Students may petition their University for Class Credit based upon the following studies and practicum during the three-week excavation:

1. Before the excavations the volunteers will have lectures on the history and previous excavations of this archaeological site. These will include photos, maps and working drawings made during the previous years’ excavations.

2. During the excavation time frame, lectures will cover the history of the Don River region broken into time periods:

3. The field practicum includes: learning how to define and lay out an excavation kurgan, use of the theodolite, studying the methods of excavating, methods of cleaning artifacts and skeletons, methods of preserving artifacts.

4. Volunteers will be acquainted with literature on archaeology and history of the Lower Don region. A good library is available in camp.

5. Excursion to the most interesting historical and archaeological museums and sites of the region.

6. Study of artifacts, including a large Medieval Period ceramic collection.