FEDERAL PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTATION
FOR ARCHAEOLOGISTS AND UNDERWATER SPECIALISTS
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Institution/Firm: ___________________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________________
Fax: ______________________________
E-Mail: _____________________________________________________________________________________
_____ Prehistoric Archaeologist
_____ I would like to be included on the
SHPO’s list of qualified contractors.
_____ Historic Archaeologist
_____ I would NOT like to be included on
SHPO’s list of qualified contractors.
_____ Underwater Specialist
(check as many as apply)
(Optional)
Are you currently a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists?
_____ yes
_____ no
The following information is requested in order to document professional qualifications meeting
or exceeding the requirements of the federal government, as stated in “Archaeology and
Historic Preservation; Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines”, Federal Register,
Vol. 48, No. 190 – September 29, 1983.
Note: A requirement of “one year full-time professional experience” may be met by
discontinuous periods of full-time or part-time work, if the total adds up to the equivalent of
one year full-time experience. If listing part-time work, convert the amount of experience to the
equivalent in full-time months (e.g., 8 weeks of 4 hour days = one full-time month).
ARCHAEOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
Qualified archaeologists must have a graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, or a closely
related field.
A. Qualified archaeologists must have a graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, or a
closely related field. List all graduate degrees, field, year, institution, and field of
specialization. Example: M.A. in Anthropology, 1975, Piltsdown College, specializing in
North American archaeology.
If you do not have a graduate degree in archaeology or anthropology, attach a statement of
how your graduate training is related to archaeology. Discuss how the field in which your
degree(s) was granted is related to archaeology and list any courses taken in archaeology or
closely related topics.
B. Qualified archaeologists must have at least one year of full-time professional experience or
equivalent specialized training in archaeological research, administration or management.
Beginning with your most recent work, list employer, dates employed, title, nature or work,
and length of experience and/or training in full-time months. E.g., Piltsdown College, 6/72
– 6/73, research assistant, lithic analysis and report writing, 10 full-time months. Those
with many years experience need only list their most recent jobs. Listing more than one
year’s experience is optional.
C. Qualified archaeologists need at least four months of supervised field and analytic
experience in general North American archaeology. List supervisor, institution/employer,
year, nature of experience, and length of experience expressed in full-time months. E.g.,
Dr. Joe Doe, Piltsdown College, 1982, field work at an Archaic campsite in Tennessee, 2
full-time months.
D. Qualified archaeologists need to demonstrate ability to carry research to completion. List
up to five projects for which you bore primary responsibility for research and report writing.
List a brief description of the project, year research was begun, and cite, any report(s) with
date of completion and/or publication. E.g., Survey of US-5, began 10/81, “Archaeological
Survey of US-5”. Piltsdown Archaeological Research Series 12, 1/82.
E. PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGIST must have at least one year full-time experience at a
supervisory level in the study of prehistoric archaeology in addition to the experience listed
under C. List your title, institution/employer, dates, nature of work, and duration in fulltime months. Those with many years experience may list only their most recent work.
E.g., Senior Archaeologist, Piltsdown Corporation, 1983, field director of mitigation
excavations at a stratified Late Woodland site in Michigan, 5 full-time months.
F. HISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGIST must have at least one year full-time experience on a
supervisory level in the study of historic archaeology in addition to the experience listed
under C. List your title, institution/employer, dates, nature of work, and duration in fulltime months. Those with many years experience may list only their most recent work.
E.g., Research Associate, Piltsdown Museum, 1984, directed field and lab work at Fort
Piltsdown, 10 full-time months.
G. List any specialized skills (optional). E.g., lithic analysis, human osteology, archaeobotany,
etc.
UNDERWATER REQUIREMENTS
There are currently no federal qualification requirements for underwater specialists. Please fill
out the sections applicable to historical archaeology and/or history, whichever best applies. In
addition, please attach a sheet listing:
1. Training in scuba diving, underwater safety, and other underwater skills.
Include certificates earned.
2. All experience in underwater survey, documentation, recovery and/or excavation.
List supervised experience separately from supervisory experience. Include job title,
year, institution/employer, brief description of work, name of supervisor (if any),
and duration of work in terms of full-time months.
3. Specialized skills such as sonar equipment operation, underwater photography, etc.
4. Any work products not clearly specified on your resume such as movie exhibits,
National Register nominations, etc.
ALL APPLICANTS
A. Attach a statement with any other information or explanations which you
would like to have considered.
B. Attach a current curriculum vitae.
C. The information submitted on this form and with the attachments to this
form are accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Signature: _____________________________________________________
Date: _____________________________________________________
Submit this documentation to:
State Historic Preservation Office
State Historical Society of Iowa
600 East Locust
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0290
Additional copies of this form may be obtained from the same address. Any questions
regarding this form or the information requested on this form should be directed to Doug Jones
at (515) 281-4358 or Dan Higginbottom at (515) 281-8744.