Anthropology Major

Anthropology Major: The Anthropology major prepares students to function effectively in a culturally diverse environment. Anthropology is the systematic study of humanity from a holistic, cross-cultural, and historical perspective. Within the field it draws upon the study of cultures, languages, investigation of human evolution, and the study of the human past through material remains. It also draws insight from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives, including the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. The major aims to promote greater inter-cultural understanding and awareness. The major provides both a general grounding in three subfields of anthropology (cultural anthropology, archaeology, and physical anthropology) and a detailed focus on a particular area of concentration. The major is designed to allow students to customize their program to best compliment their topical and areal research interests. Upper level courses span a range of topical and theoretical issues cross-culturally including foodways, health and nutrition, ethnobiology, colonialism, cultural resilience, race, identity, religion, and economics. The educational goal of the program is to provide the student with a component of a liberal arts education that draws on both the humanities and natural sciences. It will also effectively prepare students for graduate study in anthropology, archaeology, historic preservation, careers in contract archaeology and cultural resource management.

The Anthropology major consists of 36 credit hours. Of these 18 will be required courses with an additional 18 hours of relevant electives. Students can pursue a cultural anthropology focus and/or an archaeology focus. Students are encouraged to encourage to consult their academic advisors regarding course selections.

Required Courses (21 credit hours)

Foundation Courses (3 courses)

ANT 201 – Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)

ANT 205 – Physical Anthropology (3 credits)

ANT 220 – Archaeology (3 credits)

Method and Theory Courses (1 course)

One of the following upper level method and theory courses are required for the anthropology major. Students must complete method and theory courses associated with their chosen focus area, either archaeology or cultural anthropology. Students may not take a method and theory course unless they have already completed the associated foundational course. If a student completes both method and theory courses, one course can be used as an anthropology elective.

ANT 355 – Anthropological Theory (3 credits)

ANT 365 – Archaeological Theory and Method (3 credits)

Applied Field Methods (minimum of 3 credits)

Reflective, experiential learning outside of the classroom is essential to a degree in Anthropology. To help students enhance their skill in this area, 3 credits of the following coursework are required: Students focusing on archaeology are strongly recommended to take at least one field and one lab course.

Field:

ANT 420 – Urban Anthropology

ANT 471 – Archaeology Fieldwork (3-6 credits)

ANT 481 – Anthropology Internship (3-6 credits)

Lab:

ANT 371 – Archaeological ArtifactAnalysis

ANT 472 – Environmental Archaeology Lab Intensive

Skills Requirement (1 course)

This requirement is designed to give students a background in quantitative analysis and statistics, helping to build a mathematical foundation for future academic and career goals. The option is especially important for students planning to continue their education as these skills are often part of graduate curriculum. MAT 323 is recommended, although any class on the list will meet the requirement.

MAT 323 - Statistics

NAS 215 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

Second Language Skills Option

Knowledge of more than one language is of great importance for students of anthropology, because strong connections exist between language and culture. The second language skills option stresses the importance of this connection and the applicability of additional languages to a student’s future academic work and/or career. This skills option can be satisfied in one of the following ways: Successful completion of a foreign language through the first course of the intermediate level with a grade of C or higher or Successful completion of high school level 4 in one language with a grade of B or higher or Successful completion of a placement exam in which the student placed above the first course of the intermediate level.

Senior Seminar (3 credits)

Students are required to take a senior seminar and engage in research in their chosen area of focus, archaeology or cultural anthropology.