Department of Archaeology

Lanier Center for Archaeology

Minor in Biblical Archaeology

Steven Ortiz, Director, Lanier Center for Archaeology; Professor, Department of Archaeology
Thomas Davis, Chair, Department of Archaeology; Associate Director, Lanier Center for Archaeology, Professor of Archaeology and Biblical Studies

Core Faculty

Thomas Davis, Professor of Archaeology and Biblical Studies
Steven Ortiz, Professor of Archaeology and Biblical Studies
Mark Janzen, Associate Professor of Archaeology and Ancient History

The mission of the overall program in archaeology is to help produce students who:

1) have a broad-based training in the Humanities;
2) are introduced to methods and theories in social sciences and their contributions to biblical studies;
3) have practical training in field archaeology and material studies;
4) and are competent to integrate archaeological data into the interpretation of the Bible and other documents of the ancient Near East.

Along with the Department of Archaeology, the Lanier Center for Archaeology was established in 2020 by the Board of Trustees of Lipscomb University. The Center offers a B.A. Minor in Biblical Archaeology, as well as full graduate degrees: the M.A. degree in Archaeology and Biblical Studies and the Ph.D. in Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. The Lanier Center was inaugurated as a research institution to support the excavations of Lipscomb University and as a center to introduce the field of biblical archaeology and the ancient Near East to Middle Tennessee.

The Lanier Center for Archaeology (LCA) brings globally recognized archaeology research and scholars to Lipscomb University. It houses the various research projects, academic programs, and exhibitions that contribute to archaeological research on the campus of Lipscomb University. The LCA is made up of faculty in the Department of Archaeology as well as other departments in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the Hazelip School of Theology. Its main purpose is to support archaeological research and field projects in the Ancient Near East.

The archaeology program consists of three integrated programs: research, academia, and outreach.

Research: The Lanier Center for Archaeology and its faculty engage the disciplines of archaeology and biblical studies by conducting primary research and publishing the results of this research.
Academia: The M.A. and Ph.D. programs in archaeology, along with the B.A. Minor, are training the next generation of biblical archaeologists.
Outreach: The Lanier Center for Archaeology will share the results of its program through the publications of Lipscomb University, the LCA exhibitions, a newsletter and speaking engagements at churches and universities.

Admission Policies and Procedures

To learn about the admission requirements or apply for the undergraduate degree at Lipscomb University, please visit the Admissions Requirements page.

Transfer and Waiver of Courses

The director or appropriate faculty member of the graduate program will evaluate the course(s) being proposed for transfer and make a determination of suitability. No course with a grade below a “B” will be considered for transfer.

Degree Completion Requirements

Minimum Credits

The Minor requires 18 semester hours.

Minimum GPA

The minimum cumulative grade-point average for all graduate education programs is 3.00 for all graduate courses taken for graduate credit while pursuing the degree. No grade below a “C” is acceptable. Such grades will not apply toward degree completion.

Program of Study Requirements

Biblical Archaeology Minor