QUALIFICATIONS
Participatory
Learning Experiences in anthropology are offered to upper division
undergraduate
students in the Department of Anthropology and related disciplines,
such
as History, Geography, Geology, Environmental Studies, Marine Biology,
Folklore, International Studies, Education, and General Sciences.
For
PLE Research,
students must have successfully completed a minimum of two courses in
anthropology
including the introductory
calss offered in their chosen area of study (archaeology, biological
anthropology,
or cultural anthropology).
For
Internships,
students should have successfully completed four or more anthropology
courses.
Internships
are designed for students who have accumulated considerable course
background
and practical experience in anthropology, cultural resource management,
or museum work. Internships are for students who are seriously
considering
anthropology or related fields as a career. Internships are developed
in
close coordination with a faculty advisor or the PLE Coordinator. The
completion
of a PLE Research project is good preparation for a subsequent
internship.
PLE
RESEARCH
REQUIREMENTS
PLE
Research
generally consists of 2-4 student credit hours per term. These may be
taken
as ANTH 406 Special Problems. Students obtain between 2 and 4 credits
per
term for 3.5 hours of supervised work per week per credit. In other
words:
for 1 credit, work 3.5 hour per week (35 hours per term).
for 2 credits, work 7 hours per week (70 hours per term).
for 3 credits, work 10.5 hours per week (105 hours per term)
for 4 credits, work 14 hours per week (140 hours per term).
Undergraduates
can apply a maximum of 8 student credit hours in PLE Research to
satisfaction
of elective requirements for a major in Anthropology.
Although
the
results of PLE research are exciting, the work itself can be routine,
painstaking,
and demanding. Laboratory work requires concentration, precision,
attention
to detail, and conscientiousness. In the process, you can learn more
about
how archaeologists work to understand ancient societies and make a
tangible
contribution to the research of University of Oregon faculty and
graduate
students. Students conducting PLE research will often have assigned
readings
along with the hands-on experience. Each student will also be
responsible
for a final product, based on their experience and training needs. The
final product may be a data
table,
catalog,
illustration, statistical analysis, synthetic or interpretive report,
or,
for the really experienced and creative student, a co-authored
publication.
Our primary concern is to conserve the collections, so all laboratory
activities
must conform to standard laboratory protocols. If you are working with
the comparative faunal collections, please also read Zooarchaeology
Laboratory
Protocols.
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INTERNSHIPS
Internships
consist of 5-12 student credit hours taken as ANTH 406 Internship.
Interns
are placed with cooperating government agencies, private firms, or
other
educational institutions. Students obtain between 5 to 12 credits per
term
at a rate of 3 student credits hours for 10 hours of supervised work
per
week. In other words:
for 5 credits, work 16.5 hours per week (165 credits per term)
for 6 credits, work 20 hours per week (200 credits per term)
for 7 credits, work 23 hours per week (230 credits per term)
for 8 credits, work 26.5 hours per week (265 credits per term)
for 9 credits, work 30 hours per week (300 credits per term)
for 10 credits work 33 hours per week (330 credits per term)
for 11 credits work 36.5 hours per week (365 credits per term)
for 12 credits, work 40 hours per week (400 credits per term)
Students
can
earn a maximum of 12 internship credits. Internships should normally be
scheduled for the student's senior year, after all Anthropology major
requirements
have been met. Interns read pertinent literature relating to their
intern
placement. They should develop knowledge about equivalent information
sources
such as newsletters, trade journals, or on-line resources. A
bibliography
demonstrating such reading should be part of the internship paper. The
internship paper serves any of the following purposes:
report the results of a specific research project
outline a plan for the protection or management of an archaeological
site
develop a public interpretation plan for a site or region
develop a museum exhibit
critically review some aspect of public policy
analyze the internship experience itself
meets the needs of the internship sponsor.
Successful
internships sponsored by the Department of Anthropology since 1990
include:
development of interpretive materials for the Willamette National Forest
archaeological survey and excavation on the Modoc National Forest
archival research at the Smithsonian Institution and National Archives
analysis of stone tools from the Siuslaw National Forest
monitoring of looted archaeological sites on the Umpqua National Forest
development of Native American art exhibit at the Portland Art Museum
excavation of a Russian colonial site in Sitka with the Alaska State
Historic
Preservation Office.
We
recognize
the value of relevant working experience as part of a student's
academic
program and encourage interested students to participate. We do not
award
credits solely on the basis of experience. Interns need to demonstrate
that they have seriously reflected on the academic and practical
implications
of their experience. The internship paper written at the end of the
term
accomplishes this. Faculty Supervisors provide more project-specific
guidelines
on the Student's Internship Application in consultation with the
student.
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INTERNSHIP
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
The
internship
process involves the following steps:
Locate
a pertinent
internship opportunity. Consult with your faculty advisor, the PLE
Coordinator,
senior Museum of Natural History staff, and the Career Center in
Hendricks
Hall. Be creative in locating sources that apply to your particular
career
goals.
Contact
representatives
of appropriate organizations to identify available work experience that
is relevant to your academic program or goals.
Once
you have
found an internship possibility, make an appointment to meet with your
Faculty Advisor or PLE Coordinator. Bring:
Internship
Application
Form (also available in the Anthropology Office)
Correspondence
and relevant documents from the organization or agency willing to take
you on as an intern. Advisors will record their expectations for the
internship
on the Application Form. Your responsibilities as a Intern will also be
indicated.
Return
the original
and one copy of the Application Form and correspondence to the PLE
Coordinator.
The second set of copies will be placed in your file in the Department
of Anthropology Office.
Register
for ANTH
406 - Internship during the term you will be working as an intern.
Credit
is awarded Pass/No Pass and requires the completion of your internship
paper. Page length will vary. Guidelines from your Faculty Advisor or
Sponsor
should be noted on your Internship Application Form.
Interns
will submit
two copies of a final letter of completion/recommendation by the
sponsoring
internship supervisor to the PLE Coordinator. The second copy will go
in
the student's academic file. Interns will complete an evaluation of the
Internship. This evaluation will be used to improve the internship
program
in the future.
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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
If
I submit
an application, will I be able to enroll in the PLE of my choice?
We
hope so,
but at this time we don't have an accurate assessment of student
demand.
The number of PLEs available every term is limited because of
constraints
on faculty time and limited laboratory space. We will do our best to
accommodate
as many students as possible. However, we may have to turn down
students,
or postpone their enrollment in PLEs for a variety of reasons.
If
I do
a PLE, will I be able to get a job in anthropology?
PLEs
give students
a chance to test the degree of their interest in anthropology and
evaluate
it as a possible career path. In some cases, PLEs have provided
students
mentoring that has led to temporary or permanent employment in
anthropology.
In other cases, students have gained a more complete and realistic
appreciation
of the nature of such research, enabling them to decide against a
full-time
career an an anthropologist. Doing a PLE will not guarantee you a job,
but you will be better prepared for the realities of the job market. It
will help you make better-informed career decisions, increase your
understanding
of the field of anthropology, and provide team-oriented problem solving
experience that will help you in just about any job field.
If
I do
a PLE, will I be able to get into graduate school?
The
PLE alone
is not sufficient to get into a graduate school in Anthropology or
Archaeology.
Graduate schools evaluate applicants on the basis of broad course
background,
field experience, quality of grades (especially in Anthropology) and
GRE
scores, letters of recommendation, writing skills, and proficiency in
the
English language. However, PLEs give students practical experience that
allows them to develop more successful graduate school applications. A
successful PLE experience will increase your chances of getting into
graduate
school.
Should
I
do a PLE before or after participating in an anthropological field
school?
You
don't need
to attend a field school before doing a PLE. In fact, the skills you
develop
during your PLE experience will make you a better fieldworker.
Laboratory
experience is excellent preparation for fieldwork-- you learn to
recognize
various kinds of artifacts, faunal remains, soils, etc. that you will
encounter
in the field under less-controlled conditions. Alternatively, if you
have
already attended field school, you will come to the laboratory with a
high
level of appreciation for how the finds got there!
What
can
I do if I'm experiencing difficulty with my Faculty Advisor?
One
of the
jobs of the PLE coordinator is to insure that students receive a high
quality
PLE. We will do our best to match you with Faculty Advisors and
Graduate
Student Supervisors. We would like to assist any student who
experiences
difficulty before such situations become problematic. Feel free to
contact
me if you are having a problem. Open communication can help resolve
most
problems. You can email the PLE Coordinator, Jon
Erlandson at jerland@oregon.uoregon.edu or contact him by phone at
346-5098.
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RECENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
Some
examples
of PLE Research Projects offered in recent years are listed below.
