Biblical or Archaeology DL Degree

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by CB3, Mar 23, 2005.

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  1. CB3

    CB3 New Member

    I am wondering if there are any programs that offer Biblical and Archaeology together in a Bachelor's degree and Master's degree? I am researching to see but I haven't found anything yet.
     
  2. Charles

    Charles New Member

  3. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    Maybe not quite what you are looking for but one way to do this is to take a BSLS in Libereal Studies from Excelsior. At least 60 units could be split between your interests as electives and humanities.

    Then take a MA in Professional Studies from TESC
    http://www.tesc.edu/graduate/mapspo.php
    Here you might be able to add 12 course units plus 6 thesis units in your interests.
     
  4. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    There are DL programs in Archeology (I believe it's Historical Archeology) offered at the University of Wales-Lampeter. One might fit your needs.
    Jack
     
  5. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    When looking for such a program, one might wish to note that the old-style terminology "Biblical Archaeology" has been largely replaced with "Syro-Palestinian Archaeology."
     
  6. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    Mind the zebras...and pass the information.

    Hi CB3:

    The following benighted, backwater universities (note especially UNISA for DL) offer courses or grad programs in biblical archaeology so named.

    Andrews University
    Cornell University
    Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    Indiana Wesleyan University
    John Carroll University
    Miami University (Ohio)
    Simon Fraser University
    Tel-Aviv University
    Texas A & M University
    Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
    Universitaet Tuebingen
    University of Bradford
    University of Colorado at Boulder
    University of Jordan
    University of Malta
    University of Pennsylvania
    University of South Africa
    University of Texas
    Wheaton College

    (Each of these is either foreign "GAAP" or accredited by a USDE/CHEA recognized accreditor. How much DL there is in this mix I do not know.)

    There may well be additional benighted academic backwaters that use the term "biblical archaeology". A mere 15 minutes on Google coughed these up.

    Cheers,
    Janko
     
  7. CB3

    CB3 New Member

    I would like to kindly say thank you for all who helped me to find schools that are acceptable. I'm interested in going all the way to Ph.D status to teach in academia,
    and during other times travel overseas. I found some of the sites that offered free-tuition in some cases. However, they ask for a small donation. I looked up at unisa that seemed interesting I must say.
    I have completed a two-year degree in Business. I have found my passion through history mixed in with the archaeology. As long as I can find the right
    mix and get me a position teaching later on down the road I might have a chance. :) I checked with Vanderbilt University and a portion of the website reads, "The members of the faculty are internationally prominent for their research and publications on the ancient and modern cultures of the New World, especially Mesoamerica, the Andes, and Amazonia. The department maintains research interests and active field programs in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile." Which seems great from an anthropological standpoint, but they are very expensive. I'm trying to figure out some type of plan to get the ball rolling. I hope to figure it out soon.

    Thanks again,

    cb3
     
  8. CB3

    CB3 New Member

    Quick note

    Vanderbilt doesn't offer a DL program in this just for future reference if someone looks upon this thread one day. It's just near my hometown and doesn't have anything to do with archaeology but rather anthropology, however; they will go down to South America and complete some great research . I was just checking what a B&M school had to offer close to home. :)

    cb3
     
  9. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Re: Mind the zebras...and pass the information.

    Well, Uncle Janko,

    I never said that schools that teach "Biblical Archaeology" are in any way "backwater" or "benighted" compared to schools that teach "Syro-Palestinian Archaeology." I was simply pointing out that one should not let nomenclature get in the way, inasmuch as there is a certain little, not-so-backwater, nearly four-century-old school founded by a frontier parson in a small northeastern state that offers "Syro-Palestinian Archaeology" degrees. Most people might think that if one was prestigious enough to get into that particular school's AM/PhD program, one should go for it.
     
  10. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Check out "Charting a Course to Graduate School in Biblical Archaeology" (http://homepage.mac.com/jumonson/john/grad_advice.html).
     
  11. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    sending in the zebra-mounted cavalry

    No, Ted, that's not what you said. It might be what you should have said, but didn't.

    My point, old chum, is that (again) you made a sweeping statement outside your field without benefit of verification. What you said was not that Harvard or (the anti-Jewish militants at) Copenhagen used the politically correct (e.g. dejudaized) term "Syro-Phoenician", but that this term was now standard and had replaced the term "Biblical" across the board. It hasn't.

    I claim absolutely no expertise whatever in Biblical or Syro-Phoenician or any other kind of archaeology. I know what I don't know. But I know (Bill Dayson taught me) how to check things out on that arcane and inaccessible and sophisticated research tool, Google.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2005
  12. CB3

    CB3 New Member

    Uni of South Africa

    I don't know much about foreign universities and their accreditation. What is the word on the University of South Africa? Are they looked upon as prestigious or above average? As long as I can teach in the United States possibly overseas; I would be very happy with this choice. I'm just looking for some direction thank you fine folks. :) I'm looking at the Bachelor's degree at the moment to finish and now I have the lists for where to go to a Master's degree. Astroarchaeology and Ethnoastronomy will be pursued on a Master's level. I have it mapped out; however, I need to know where are the schools that will give me the best tools to be the best in my field(hopefully).
     
  13. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    UNISA will give you a good education and a well-respected degree. Do a degreeinfo search on it--there's been lots of discussion here a while ago.
     
  14. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    Re: Uni of South Africa


    I think you may have a tough time landing a teaching position at the university level with a DL degree. It's possible, but there have been several discussions on this board regarding the difficulties.

    Pug
     
  15. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    These diplomas are written in linear "a", right?
     
  16. CB3

    CB3 New Member

    thanks

    I will search and see what others have to say about teaching via distance learning. If it becomes too much of a problem then I will go the B&M route. If that happens then I will have no choice but to look into anthropology at Vanderbilt University. That's the only place close by that offers courses that seem closely related, but highly expensive..sighs.
     
  17. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    what the...

    OK. I give up. What are Astroarchaeology and Ethnoastronomy?
     
  18. CB3

    CB3 New Member

    Hi Uncle Janko:

    I would have replied a lot earlier but I was searching for information on teaching at a university level. Thanks for your patience.

    The study of the astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions and world-views of all ancient cultures we call archaeoastronomy. <--better word (I believe- I said Astroarchaeology)

    Source: The Center of Archaeoastronomy

    Ethnoastronomy- The study of the knowledge, interpretations, and practices of contemporary cultures regarding celestial objects or phenomena.

    Source: Dictionary.com

    Here is a link that will delve deeper and is quite interesting.. If you would like to read it. What is your opinion of such a discipline(s)?

    http://www.wam.umd.edu/~tlaloc/archastro/index.html
     
  19. se94583

    se94583 New Member

    Being a refugee from that field, I would venture to say with a degree of certainty you will have an extremley ahrd, if not impossible time finding a real, full-time teaching gig with a DL PhD in Near Eastern Archaeology, even if one is available. Fact is too much competition from "name" universities and not much need for these sort of professors. You have Harvard graduating several PhD's in it's NELC program every year, Harvard Div School also pumping out a few ThD's, not to mention the other "biggies" in this field: Chicago, Yale, Berkeley. And THEY all have a hard time finding jobs, most ending up in backwater Bible colleges or in state schools teaching Old Testament survey.

    Not to say the studying itself would be worthwile or some sort of adjunct gig at the community college level could happen.
     
  20. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    I'm kind of interested in that myself.

    (I've made several heated replies here in the past when various people have attacked astrology as an academic subject.)

    Here in the Bay Area, the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco has both masters and doctoral concentrations in what they call 'Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness'. (Unfortunately they are classroom based and not DL.)

    You might be interested in this webpage, which describes some interesting work that came out of CIIS regarding an archaeoastronomical interpretation of ancient Mithraic symbolism and iconography (scroll down past the book blurbs):

    http://www.well.com/user/davidu/mithras.html

    The Rosacrucian Planetarium in San Jose (wouldn't you know it) has turned this stuff into a sky show that they are currently running:

    http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/news/2004/05planetarium_mithraic.html

    Besides its considerable inherent interest, I think that this stuff shows 'alternative scholarship' at its best. It's something that mainstream academia might not really want to touch, and it's where 'alternative' institutions can (and do) shine. I keep hoping that the CA-approved sector can do things like this. (CIIS is RA but remains kind of edgy, and the Rosacrucians are definitely out there. They have a wonderful museum of antiquities though.)

    http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/index.html

    Nothing remotely Biblical about it, though.
     

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