Units / ATS3338
ATS3338 · Environmental archaeology: Understanding cultural landscapes
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 3Archaeology and Ancient History
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
In this unit, you will be introduced to methods used by archaeologists and ancient historians to study cultural landscapes, reconstruct past environments and investigate the ways that landscapes were inhabited, perceived and changed by societies over time. You will explore case studies from the deep histories of Indigenous Australia, ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Middle East. Experts in archaeology, Indigenous cultures and ancient history lead classes in their discipline, providing you with the skills to investigate past and present environments, histories of settlement and land use, patterns of mobility, and cultural perceptions of the world. You will acquire skills in the interpretation of archaeological and historical evidence, and awareness of the contributions of archaeology, ancient history and Indigenous cultures to understanding today’s environmental challenges.
Areas of study: Archaeology and ancient history
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online Quiz | Quiz / Test | 5% | — |
| 2 | Reading Exercises | Exercise | 10% | — |
| 3 | Collaborative Exercises | Exercise | 30% | — |
| 4 | Report | Written | 25% | — |
| 5 | Essay | Written | 30% | — |
Within semester assessment: 100%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- recognise the historical development of relevant interpretive approaches applied to the record of the past;
- apply different methodologies to problem solving;
- engage with a variety of theoretical approaches to interpreting the record of the past;
- evaluate different methodological approaches depending on the nature of the discipline involved;
- appreciate and appraise key debates in the contemporary study of the past.
Workload
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Tutorials | 24 hours |
| Lectures | 12 hours |
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