based on this exercise.
~ - ~ Library and Computer facilities ~ - ~ The Bournemouth University library has a wide selection of books that are helpful to both the archaeological and forensic aspects of my course. There are also audio materials and videos that can be rented out. The library, and most of the campus, is wireless Internet enabled, and anyone can use it. For those without their own laptop/computer, there are plenty spread around the campus, including a 24-hour 'open access' centre that can be used by any Bournemouth student at any time. There are also adequate printing and copying facilities spread around. All students are provided with a university email address and can access their files saved on the system from any internet-ready computer.
~ - ~ Personal Tutor ~ - ~ Each student is assigned to a particular member of the Conservation Sciences staff, and can (supposedly) turn to them with any problems or issues with the course, or life in general. I only met my tutor once, on the introduction session, so I can't really comment on this system!
~ - ~ Is Age An Issue? ~ - ~ There are just as many 'mature' students as there are young ones in the Conservation Sciences school, and from what I see they bond together with each other, as well as the younger students. Age, or experience, do not seem a disadvantage on an archaeology course.
~ - ~ My expectation of the course ~ - ~ My deciding to apply for a forensic course, rather than pure archaeology was very much a spur of the moment thing! I had thought it was going to be 'forensic archaeology' (i.e. the two subjects would be linked together in classes) but it turned out that when the course is named Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, the AND is very important! It is clear that this degree is two programs stuck together and there is very little overlap between the two sides of the school. This grew quite annoying at times, as the archaeology classes didn't seem to know we were going to be there, and the forensic classes expected us when we were timetabled to be in! By Easter this had been sorted more or less and communication between the departments increased.
~ - ~ ArchSoc ~ - ~ This isn't technically a part of the AFS course, but is still defiantly related! The Archaeology Society (ArchSoc) is a club run by the students, for the students. You do not have to be an archaeology student to be involved. Throughout the year they put on specialist evening lectures with speakers invited in from many different organisations. My favourite from the past year was when a lady from Corfe Castle came to speak at an ArchSoc evening. She showed many slides of the castle in various stages of ruin/repair, and told a lot of information that would not be given out on a usual site tour. I came away from the evening feeling like I had actually toured the castle! There are also social events laid on as well. Membership is £3 for the year and various jumpers and t-shirts are available to purchase.
~ - ~ General First Year Accommodation ~ - ~ All first years are provided with accommodation. Some are in houses of four or five on the university campus (in the 'student village') while others are in university houses spread across Bournemouth. Some people also live in hotels during term times. I was in a university owned house (Unilet) and placed with three other people. We were around 30minutes walk from the university, and apparently it is university policy that you should be no more than 7 miles away in a Unilet house. The further you are away from the university, the more likely they will allow you to hold a parking permit, but there are several other criteria that come first (staff, disabilities etc.. ) I liked the experience of living in a house, but did not especially like my housemates. I was on a completely different course to the other three people, and was a very different person from them. I suppose the process of who lives where is a random one, but some effort could be made to put like with like! I am now living with friends I made on my course and it is much more enjoyable.
~ - ~ Overall ~ - ~ My overall experience on the Archaeological and Forensic Sciences course, and at Bournemouth University as a whole, has been an immensely enjoyable one. I have met a lot of new people and some great friends. The course is interesting and most classes change every week, never allowing time to get bored with a subject. I believe the balance between coursework and examination is just right, and the amount of lectures put on each week too. I would defiantly recommend this course and university to anybody (young or old) with an interest in following archaeology and/or forensics to a professional level.
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
