The principal activities of an archaeologists include preliminary fieldwork namely the discovery and recording of sites and the excavation, classification, dating and interpretation of materials. So to be an archaeologist one has to be obsessively committed to dig, shovel, chip and brush away years of erosion, dust, dirt, grime to weave the stories of the past. Not to mention while doing this, you have to bear the brunt of the extremities of weather, service without bare necessities and work away from home for extended periods of time. So if you are of the kind that needs to powder their nose every few minutes, this is not for you. Entry into the field requires a background in ancient history and culture and a specialization in archaeology.
Various universities offer graduate and post graduate courses in the field.
For the academically inclined, a PhD is a must to teach at college or university level and Laos to hold a curator's post in a museum, Most governments will issue excavation permits to only to archaeologists who hold a doctorate degree. Some graduate programs offer a streamlined tracts for students with a B.A in archaeology, so that they can work directly towards a PhD while others require a post-graduate degree. Work Arena Universities, colleges, museums, the federal and state governments, private companies and as consultants. They teach, conduct field investigations, analyze artifacts and sites and publish the results of their research. It is quite a normal thing to dig and dig for day but not reach anything valuable or work for hours on an artifact only to have it crumble to dust in your hands.