Student Experience
The summer placement in my 2nd year on the marine archaeology course at Bournemouth University was an extremely valuable experience and provided me with confidence in my chosen career. As the archaeological unit I first requested to join for my 5 week placement could not accommodate me I requested one at the university.
The staff provided me with the undertaking of a series of important underwater monitoring studies on the protected wreck of the Swash Channel near Poole Harbour. This shipwreck represented an astonishing period in seafaring exploits and to be given such an opportunity was a real privilege.
The study not only provided an insight into the biological processes that a shipwreck is exposed to during its life lying on and under the seabed, but also the scientific analysis that goes with it.
Ultimately this research would help provide background to the degradation of the wreck and the time scale that further underwater work should take.
I was also given several other tasks such as surveying and basic drawing of the ship underwater affording me with a foundation of practical knowledge in marine archaeology.
That summer was one of my best, working with friends and experienced tutors who would give me the responsibility to be part of such important field work, something that I could take with me into a professional career.
Stuart Churchley, 2009
During my 3 years at Bournemouth University Ii was offered every opportunity to gain valuable experience within the profession, on a number of very exciting and historically important wreck sites. The majority of the diving was done within my own personal time as a volunteer member of the university dive team, this was not a problem as with all good things, the more you put in the more you get out of it.
The reward for this extra time and effort was huge as I was able to gain experiences that so few other maritime archaeological students manage to experience until they are working within the field, full scale involvement with projects on protected wreck sites at various stages including planning, investigation and post ex. This practical skills training is in my eyes where Bournemouth University stood out from the other courses available, as it offers the complete project experience.
The range and variation of subjects available and specialties to become involved with were a great opportunity for me to experience the different fields available within the discipline of archaeology. The lecturers and their support staff were a great help and always available for consultation and offer a wealth of knowledge and understanding within the field of archaeology, and especially maritime archaeology. The course gave me a great understanding and enthusiasm for maritime archaeology which has pushed me onwards into gaining employment within the field along with providing me with the basis of skills that any good archaeologist would need.
Kevin Stratford
Marine Archaeology has to be the best degree course run at Bournemouth University. You do not need to be able to dive, or have any desire to learn to dive, in order to fully take part in the course. I was told I could do the course without getting my feet wet, but nobody mentioned the mud.....
The marine archaeology field trip entailed a fortnight's stay in Salcombe, Devon and we had a great time. The major part of the field trip was a foreshore survey undertaken on behalf of Devon County Council (DCC) in order to record and document any archaeology for the DCC Historic Environment Record (HER). In addition to this we visited museums, wrecks, wreck sites and boats in both Devon and Cornwall in order to get a broader impression of the marine archaeological environment. Our year is a very mixed age group, from 19 to 48, but surprisingly we all got on very well sharing a house.
Back at Uni, the students in all years on both the BSc and MSc courses get on well together as a group, despite not only being a mixed age group but also an internationally varied one. I can thoroughly recommend the Marine version of Archaeology to anybody! It is definitely better than finding oneself in the middle of a muddy field, with the rain pouring down and gales howling, scraping away at the mud with a trowel....
Laurie Walker and Mark Hull-Brown
