Available courses

Cannon Research and Recording Course
Specialty Courses
  £50 course fee, 5 credits for NAS members.  Learn about the history of cannon development from the late middle ages through to the 19th century and how to identify key features of cannon manufactured in Europe. Also, get tips from the professionals about how to record cannon above or below the water. While the course is online in delivery, you'll finish with practical skills in how to record cannon and use them to monitor and identify archaeological sites. The course will take about four to six hours if completed in one sitting but you can complete it at your own pace.    Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England  
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Photography and Photogrammetry for Maritime Archaeology
Specialty Courses
£50 course fee, 5 credits for NAS members; This is a course for beginners on how to use the technique of photogrammetry to record artefacts, features and sites to create 3D models of them for use in maritime archaeology.; Anyone can complete this theory course, but to create the 3D models participants will require reasonably new computers with AMD or Nvidia graphics card. Note that MAC users will only be able to use one of the two recommended photogrammetry programmes in Module 6. Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England
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QGIS in Maritime Archaeology
Specialty Courses
This online introductory course for people with little or no experience of GIS will provide an overview of features in QGIS – a freely available GIS software package commonly used by archaeologists. While the skills learned during this course are applicable to archaeology in general, there will be a focus on use of the programme for maritime archaeology. In their own time, participants will watch seven recorded video tutorials (total time 1.5hours) with accompanying exercises and assignments - therefore the overall course will take several hours depending on the participant's ability. To complete the course and earn NAS credits it is compulsory to attend at least one of three hour long live online sessions with an expert tutor to experience a final presentation and ask any required questions. They are scheduled 10, 15 and 20 March 2025. £40 Course fee. 5 credits for NAS members.
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Identifying Explosive and Environmental Hazards on Wrecks 2025
Specialty Courses
£40 course fee. 5 credits for NAS members. Learn how to contribute to the MoD's potentially polluting wrecks programme by completing this pre-requisite course for NAS MoD diving projects. Learn to safely dive on military wrecks, identify environmental and explosive hazards on wrecks and write useful desk-based assessments on potentially polluting wrecks.This course consists of four hours of videos to watch at your own pace, followed by two live online sessions 7-9pm GMT on 18 and 20 November 2025.
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Archaeological Science and Conservation of Marine Finds 2025
Specialty Courses
Through a combination of pre-recorded videos (3 hours duration) and a live online discussion session (1-4pm BST Wednesday 22nd October 2025), get an introductory understanding of the theory of archaeological science and conservation of marine finds.This course can be taken in conjunction with the practical course on Archaeological Science and Conservation of Marine Finds, held at Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth UK on 7th November 2025This course is for anyone with an interest in scientific analysis and examination of artefacts and ecofacts from wreck sites. This course completements the practical course mentioned above as well as many other courses on conservation.
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Archaeological Illustration 2025
Specialty Courses
£40 course fee. 5 credits for NAS members. Get an introduction to the theory and technique of completing archaeological illustrations from the comfort of your own home. The live online course is a combination of presentations, practical exercises and feedback from the expert tutor. Using household items as substitutes for real artefacts, learn the basic skills necessary to produce archaeological illustrations of pottery and small finds. Course consists of one live online session 9am-5pm GMT (including breaks) on Saturday 8th November 2025.
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Digital Illustration for Maritime Archaeology
Specialty Courses
£40 course fee. 5 credits for NAS members. Get an introduction to digital illustration techniques for recording archaeological finds from the comfort of your own home. Using the free open source illustration programme Inkscape, you’ll learn how to create accurate illustrations of artefacts to add to the heritage record and for use in publications. You’ll learn the basic skills necessary to produce digital illustrations of pottery and small finds.Participants are required to have completed the NAS Archaeological Illustration course or provide evidence that they have equivalent experience. The Archaeological Illustration course is being held online on 8 November 2024.The digital illustration course consists of several modules of presentations and exercises to be completed at your own pace and several optional live online sessions with the expert tutor to take place in February 2026.
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Identifying Explosive and Environmental Hazards on Wrecks 2024
Specialty Courses
Learn how to contribute to the MoD's potentially polluting wrecks programme by completing this pre-requisite course for NAS MoD diving projects. Learn to safely dive on military wrecks, identify environmental and explosive hazards on wrecks and write useful desk-based assessments on potentially polluting wrecks.This course consists of four hours of videos to watch at your own pace, followed by two live online sessions.
Identifying Explosive and Environmental Hazards on Wrecks 2023
Specialty Courses
Learn how to safely dive on military wrecks and help to identify environmental and explosive hazards on wrecks. This course is a pre-requisite for NAS MOD diving projects. The next course is 7-9pm BST 5 and 8 June 2023. Book on our events page or contact nas@nauticalarchaeologysociety.org 
Combined Discover Maritime and Underwater Archaeology
Combined Courses
Complete this combined theory course and the practical Skills Days to achieve your NAS Foundation Qualification. This interactive theory course combines the Discover Maritime Archaeology and Discover Underwater Archaeology courses. No prior knowledge is required. The combined course fee includes one year's NAS membership worth £28 for new members. At the end of the course if you are enthusiastic to learn more, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning. Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England.
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Combined Discover Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
Combined Courses
Complete this combined theory course and the practical Skills Days to achieve your NAS Foundation Qualification. This interactive theory course combines the Discover Maritime Archaeology and our Discover Coastal and Foreshore Archaeology course. No prior knowledge is required. The combined course fee includes one year's NAS membership worth £28 for new members. At the end of the course if you are enthusiastic to learn more, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning. Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England.
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Discover Coastal and Foreshore Archaeology
Individual Courses
    £50 course fee This course, Discover Coastal and Foreshore Archaeology MUST ONLY BE COMPLETED AFTER THE Discover Maritime Archaeology course. It will take you through the steps of completing a coastal and foreshore archaeology project from documentary research and planning, through field-work and conservation to publication and archiving.   This theory course and accompanying practical Surveyor Skills Days is the second of the two components of the NAS Foundation qualification, which will allow you to participate in project activities in the UK and overseas.   The course fee does NOT include one year's NAS membership. Register for a combined course to receive one year's NAS membership for new members worth £28 and a £20 discount off your next NAS Education event. Registering on the combined course gives you a saving of £48. At the end of the course if you have not done so already, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning.   Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England  
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Discover Underwater Archaeology
Individual Courses
£50 course feeThis course, Discover Underwater Archaeology, MUST ONLY BE COMPLETED AFTER THE Discover Maritime Archaeology course. It will take you through the steps of completing an underwater archaeology project from documentary research and planning, through fieldwork and conservation to publication and archiving.This theory course and accompanying practical Surveyor Skills Days is the second of the two components of the NAS Foundation qualification, which will allow you to participate in our fieldwork in the UK and overseas.Please note the course fee does NOT include one year's NAS membership. Register for a Combined course to receive one year's NAS membership for new members worth £28 and a £20 discount off your next NAS Education event. Registering on the combined course gives you a saving of up to £48.At the end of the course if you have not done so already, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning.Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England
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Discover Maritime Archaeology
Individual Courses
£50 course feeFind out what maritime archaeology is all about in the interactive theory course. It is not just about shipwrecks, and it is certainly not all underwater! No prior knowledge required.  Please note that the course fee does NOT include one year's NAS membership. Register for a combined course to receive one year's NAS membership for new members worth £28 and a £20 discount off your next NAS Education event. Registering on the combined course gives you a saving of up to £48. This theory course and accompanying practical Recorder Skills Day is the first of the two components of the NAS Foundation qualification, which will allow you to participate in our fieldwork in the UK and overseas. At the end of the course if you are enthusiastic to learn more, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning. Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England
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Discover Coastal and Foreshore Archaeology ScreenReader Version
Screen Reader Accessible
£50 course feeNEW SCREEN-READER ACCESSIBLE VERSION - for the visually impaired. This course, which follows on from the Discover Maritime Archaeology course, will take you through the steps of completing a coastal or foreshore archaeology project from documentary research and planning, through fieldwork and conservation to publication and archiving.This theory course and accompanying practical Surveyor Skills Days is the second of the two components of the NAS Foundation qualification, which will allow you to participate in our fieldwork in the UK and overseas.The course fee does NOT include one year's NAS membership. Register for a combined course to receive one year's NAS membership for new members worth £28 and a £20 discount off your next NAS Education event. Registering on the combined course gives you a saving of up to £48.At the end of the course if you have not done so already, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning.Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England
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Discover Underwater Archaeology ScreenReader Version
Screen Reader Accessible
£50 course feeNEW SCREEN-READER ACCESSIBLE VERSION - for the visually impaired. This course, which follows on from the Discover Maritime Archaeology course, will take you through the steps of completing an underwater archaeology project from documentary research and planning, through fieldwork and conservation to publication and archiving.This theory course and accompanying practical Surveyor Skills Days is the second of the two components of the NAS Foundation qualification, which will allow you to participate in our fieldwork in the UK and overseas.The course fee does NOT include one year's NAS membership. Register for a combined course to receive one year's NAS membership for new members worth £28 and a £20 discount off your next NAS Education event. Registering on the combined course gives you a saving of up to £48.At the end of the course if you have not done so already, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning.Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England
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Discover Maritime Archaeology ScreenReader Version
Screen Reader Accessible
£50 course feeNEW SCREEN-READER ACCESSIBLE VERSION for the visually impaired - Find out what maritime archaeology is all about in the interactive theory course. It is not just about shipwrecks, and it is certainly not all underwater! No prior knowledge required. Please note the course fee does NOT include one year's NAS membership. Register for a combined course to receive one year's NAS membership for new members worth £28 and a £20 discount off your next NAS Education event. Registering on the combined course gives you a saving of up to £48.This theory course and accompanying practical Recorder Skills Day is the first of the two components of the NAS Foundation qualification, which will allow you to participate in our fieldwork in the UK and overseas.At the end of the course if you are enthusiastic to learn more, you should purchase a qualification logbook from the NAS website shop to keep track of all your learning.Course development has been supported by a grant from Historic England
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International Training Partner Programme
International Training Partner Programme
This is the programme information and curriculum for organisations running NAS training outside of the UK. To become a NAS Training Partner, contact education@nauticalarchaeologysociety.org 

Site news

25% Discount on practical course for Discovery Archaeology eLearning

by NAS Admin -

For a limited time we have a 25% discount on all Archaeological Skills Days. These are the practical courses that follow on from the Discover Archaeology eLearning courses.

There are many dates and venues to chose from throughout the year (see link below). Just make sure you book before 6th June!!!!

https://www.nauticalarchaeologysociety.org/skills-days

25% discount ad

New look!

by NAS Admin -

Hi eLearners. 

Do you like our new look?! We've just had an upgrade to the latest version of Moodle and I think it looks fantastic and I'm finding it easier to navigate. Hopefully you do too.

Peta (NAS Education Manager)

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