NAS Part III

NAS Part III: Advanced certificate in foreshore and underwater archaeology

The NAS Part III component of the Programme will provide the major formal teaching element, in that participants will either:-

  • attend a full-time field school, often based around the work on an actual archaeological site
  • or attend a series of modules in specific techniques

Either option will include a minimum of 100 contact teaching hours. This will involve lectures, onsite demonstrations and practical exercises in many of the techniques of archaeology underwater (including section drawing, datum positioning, recording in situ, sampling deposits, excavation strategies and methods). Workshops will be held where the students will obtain practical experience of the handling of archaeological materials, first-aid conservation, finds drawing and photography.

The main objective of the NAS Part III course is to produce a competent underwater fieldworker who has the technical knowledge to be an asset to any project. The minimum diving qualification standard for the aspects which include open-water work is CMAS 2-Star or equivalent (e.g. BSAC Sport Diver, SAA Club Diver or PADI Advanced Open- water). The Part III "Advanced Archaeological Diver Certificate" (NAS International 3 star) will be awarded to participants after successful attendance of all the components of the field school, either in one session or in weekend modular form.

Submission of a portfolio of work and course notes will be required for assessment by the NAS Training Director and validation board.

Syllabus:-

To achieve NAS Part III, students will need to complete a series of courses covering a sufficiently broad area of the syllabus. The syllabus consists of 7 core subject groups:-

  1. Research and Information Technology
  2. Archaeological Science
  3. Survey
  4. Excavation
  5. Recording
  6. Conservation
  7. Ancient Technology

NAS Part III Assessment Criteria:-

  • Students must accumulate 100 points in 6 out of the 7 core subject groups. Points are awarded on the basis of a full point for each practical contact hour and 1/2 point for a theoretical contact hour. The points allocation is set according to assessment of the course syllabus.
  • A maximum of 28 points can be obtained in any 1 core subject.
  • A minimum of 8 points must be obtained for each of the 6 chosen subject groups.
  • Experience cannot be considered retrospectively.
  • For those seeking recognition of their qualification by the Institute of Field Archaeologists all course material and assignments will be required to be assessed in the form of a portfolio submitted to the NAS Training Officer.

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EXAMPLE NAS PART III COURSES: