The course focuses on conducting fieldwork practices in prehistoric archaeology. On-site teaching is structured into classroom activities and practical activities involving archaeological fieldwork.

Directed Activities

1. Classroom Activities

The classroom activities have two objectives. The first is to prepare for practical fieldwork within archaeological research projects, which forms the core of the course’s on-site component. The second is to provide an introduction to the methods and techniques used in prehistoric archaeological fieldwork. The content and schedule of the different sessions will be detailed on the first day of class.

1. Fieldwork Practices in Archaeology

The practical activity involves integrating students into an archaeological fieldwork campaign. It will take place over one week in June (Monday to Friday), during which students will take part in scheduled archaeological excavation projects, participating at all levels.

On-site practical sessions will be preceded by theoretical sessions (held at the excavation site), during which the specific procedures and techniques to be applied each day will be presented and their scope and limitations discussed within the broader framework of archaeological research.

At the end of each day, a debriefing session will be held to emphasize the key methodological aspects addressed during the practical work.

Each student will compile a practice dossier to be completed throughout the excavation work. The aim is to apply the knowledge previously acquired in the Introduction to Archaeology course.

Special attention will be given to the particular features of prehistoric archaeological fieldwork, highlighting the specificities that prehistoric sites may present compared to those from more recent periods.

Autonomous Activity

Based on the introductory sessions and the course dossiers, students will work on expanding and assimilating the basic concepts involved in archaeological research. Their application during the fieldwork will support the acquisition of the core competencies required for carrying out archaeological excavations.

Note: 15 minutes of one class, as established by the center/degree program's calendar, will be reserved for students to complete surveys evaluating the teaching performance and the course/module itself.

Students will have access to specific documentation on safety procedures for activities carried out off the UAB campus, which they must read and agree to.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Competences will be assessed through coursework.

The assessment system is organised into two modules:

Module 1: Research Project Design and Planning Prior to Fieldwork (35% of the final grade), comprising:

• Research project design and planning prior to fieldwork: 25%
• Continuous assessment activities carried out during class: 10%

Module 2: Fieldwork and Practical Portfolio (65% of the final grade), comprising:

• Fieldwork at an archaeological site: 30%
• Practical portfolio: 35%

The final grade will be calculated as the weighted average of the assessment modules. To pass the course, students must obtain a final mark of at least 4.9 out of 10.

To be eligible for the reassessment examination, students must have completed the five days of fieldwork and submitted the research project design and planning assignment prior to the fieldwork.

Assessment Schedule

At the beginning of the semester, students will be informed of the specific contents of each assessment module and the corresponding submission deadlines.

At the time each assessment activity is submitted, the teaching staff will announce (via Moodle and the Academic Information System, SIA) the procedure and date for reviewing grades.

Requirements to Pass the Course

Students must:

• Attend and participate in classroom sessions.
• Complete and submit all assessment activities within the established deadlines.
• Obtain a weighted average mark of 4.9 out of 10 or higher across the assessment modules, provided that a minimum mark of 3.5 out of 10 has been achieved in each module.

Students who do not submit more than 30% of the assessment activities or who do not complete the required fieldwork will receive the final grade of "Not Assessed" (NA).

Exchange students requesting an alternative examination date must submit official written documentation from their home institution justifying the request.

Reassessment

Students may take the reassessment examination provided that they meet all of the following requirements:

• They must have been assessed in activities accounting for at least two-thirds of the total course grade (specifically, the research project design and planning assignment prior to fieldwork and the fieldwork component), and all assessment activities must have been completed within the established deadlines.
• They must have obtained a final weighted average mark of no more than 3.5 out of 10, in accordance with Article 261.3 of the UAB Academic Regulations.

Reassessment Schedule

The dates of the reassessment examinations are established by the Faculty and published on the Faculty website in July of the preceding academic year. Students are responsible for checking the date assigned to the reassessment examination for their course.

The final continuous assessment activity will be scheduled at least one week before the reassessment examination.

Should face-to-face assessment not be possible, assessment activities will be adapted to an online format while maintaining the same weighting, using the virtual learning tools provided by UAB. Assignments, activities, and class participation will be carried out through Moodle, Microsoft Teams, forums, wikis, and/or online discussion activities. The teaching staff will ensure that students have access to these resources or will provide appropriate alternative arrangements whenever necessary.

This subject does not allow a single-assessment.

Fraudulent Conduct

Any irregularity committed by a student that may significantly affect the grade awarded for an assessment activity will result in a mark of 0 for that activity, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may also be initiated. Repeated irregularities in different assessment activities within the same course will result in a final course grade of 0.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as part of the development of coursework, provided that the final submission reflects a substantial original contribution by the student in terms of analysis and critical reflection.

Students must:

1. Clearly identify which parts of the work have been generated using AI.
2. Specify the AI tools used.
3. Include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced both the working process and the final outcome.

Failure to disclose the use of AI in an assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and will result in a mark of 0 for the activity, which will not be eligible for reassessment. More severe disciplinary sanctions may apply in serious cases.

Teaching Activities

Teaching sessions and their contents are protected by intellectual property and data protection regulations. Recording, reproducing, or distributing lectures or participants' contributions without the express authorisation of the teaching staff and the individuals concerned is not permitted. Any recording requires prior authorisation.Llei 3/2022, de 24 de febrer, de convivència universitària.