of the former nursing building, to accommodate an expanding student base.
=== Institute of Archaeology ===
The Institute of Archaeology is part of the School of Religion. It coordinates the archaeological programs at Southern through an undergraduate degree, an archeological museum, the William G. Dever Research Library and its archaeological excavations and publications. Southern is one of two schools in the U.S. where students can pursue an undergraduate degree in biblical archaeology. The Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum has a collection of nearly 600 artifacts, many of which were unearthed in Palestine between 1967 and 1975.
The current Institute Director, Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology Michael Hasel, studied for his doctorate under William G. Dever at the University of Arizona. In 2000, Dever gave his artifact collection in loan to Hasel and Southern. This made the development of Southern's program possible. The artifacts, valued at $250,000, date from 3200 BC to 450 AD. The collection …
