See below for listings of southeastern archaeological field schools running during 2026. If you would like us to add your field school to the list, please fill out this form.
Institute for Field Research
Dates: June 14-July 17, 2026
Site: Arkansas Archeological Survey Curation Facility, Fayetteville, AR
Instructor: Dr. Michelle Rathgaber (mmrathga@uark.edu) and Sarah Shepard (shepards@uark.edu)
Credits: 8 credits
Cost: $7095 (including tuition, room and board, transcript fee)
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Other Information: Curation and collections management, Arkansas Archaeological Survey
Join an award-winning field school that’s training the next generation of professionals in curation, museum studies, and archaeological collections management. Based at the Arkansas Archeological Survey’s collections facility in Fayetteville, this five week program gives you the rare opportunity to work directly with archaeological artifacts and documents while contributing to a statewide initiative to modernize and digitize collections. Students not only gain experience in preserving, cataloging, and sharing archaeological resources but also learn from Tribal Partners firsthand about the ethical responsibilities of archaeological work. For more information: info@irfglobal.org or Institute for Field Research
Institute for Field Research
Dates: May 20-June 24, 2026
Site: Cahokia
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Baires and Dr. Melissa Baltus
Credits: 8 credits
Cost: $6950 (including tuition, room and board, transcript fee)
Location: East St. Louis, IL
Other Information: Cahokia, AD 1050-1350
Step back in time and explore Cahokia, a once-thriving Indigenous city that rose to prominence between A.D. 1050-1350 in present-day Illinois. Situated in the American Bottom region near St. Louis, Cahokia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico. In this unique archaeology field school, you’ll be part of a larger research project investigating how peripheral neighborhoods contributed to Cahokia’s development, offering a rare opportunity to explore the social and cultural dynamics that shaped this medieval city. This immersive archaeological fieldwork program allows students to delve into excavation, mapping, and lab work, gaining essential skills in archaeological practice while examining Cahokia’s urban landscape and its enduring historical impact. Join us in uncovering Cahokia’s past and contributing to critical research on North America’s ancient urban landscapes. For more information: info@irfglobal.org or Institute for Field Research
Institute for Field Research
Dates: June 1-July 11, 2026
Site: Mississippian archaeological site then curation facility at Illinois state Archaeological Survey
Instructor: Dr. Tamira Brennan and Dr. M. Teresa Palomares Rodriguez
Credits: 8 credits
Cost: $6725 (including tuition, room and board, transcript fee)
Location: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Other Information: Blended excavation and curation program
This RPA-certified field school offers the rare opportunity to gain both excavation and curation experience in a single program, giving you a full-circle perspective on archaeological collections. You’ll begin with two weeks of excavations at a late pre-contact Mississippian site near Bloomington-Normal, then transition to the Illinois State Archaeological Survey in Champaign-Urbana, home to one of the largest archaeological collections in the Midwest. Working directly with materials that span the entirety of human occupation in Illinois, you’ll develop excavation skills, learn best practices in curation and preservation, and explore how collections are made accessible for outreach, education, research, and stakeholder communities. For more information: info@irfglobal.org or Institute for Field Research
Institute for Field Research
Dates: June 1-July 10, 2026
Site: Noble-Wieting site
Instructor: Dr. Jacob Skousen
Credits: 8 credits
Cost: $6925 (including tuition, room and board, transcript fee)
Location: Heyworth, Illinois
Other Information:
Noble-Wieting site, 13th-15th century
Explore how indigenous groups came together during a particularly turbulent period in North America’s history. This program investigates the 13th-15th century Noble-Wieting site in Illinois, where the Langford and Mississippian cultural groups formed a unique shared community during an era of climate stress, migration, and social upheaval. As a participant in this archaeology field school, you’ll help uncover new insights about daily life at this remarkable settlement during a time of uncertainty.
Led by the Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS) and Illinois State University, this project works closely with 18 Tribal Nations who help guide the research and long-term preservation goals for the site. You’ll gain hands-on experience in essential archaeological field skills while learning how to conduct collaborative research that is responsible to descendant communities. For more information: info@irfglobal.org or Institute for Field Research
