Cultural Resource Management, the legally required management and protection of our shared heritage, requires archaeologists to do more than just archaeology. CRM work requires an understanding of legal frameworks, professional ethics, consultation, and project management. Conducting CRM in an underwater environment also requires specialized skills in marine remote sensing, landscape reconstruction, and, occasionally, SCUBA diving.

This field school teaches the skills of underwater Cultural Resource Management through research on the submerged landscapes of Lake Erie. This program will not focus on shipwrecks (the more academic side of marine archaeology) but on understanding submerged landscapes as this is the mainstay of Marine CRM work and where the greatest need for trained marine CRM professionals is. The skills taught in this course are similar to those employed in CRM to identify sites prior to offshore energy (wind, oil, and gas) development. This course is appropriate for students interested in both Cultural Resource Management and traditional academic archaeology in an underwater environment.

All field school directors are experts in their field and passionate about their work. To discuss the suitability of this program for your career goals – whether within or outside academia – you are invited to contact the directors directly. For a broader discussion which ARC program to choose, you are welcome to contact our staff directly – you can do that through our “Contact Us” page.

Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Associate Professor of Anthropology at Texas A&M University

Tribal Historic Preservation Officer at the Seneca Nation of Indians

• Application: You must apply online for this program – application is free
• Deposit: A $300 nonrefundable deposit (part of the total tuition cost) is required to secure a space in the program
• Credit Card Fee: Payments with credits cards incur 2.5% processing fee
• Late Fee: A $100 Late Fee will be added to the program costs if tuition is not paid in full by payment deadline
• Cancelation Policy: Carefully read our Cancellation Policy before committing to attend our programs
• Trip cancellation Insurance: Trip cancellation insurance is not provided by ARC. Such policies have changed due to Covid 19. If you wish to purchase an insurance policy that covers pandemic contingencies, explore Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) plans. Insuremytrip or Travel Guard are possible websites where you may explore different insurance policies

Accommodation will be in the Gannon University student suites. These are suite-style dormitory rooms consisting of individual bedrooms with semi-private bathrooms and shared kitchens and communal space.

Students are responsible for their own meals. We will have a communal meal once a week, paid by the program.

We suggest you hold purchasing your airline ticket until six (6) weeks before the program begins. Natural disasters, political changes, weather conditions & a range of other factors may require the cancelation of a field school. ARC typically makes a final Go/No Go decision six weeks before program begins. To protect students from potential financial loss, we urge you to purchase airline tickets only six weeks prior to program beginning.

We will meet at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at 5:00 pm on the first day of this field school. Students arriving to the Erie International Airport (ERI) can use transportation to Gannon University – to be arranged with program directors.  Students arriving at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) will be met by the Ohio Lottery stand at the arrival area at 2:30pm.

No visas are required for US citizens. However, you should bring your passport for weekend excursions to Canada.

Citizens of other countries are asked to check the United States Embassy website page at their home country for specific visa requirement.