Anthropology
Our Undergraduate program focuses on the cross-cultural knowledge, critical thinking, and practical hands on skills that help us understand the diversity of past and contemporary human experience. We address these within the anthropological subfields of archaeology, cultural anthropology, and biological anthropology. Students benefit from small classes in upper division majors’ courses, with faculty in the classroom, lab and field, and a broad range of course offerings.
The Anthropology Major and Minor provide excellent preparation for postgraduate training and/or careers in applied anthropology, museum work, public and contractual archaeology, education, forensic science, law, health/medicine, international business, marketing, human services, tourism and other fields that require an understanding of human diversity and adaptability.
The Anthropology Major consists of a 36 credit core that allows students to augment their education with a dual major or minor in another field applicable to their goals and needs. Anthropology majors are strongly urged to purse a BA degree (which has a foreign language requirement) rather than the BS degree.
Required Courses
Freshman or Sophomore Year
Select Three (3)
- ANT 101 The Human Condition
- ANT 201 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
- ANT 202 Introduction to Archaeology
- ANT 203 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
- ANT 256 Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
Sophomore or Junior Year
- ANT 320 Ethnographic Experience*
- Two 300/400-level elective courses by advisement
* All introductory courses should be completed before taking ANT220
Junior or Senior Year
- ANT 470 Professional Development
- ANT 471 Anthropological Theory
- Two 400-level Anthropology electives by advisement
Choose two of the following:
- ANT 383 Cultural Anthropology Research Methods
- ANT 384 Archaeological Research Methods
- ANT 385 Biological Anthropology Research Methods
- ANT 356 Forensic Anthropology Methods
Students completing an Anthropology major must complete 12 elective credits by advisement. A minimum of 6 credits must be at the 400 level.
Auxiliary Courses
We suggest that all Majors complete a cultural or archaeological field school, semester-abroad program or internship (ANT 462 or BCE 322) depending on their anthropological interests. In addition we recommend that students take courses in foreign language (two semesters), statistics, computer applications, and advanced writing depending on their career goals. Courses ancillary to anthropology may be suggested by the advisor if these are relevant to career or graduate school goals. For example, anthropology majors intending to pursue careers and/or graduate work in areas such as museum work, biological anthropology, archaeology, conservancy/conservation, medicine, and law may be advised to take additional courses in disciplinary areas relevant to their career goals.
Majors may increase their chances for a successful career by:
- Combining anthropology with a professional or pre-professional program such as teacher certification, pre-law, or pre-medical;
- Completing a minor or second major in a field that complements anthropology (art, communications, psychology, biology, environmental sciences, etc.)
- Developing skills in areas outside of, but relevant to, anthropology, such as computer science, foreign languages, technical writing or advanced composition
- Completing an internship, field project or service position in an area relevant to anthropology
- Experiencing another culture through a credit-bearing semester abroad