Maritime Links

Note: The links on this page are provided as a courtesy. We have made an effort to screen the web sites posted here, but given the open and changing nature of the Internet we cannot guarantee the reliability of any of the information. MAHS does not necessarily endorse the organizations or the job announcements contained in this list. It is ultimately the responsibility of the user to assess the groups, organizations, companies, or study programs to ensure they meet ethical and professional standards.

Organizations in Underwater Archaeology

The Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology, or ACUA, is as an international advisory body concerned with issues related to underwater archaeology, conservation, and submerged cultural resources management. The web site includes a wide range of resources and information related to underwater heritage, along with a variety of links to projects, programs, scholarships, and funding.
The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, passed in 2001, is an extension of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention of 1972. That agreement recognizes cultural sites of exceptional significance, affording them international protection and recording them on the World Heritage List. The Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage provides similar protection to underwater sites.
The International Committee of Monuments and Sites, or ICOMOS, is an international, non-governmental organization founded in 1965 and dedicated to historic preservation. It provides the UNESCO World Heritage Committee with evaluations of cultural properties proposed for inclusion on the World Heritage List.
The National Park Service provides oversight of federal lands and waterways. The Maritime Heritage Program focuses on maritime history, preservation, and archaeology in U.S. waterways.
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintains an active maritime archaeology division. Maritime heritage in the National Marine Sanctuaries Program protects archaeological sites including shipwrecks and naval battlefields within the zones designated as federally protected sanctuaries.
The U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office is a source for historical information about the Coast Guard and the forerunner agencies such as the Revenue Cutter Service, the Lighthouse Service, and others.
Parks Canada is Canada's federal parks system. It includes various National Marine Conservation Areas, managing and conducting research on maritime and underwater sites.
The British National Maritime Museum, in Greenwich, England, is the world's largest maritime museum. It contains a large collection of maps, charts, artwork and research material.
The Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology is based in Australia and sponsors work throughout Australia, Asia, and the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. Formerly the Australian Institute for Maritime Archaeology.
The Département des Recherches Archéologiques Subaquatiques et Sous-Marines, or DRASSM, is located in Marseilles, France. Oversees underwater archaeological heritage in the French public domain.
The Maritime Archaeology Trust is a British maritime heritage organization. It was previously a regional group, the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology.
The Institute of Nautical Archaeology is a non-profit international research organization affiliated with and headquartered at Texas A&M University.
The Ocean Foundation is a community foundation for the ocean, dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world and conserving our shared ocean heritage, both natural and cultural.
FPAN, the Florida Public Archaeology Network is operated through the University of West Florida. Eight regional centers across the state, with maritime programs that include Heritage Awareness Diving Seminars, the Submerged Sites Education and Archaeological Stewardship program, and Florida Underwater Archaeology Preserve shipwreck tours.
The South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, Maritime Research Division preserves and protects South Carolina maritime archaeological heritage through research, management, and public education and outreach.
The online Museum of Underwater Archaeology is a venue for underwater archaeologists and maritime historians to present their research to the public via the Internet. The site provides web-based, museum-style exhibits as well as announcements concerning current projects.
Surface Interval Diving Company is a non-profit entity based in Beaufort, North Carolina, that conducts marine archaeology in cooperation with the State of North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch, the North Carolina Maritime Museum.
Underwater Archaeology and Maritime History Jobs is a blog developed and maintained by Jason Burns, Senior Maritime Project Manager at the cultural resource management company SEARCH. The blog contains listings of job opportunities in the commercial and educational sectors.

Mid-Atlantic Underwater Archaeology

The Maryland Historical Trust is the state historic preservation program for the State of Maryland. The Trust's maritime division is MMAP, the Maryland Maritime Archaeology Program, which oversees historic preservation efforts along Maryland's Atlantic Ocean coast, the Chesapeake Bay, and the state's many rivers and streams.
The Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum is located in St. Leonard, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. On the museum grounds is the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), with capabilities for full treatment and conservation of material from submerged sites.
The Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference is a regional organization with membership drawn from professional and avocational communities. It holds an annual meeting, typically in March, which periodically has sessions on maritime research.

Educational Programs in Underwater Archaeology

The Maritime Studies Program at East Carolina University offers a 36-semester-hour program leading to a Master of Arts degree from the Department of History. The program includes an annual field school in nautical archaeology.
The Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University offers graduate studies in the archaeology and history of ships and seafaring. Course work tends to focus on the Mediterranean.
The University of West Florida, in Pensacola, offers a BA in Maritime Studies, an integrated program that includes archaeology, environmental studies, and management practices.

International Programs

University of Southampton, England, offers graduate degrees (MA, MSc, PhD) in maritime archaeology. They also offer a free, non-degree course online, Shipwrecks and Submerged Worlds: Maritime Archaeology, through FutureLearn, part of the Open University.
Flinders University, in Australia, offers several programs in maritime archaeology including a Graduate Certificate (6 mo), a Graduate Diploma (1 yr), and a Masters degree (2 yr). Some programs are available through distance learning and online.
University of Hull, England. Undergraduate and graduate studies in maritime history.
University of Exeter, England. PhD in maritime history.
Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada. BA, MA, and PhD degrees in maritime history.
Aix-Marseille University, France. Master of Maritime and Coastal Archaeology (MoMArch).
University of Southern Denmark Maritime Archaeology Programme. Two-year course with an international orientation. Conducted in English.
Universidad de Cádiz. Masters and PhD degrees.
Instituto Politécnico de Tomar, Portugal. Curso de Pós-Graduação em Arqueologia Subaquática. Graduate-level course.
University of Malta, International Collaborative Programmes, Valleta. MA in Global Maritime Archaeology.
NAS, the Nautical Archaeology Society, offers ordered programs in nautical archaeology. NAS is based in Endland and is listed as a limited company and registered charity.
Underwater Archaeology in Egypt, Alexandria. Postgraduate Diploma and Master of Arts degrees in Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage designed in accordance with EU standards.
The website Underwater Archaeology and Maritime History Jobs lists work opportunities in maritime archaeology and various companies and contractors in the US and Europe that conduct maritime archaeological studies.