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Field School, Paid Internships & Volunteers

2025 Field School

The 2025 Field School will be held from June 2nd through July 3, with virtual sessions on May 28th-30th.

If you are interested in attending the 2025 Field School please apply here. If you want to learn more about the field school, view a recording of the informational Zoom meeting about this year’s Field School.

About The Field School

Five Week Training Course in Archaeological Methods and Techniques

The Montpelier Archaeology Department has hosted field school since 1987. Over the past thirty-seven years, the program has grown to include students from a variety of universities, spanning the US and abroad.
 
The field school is a five-week intensive course designed to give students training in field and laboratory techniques. Students will be introduced to excavation and survey methods, cutting edge archaeological recordation and digital data collection techniques (using ESRI’s Field Maps, digital mapping, and mobile photogrammetry), artifact processing and basic curation practices. Students will also be introduced to the principals of Public Archaeology, and will be expected to engage with visitors to the site, members of the descendant community, and online.  Students will also be expected to engage in discussions around contemporary museum practice with a focus on community based work and restorative justice.

Where will we be working?

The 2025 season is focused on obtaining a better understanding of Walnut Hollow, a site located near the Temple and Ice House, where metal detector survey identified several structures believed to be homes for enslaved families, potentially dating from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. Read more about the Walnut Hollow site.

Cost and Accreditation

The Montpelier Archaeology Field School is accredited through James Madison University and SUNY Plattsburgh. However, we also offer a non-credit option. Undergraduate, graduate, and new professionals are welcome to apply to the field school!
 
The base cost for the field school in 2024 is $800. Students not taking it for credit, will owe an additional $200 fee.
 

Accepted students will need to pay an additional $100 deposit (or the full fee) in order to secure their spot. This fee will be refunded to scholarship recipients.

The total cost for non-credit students is $1,100.00 USD.

Housing

Accepted students will have the option of staying on property, within our intern residence. The fee for the field school includes on-site housing.

Scholarships

The Montpelier Foundation offers scholarships for African American students attending the Field School. For more details, please e-mail dig@montpelier.org and ask about scholarship opportunities for African American students. Scholarship application materials are provided when applying for the Field School!

Archaeology Paid Internships

Students who have participated in and completed the Archaeology Field School will also be provided an opportunity to apply for the ten month long internship program.

The Montpelier Internship is a ten month position that begins on July 1st and typically ends on April 30th.

In order to qualify for an internship, you MUST attend the Montpelier Archaeology Field School. These paid internships include full employee benefits and free housing on the property. Up to five, long-term interns (3 or 4 field interns and 1 or 2 lab interns) will be selected near the end of the Field School. Current and past Field School students are welcome to apply to the internship.

 
For those who have not previously attended our field school, you MUST apply, be accepted, attend, and successfully complete the Montpelier Field School in order to be considered for the long term internship. For those who have previously attended the Montpelier Field School and want to apply for year-long internships, please email us at dig@montpelier.org for details.

Volunteers

We welcome all to take part in our Expedition Programs

Our Department would be nothing without our lab volunteers. Coming mostly from the local area, our volunteers provide a unique range of skillsets to our department and they assist our lab staff with a variety of tasks. A great way to learn more about volunteering at the lab is attend an expedition program, then you can see where your new volunteer “career” at Montpelier will land!

If you are interested in other ways to be involved with Montpelier Archaeology, please email us at dig@montpelier.org. Our relationship with members of the public is one of the most important aspects of what we do here!