2020-21 BSc Bioarchaeology Programme Design Document

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1	Programme Information & PLOs
2	Title of the new programme – including any year abroad/ in industry variants
3	BSc Bioarchaeology
4	Level of qualification
5	Please select:				Level 6
6	Please indicate if the programme is offered with any year abroad / in industry variants																				Year in Industry Please select Y/N								No
7																					Year Abroad Please select Y/N								No
8	Department(s): Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department
9	Lead Department		Archaeology
10	Other contributing Departments:
11	4. Programme Leader
12	James Taylor
13	Statements of purpose for applicants to the programme
14	At York, we are proud to be at the forefront of archaeological research and innovative teaching, employing a wide range of teaching methods and assessments. The BSc in Bioarchaeology draws upon our staff expertise in BioArCh, a leading laboratory facility for the study of ancient biological materials. The degree reflects the multidisciplinary nature of our subject, incorporating aspects of the humanities, sciences and social sciences, our range of expertise truly covers the whole of the human past from the very beginnings of prehistory to contemporary archaeology. This degree programme provides students with a range of highly transferrable skills required by graduates for future employment both within and outside an academic setting and providing skills to allow the potential for further study in biological sciences at Masters level. Our graduates have gone into careers in diverse areas such as archaeology and heritage, laboratory technician work, law, local government planning, chartered surveying and land management, accountancy and financial services, teaching and the police and civil service. As well as engaging with key themes and debates in archaeology, students are trained in the skills of data generation and analysis; in the design and execution of both independent and team projects; and in the presentation of ideas to public and professional audiences through written, visual, and oral forms of presentation, using a range of digital applications. The city of York itself has a rich heritage and we have strong links with historic museums, visitor attractions, archaeological resources and professional expertise. A variety of hands-on practical based experience is offered, including participation in field-based archaeological excavation within the Yorkshire region in addition to a choice of wide ranging specialised skills relevant for bioarchaeology as a sub-discipline including the options of laboratory work with biomolecules or analysis of animal and human bones. Our hallmark is small group teaching with approachable, friendly staff which generates our strong sense of community.
15	Programme Learning Outcomes Please provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the programme can be expected to do. Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
16	PLO	On successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
17	1	Engage critically in debates around bioarchaeological research that inform current archaeological issues applicable to multiple periods of human society, using evidence from the UK and elsewhere in the world.
18	2	Design, execute and evaluate (bio)archaeological research projects to a standard informed by key theoretical, scientific, legal and professional principles and methodologies in an international context.
19	3	Generate, document and manage primary archaeological data from diverse sources of evidence and contexts and conduct analysis using a range of digitial technology.
20	4	Operate effectively as constructive and inclusive leaders and confident participants in teamwork in challenging environments and using data from multi-disciplinary field and/or laboratory projects.
21	5	Apply critical and creative approaches to problem-solving in complex situations with diverse, fragmentary datasets that reflect biases in their generation, survival, identification and documentation of biological material.
22	6	Resolve challenges in interpretation and presentation from an interdisciplinary perspective with agility and awareness of ethical issues.
23	7	Confidently explain, communicate and debate ideas through written, visual, and oral forms of presentation to a wide range of public and professional audiences using print and digital media.
24	8	Contribute as independent scholarsthe field of bioarchaeology through rigorous and imaginative inquiry in multi-disciplinary contexts.
25
26	NA
27	Programme Learning Outcome for year abroad programmes (where applicable) For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year Abroad’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year abroad or b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year abroad by alteration of the standard PLOs.
28	NA
29	Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning Outcomes Please explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
30	i) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
31	The PLOs engage students directly, critically and practically with practice in their disciplinary area at the leading edge of current theoretical, scientific and professional principles and methodologies. Students will develop as effective team members and confident communicators in a range of media and assessed projects and meet the demands of increasingly challenging areas of independent learning, data management and interpretation. By Year 3 students progress to their own independently-designed and executed, original research project, write and present a short lecture, and design, lead, present and critique research seminars.
32	ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the student:
33	One of the key advantages of an Archaeology degree is the breadth of skills and ideas with which graduates are confident; the BSc Bioarchaeology programme at York is designed to maximise this advantage. As well as engaging with key themes and debates in archaeology and the role of bioarchaeological evidence, students are trained in the hard skills entailed by data generation and analysis; in the design and execution of both independent and team projects; and in the presentation of archaeological ideas to a wide range of audiences. Every BSc Bioarchaeology student will complete a novel independent dissertation project in bioarchaeological research. Throughout the programme we place particular emphasis on the ability not just to understand and develop but to communicate ideas, through written, visual, and oral forms of presentation - as exemplified in the second-year Communicating Archaeology and the third-year Assessed Seminar modules, and in the assessed lecture that each student delivers on the subject of their dissertation research.
34	iii) How the programme learning outcomes develop students’ digital literacy and will make appropriate use of technology-enhanced learning (such as lecture recordings, online resources, simulations, online assessment, ‘flipped classrooms’ etc)?
35	The degree uses a wide range of digital applications in order to develop students' digital literacy, including spreadsheets, GIS, creating digital images, use of social media, word processing, and databases. There are opportunities for students to develop these skills further through specialised modules and dissertation projects. We also use technology-enhanced learning such as recording lectures where possible so that students can watch them back, and use cloud computing such as Googledocs for collaborative learning and the University's Virtual Learning Environment.
36	iv) How the PLOs support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)? The programme's employability objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
37	The BSc in Bioarchaeology is an excellent degree for providing a broad range of skills which are integral to student's employability. Learning to co-operate with others, taking on different roles within a team, and problem solving as a team are developed through modules such as Archaeological Excavation, Team Projects and Assessed Seminars. However, self management is also a critical skill to learn and students have to develop their self motivation and time management, particularly when researching their dissertations. A key focus of our degree is training in oral communication: from the first year we teach in small groups and train students to develop presentations to the class. By the third year students have the capability to deliver a high standard of presentation culminating with a lecture at the end of the year. Students learn to develop research skills and report writing throughout their degree but particularly in Researching Archaeology, Designing Research and Dissertations. Those that take the Practical Skills Biomolecular Archaeology option module and conduct training and work in the BioArCh laboratory for thier dissertation will also gain transferable lab skills. Creativity and innovation is important and we encourage students to generate new ideas. Many of our modules encourage social, cultural and global awareness and students learn to identify the ethical issues associated with their research projects and in relevant cases, apply the correct procedures. We aim to provide opportunities for students to gain an insight into how organisations work so as to prepare students for the world of work. Finally, we aim encourage students to be mindful of their developing skills and in the third year ask them to submit a CV as part of on assessment alongside a short pitch similar to an interview presentation.
38	vi) How will students who need additional support for academic and transferable skills be identified and supported by the Department?
39	Our one-to-one supervisory system ensures that a named member of staff works with each student to identify any areas where they may need additional support and subject specific skill development. The formative assessment process allows early identification of issues with learning and academic skills. The Disability Officer and Department Manager are informed about, and closely involved in, ensuring that students with disabilities (or requiring disability assessment) are properly supported. Special arrangements for assessment and for field school are put in place as required, tailored to individual student needs.
40	vii) How is teaching informed and led by research in the department/ centre/ University?
41	We are a research active department that engage with multi-disciplinary projects spanning multiple departments such as Biology, Chemistry, Environment, Physics, History, TFTV and the Centre for Digital Heritage. Research-led teaching is a key component of our degree. We ensure that staff teach subjects aligned to their research interests in almost all taught modules, ensuring that students engage with material at the forefront of active research. In the first year this includes modules team-taught by staff, Prehistory to the Present and Introduction to Archaeological Science. In the second year, modules such as Themes in Historical Archaeology and Practical Skills and Team Project are all specific to staff interests and by the third year, all students choose a 'Special Topic', a specialised module providing detailed coverage of a particular staff specialism. Our research is international in scope as well as interdisciplinary and we have World Archaeology modules that at the cutting edge of global issues in research.
42	Stage-level progression Please complete the table below, to summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of each year. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules. Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each PLO, but this can be done if preferred (please add information in the 'individual statement' boxes). For a statement that applies across all PLOs in the stage fill in the 'Global statement' box.
43	Stage 0 (if your programme has a Foundation year, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
44	Stage 1
45	On progression from the first year (Stage 1), students will be able to:											Global statement: work independently making use of current archaeological research and with guidance use and evaluate sources critically in short essays, critiques and reports; understand key principles, methodologies and digital applications in archaeological research; work collaboratively as team members in practical tasks in the field and in group work in seminar discussions, producing joint output for assessment; make short oral presentations both independently and as part of a group using different formats; appreciate broad ethical and professional concerns and show a good understanding of current debates in the discipline.
46	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
47	Individual statements
48	Stage 2
49	On progression from the second year (Stage 2), students will be able to:											Global statement: Work as independent scholars, engaging critically with current (bio)archaeological research and analysing and interpreting evidence from a broad range of sources with an appreciation of international contexts for longer essays and critiques; design research reports to a good standard informed by key principles, methodologies and digital applications; with an awareness of the importance of leadership, work effectively as confident members of a team to collaboratively produce a substantial written report with limited guidance, communicating results and interpretations of archaeological research in a professional style; make longer, detailed oral presentations independently; make use of a range of digital media and presentation formats; appreciate ethical and professional concerns and show a good understanding of contemporary debates in the sub-discipline of bioarchaeology.
50	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					line.					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
51	Individual statements
52	Stage 3
53	(For Integrated Masters) On progression from the third year (Stage 3), students will be able to:											Global statement
54	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
55	Individual statements
56	Programme Structure
57	Module Structure and Summative Assessment Map Please complete the summary table below which shows the module structure and the pattern of summative assessment through the programme. ‘Option module’ can be used in place of a specific named option. If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists these lists should be provided in the next section. Options are based on staff research interests and the number and range of topics covered will vary from year to year depending on staff availability. Options for this cohort will be posted during the academic year for the following stage and can be viewed on the departmental websites listed below From the drop-down select 'S' to indicate the start of the module, 'A' to indicate the timing of each distinct summative assessment point (eg. essay submission/ exam), and 'E' to indicate the end of the module (if the end of the module coincides with the summative assessment select 'EA') . It is not expected that each summative task will be listed where an overall module might be assessed cumulatively (for example weekly problem sheets). If summative assessment by exams will be scheduled in the summer Common Assessment period (weeks 5-7) a single ‘A’ can be used within the shaded cells as it is understood that you will not know in which week of the CAP the examination will take place.
58	Stage 0 (if you have modules for Stage 0, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
59	Stage 1
60	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
61		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
62	20	ARC00002C		Artefacts and Materials			S							E		A
63	20	ARC00001C		Prehistory to the Present			S							E		A
64	20	ARC00004C		Field Archaeology			S																		E	A
65	20	ARC00005C		Introduction to Archaeological Science													S							E		A
66	20	ARC00006C		Archaeological Theory													S							E		A
67	20	ARC00003C		Archaeological Excavation																						S								EA
68	Stage 2
69	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
70		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
71	30	ARC00015I, 14I		Themes Option List A			S																	E		A
72	20	ARC00018I, 50I, 56I, 60I		World Archaeology 1 Option List B, particularly starred options			S							E		A
73	20	ARC00004I, 5I, 25I, 28I, 46I, 54I, 59I		Practical Skills Option List C													S								EA
74	20	ARC0009I, 13I, 26I, 29I, 57I, 58I		Team Project Option List C																						S			E			A
75	10	ARC00053I		Communicating Archaeology			S							E	A
76	10	ARC00051I		Researching Archaeology Option List C													S							E	A
77	10	ARC00052I		Designing Research																						S			E		A
78	Stage 3
79	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
80		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
81	30	ARC00052H, 54H, 57H, 65H, 70H		Special Topic Option List D, particularly starred options			S							E		A
82	40	ARC00002H, 5H, 13H, 14H, 16H, 20H, 45H, 73H		Assessed Seminar Option List E													S								A		A	A	A	EA	A
83	40	ARC00011H		Dissertation and Assessed Lecture for Archaeological Scientists			S																				A						EA
84	10	ARC0059H, 61H, 69H, 72H		World Archaeology 2 Option List B			S							E	A
85	Optional module lists If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists these lists should be provided below. If you need more space, use the toggles on the left to reveal ten further hidden rows.
86	Option List A		Option List B			Option List C					Option List D					Option List E					Option List F					Option List G					Option List H
87	Themes in Prehistoric Archaeology		World Archaeology: Mummification			Practical Skills and Team project: Biomolecular Archaeology					Special Topic: Ancient DNA					Assessed Seminar: Archaeology of British Christianity
88	Themes in Historic Archaeology		World Archaeology: Conflict			Practical Skills and Team project: Animal Bones					Special Topic: Historic Houses					Assessed Seminar: Debates in Archaeological Science
89			World Archaeology: The Invention of Heritage			Practical Skills and Team project: Buildings History					Special Topic: Human Evolution					Assessed Seminar: Building Early Modernity
90			World Archaeology: Alpine Landscape Archaeology			Practical Skills and Team project: Field Archaeology Survey Skills					Special Topic: The Archaeology of Africa					Assessed Seminar: Neanderthals
91			World Archaeology: The Late Prehistory of Egypt and the Fertile Crescent			Practical Skills and Team project: Human Bones					Special Topic: Death and Burial in European Prehistory					Assessed Seminar: Sustaining the Historic Environment
92			new modules will be added as they are developed			Practical Skills and Team project: Archaeology and Heritage					Special Topic: Viking-Age Scandinavia					Assessed Seminar: Environmental Archaeology: a Landscape Perspective
93						Practical Skills and Team Project: Experimental Archaeology & Material Culture					new modules will be added as they are developed					Assessed Seminar: Palaeodiet
94						new modules will be added as they are developed										Assessed Seminar: Mesolithic Europe
95																new modules will be added as they are developed