Major in Anthropology

We are committed...

1. to offer and maintain instructional programs that provide an understanding of people and their cultures, past and present and knowledge of their social, political, economic, and environmental systems;
2. to conduct research in our programmatic areas within the various sub-disciplines of anthropology, in order to advance and expand knowledge of the field of anthropology;
3. to participate actively in programs of interdisciplinary research.

One of the ways we accomplish these things is through the synergistic effects of an active program of field and laboratory research and the teaching and training of students.

The program prepares undergraduate students to describe and explain the human condition through exposure to the anthropological lens of human variation across the world’s societies and over time. Emphasis on the use of multiple tools to understand behavior and biology is fundamental to an anthropological approach to studying humankind, and invaluable in helping students examine contemporary issues in their lives and the world. The department has three programmatic areas of research and scholarship that students can benefit from: environment, globalization, and development.

Anthropology bridges the natural and social sciences and humanities. It includes such diverse fields as contemporary culture, ethnicity, linguistics, comparative religion, farming practices, archaeology, human ecology, human anatomy, evolution, and the behavior of non-human primates. Anthropology is a holistic field, and therefore, views the human condition as a result of the interaction of economics, social organization, history, technology, biology, ideology, and the environment. Majors can specialize in cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology.

Anthropology majors follow a liberal arts curriculum that provides a broad education with an emphasis on learning how to learn. The department has six research and teaching laboratories and two summer field schools. Field classes that involve the excavation of archaeological sites are offered during the summer. A cultural anthropology field school studies a myriad of issues on Indian reservations. Graduates should be able to view the human condition with equal ability from its behavioral, biological, and historical perspectives. The well-rounded liberal arts education plus acquisition of important marketable skills including analytical ability, communication, and people skills, make anthropology graduates valuable in health, international development, business, government, and education. This is an extremely useful major for students who plan to pursue careers in which they anticipate contact with non-Western cultures; and, with careful planning, a second major in any field can be obtained to complement and enhance professional preparation.

• Anthropology Semester Course Schedule
• Anthropology Major Requirements
• Anthropology Minor Requirements

Potential Occupations

Anthropology, like many liberal arts majors, provides students with a broad academic background suitable for a variety of jobs in the public and private sectors. Anthropology majors are trained to think independently and critically, communicate effectively, and function in a multicultural world. Many employers appreciate liberal arts majors for their multiple skills and their ability to adapt to a variety of tasks and work environments. Participating in internships and cooperative education opportunities is highly recommended to enhance students’ practical training and development.

Learning Outcomes - Students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge related to basic appreciation of anthropology and its potentials including:

• knowledge of and respect for the similarities and differences that characterize human societies in the world, over time and across space;
• knowledge of key theoretical ideas that anthropologists use to comprehend these similarities and differences;
• knowledge of key methods used to research and define the nature of similarities and differences in human societies; and
• a grasp of the relationship between theory, methods, and data.

2. Integrate anthropological concepts across subfields or with other social sciences and humanities disciplines, and articulate their anthropological understandings through papers written and presented during their senior year.

3. Use what they have learned in their anthropology courses in their future activities after graduation.