The IFA Code of conduct articulates these standards and is binding on all its members. The key phrase here is 'to advance the practice of archaeology'. The IFA is primarily concerned with promoting best practice in archaeology. This involves facilitating regulation of the way in which archaeology is conducted and setting standards for those carrying it out. It means ensuring that archaeologists are encouraged and helped to carry out their work to the highest standards.
Membership is open to practising archaeologists, both professional and amateur.
Our members come from universities, contracting units, development control departments, museums, conservation laboratories, environmental consultancies and many other backgrounds. They specialise in fieldwork, academic research and development, maritime archaeology, archaeological resource management, building recording, finds and environmental archaeology, illustration and all the many other branches of the discipline. They are certainly not just 'field' archaeologists in the outmoded sense of the word. Archaeologists are admitted to corporate membership after a review of their experience and qualifications. All members agree to abide by the Institute's Code of conduct .