California Field School – Bay Area Programs

Location: 8RXR+97 Los Altos Hills, CA, USA

Season: April 11, 2025 to June 20, 2025

Session Dates: Spring session dates 4/11/25 - 6/20/25 - Fridays only

Application Deadline: January 11, 2026

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://foothill.edu/anthropology/

Program Type:
Field School, Volunteer, Staff Position

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Foothill College

Project Director:
Samuel Connell

Project Description:

The Foothill College Anthropology Department runs a California field school program that offers a suite of hands-on field science courses aimed at having fun learning about archaeology and developing excavation and lab ready employees in the Cultural Resource Management (CRM) industry.  After 12 weeks our students are prepared for a job in CRM.  We have placed hundreds of students over the years in field tech jobs, transfer positions, and graduate schools via our field programs.  Building on our experience this past year, the Anthropology Department has developed a local program in the Santa Cruz Mountains that students can enjoy with minimal time commitment and cost. Students meet only on Fridays for the fieldwork and lab classes. These classes count towards the new Certificate of Achievement in Archaeological Field Work offered by the Foothill College Department of Anthropology.

Sign up now for Spring 2025 beginning April 11

This year we continue studies on the farm of Hidden Villa, a local organization teaching programs on environmental and multicultural awareness. We are also working closely with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. We provide a student field school experiences in several different open space preserves, to include Long Ridge, Russian Ridge, Monte Bello and Hawthorns Ranch in Portola Valley.  What traditionally has been an expensive summer field school experience is being offered during the school year via these courses  (Anth 51 Archaeology Survey, Anth 16L Archaeology Lab (or Anth17L in the Winter Only),  and Anth57 Applied Field Methods)

Contact Dr. Sam Connell connellsamuel@foothill.edu for more information and fill out the preliminary application. 

After this program you are CRM certified! We will provide you with a certificate of completion to be submitted to your future employer.

Students drive to the field and lab sites.  No accommodations or food provided. No application deadline. Foothill College is open access.

Companies are in need of people with field school experience. Field school experience is key to getting a job in California CRM.

Period(s) of Occupation: Historic and Prehistoric California

Notes:
• California Cultural Resource Management firms are looking for new employees. • Foothill students are getting jobs. • Why not you? • All coursework in the field and lab. • No program fees. • Why spend thousands on a field school when it is all available here at home during the school year. • Equitable and Economical

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Age: none

Experience Required: no experience required

Room and Board Arrangements:
Students drive to the site location. Field days are from 8-4 on Fridays. Bring a lunch or purchase at local market. [Lab days are 10-4]

Academic Credit:
Fall Quarter and Spring Quarter Field Seasons 1. ANTH 51 – Intro to Survey (Fridays 8-2; 2 units - 6 field hrs/week) 2. ANTH 16L – Archaeology Lab (Fridays 2-5; 1 unit - 3 lab hrs/week) 3. ANTH 57 - Applied Archaeology Field Methods (TBD; 1 unit) Supplemental Classroom based courses (not required and not always offered in the same quarter) 1. ANTH 8 – Intro to Archaeology (face to face) Winter Quarter Lab Only - ANTH 17L - Intermediate Archaeology Lab (Fridays 10-4: 6 hours of lab work/week)