Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of human populations and cultures in evolutionary, historical and comparative frameworks. The curriculum promotes understanding the variety both of past and of present human groups, the processes that underlie human biological and cultural development and change, and how human society and culture are maintained. Students learn and apply the research methods and theoretical constructs used by anthropologists to investigate peoples and their cultures. Excavating and analyzing the remains of past cultures, observing primate behavior and examining global social and cultural change are but a few of the approaches anthropologists use to investigate the human way of life.
The department offers the BA and BS degrees in anthropology. Students majoring in the BA may select one of two tracks: general anthropology or anthropological perspectives. Both programs are tailored to the different interests and career goals of majors, and provide excellent training for those interested in undertaking graduate studies in anthropology or related fields. The BS degree combines anthropology with natural science approaches associated with biology, chemistry, geology and related fields. It is directed toward students who require formal scientific training within the major to prepare them for careers or advanced studies with a scientific focus in anthropology or other disciplines.
Sequences of courses enable the student to move from a broad understanding of anthropology to more focused topics of study. Only courses passed with a grade of C– or better are counted toward fulfilling the requirements of a major in anthropology. No more than one course taken under the Pass/Fail option is accepted in fulfillment of the minimal requirements for an anthropology major.
BA Degree Program
Track 1: General Anthropology
This program offers the student a sound understanding of the concerns and methods within each of the four sub-disciplines of anthropology: archaeology, linguistics, biological anthropology and socio-cultural anthropology. This is accomplished through a carefully defined and sequenced program of courses in six categories:
• ANTH 114 or 118, 166, 167 (or 169), and 168;
• ANTH 300;
• a course in quantitative methods or computing: ANTH 200, CS 100, 105, MATH 147, PSYC 243;
• one course from each of the following four groups. At least three of these courses must be 300 or 400 level:
— ANTH 220-230, 242, 251-258, 264, 280 (with socio-cultural focus), 301, 350, 355, 361, 363, 368, 370, 411 or 477;
— ANTH 260-262, 280 (with archaeology focus), 321, 345-348, 372-376, 379, 474 or 475;
— ANTH 243-245, 332-338;
— ANTH 214, 280 or 380 (with linguistic focus), 442, or LING 434 or 474;
• two courses with a focus on a geographic area;
• eight credits of electives at the 300-400 level in anthropology or related fields, to be chosen with the advice and consent of the student’s departmental adviser.
Track 2: Anthropological Perspectives Program
This program allows greater flexibility in the sequencing and selection of courses toward the major. It also provides the opportunity for students who wish to concentrate on one of the sub-fields (archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, socio-cultural anthropology) to pursue a more focused major. Selection of courses must be done in close consultation with the student’s major adviser:
• 28 credits in anthropology at the 100-200 level, four credits of which must be a socio-cultural area course(s).
Students concentrating in one of the sub-fields should include the following in their course selection:
— for archaeology concentration: ANTH 167 or 169;
— for biological anthropology concentration: ANTH 168;
— for linguistic anthropology concentration: ANTH 114 and 118;
— for socio-cultural anthropology concentration: ANTH 166;
• 28 credits at the 300-400 level, eight of which may be taken in related fields. For students concentrating in one of the sub-fields, a minimum of three courses in the chosen sub-field should be included.
Note: No more than seven courses from a single sub-field may be applied to fulfill the major requirements in either the general anthropology or anthropological perspectives program. ANTH 497, with the consent of the departmental director of undergraduate studies, may substitute for any of the major requirements.
BS Degree Program
This program allows majors to integrate anthropology with scientific training relevant to their career or post-graduate goals. It provides background in each of the four sub-fields of anthropology, yet requires more training in quantitative methods and laboratory settings. Anthropology courses that apply toward this track also emphasize natural science methodologies and theories:
• ANTH 118 (or 114), 166, 167 and 168;
• two field/laboratory courses: one field/laboratory course must be from ANTH 332, 335, 336, 345, 372, 373, 475, 477, and one may be in a cognate field from the Division of Science and Mathematics;
• two quantitative methods courses: ANTH 200; MATH 147, 221 or 222; PSYC 243; or CS 100, 105 or 140;
• two courses chosen from the following: ANTH 214, 221, 230, 235, 242-245, 279, or LING 312, 314, 316;
• five upper-level courses in anthropology (20 credits). Choose from ANTH 321, 332-338, 345-348, 363, 373, 442, 466, 474, 475 or LING 474. Once the field/laboratory course requirement has been met, additional anthropology laboratory or fieldwork courses may be applied to this requirement;
• two electives from anthropology and science cognates, which must include at least one science cognate. Upper- or lower-division anthropology courses may be used. Science cognates include BIOL 117, 118; PHYS 121, 122; CHEM 107, 108; GEOL 111, 113.
The total number of courses required for each program of study toward the major is fixed, and no single course may be counted twice.
Any changes in either of these two programs may be made only with the approval of the student’s adviser and the director of undergraduate studies or department chair.
Honors Program
Graduation with honors in anthropology is awarded for superior independent work, and is encouraged for students who intend to pursue graduate careers. To qualify for admission to the honors program, a student must have demonstrated academic accomplishment of high quality. Applications to the program must be approved by the departmental undergraduate committee no later than the end of the sixth semester of a student’s eight semesters of baccalaureate studies. A senior honors thesis, supervised by two members of the faculty, is required for honors. Normally, honors students should enroll in ANTH 497 in their next-to-last semester to do research toward an honors thesis, and in ANTH 499 in their last semester, during which they complete the thesis.
Minors in Anthropology
Four possible minors in anthropology are offered: general anthropology, socio-cultural anthropology, archaeology and biological anthropology. Each is satisfied by the completion of the coursework described below. Exceptions to these requirements may be made only with the approval of the anthropology undergraduate committee, after consultation with the student’s anthropology adviser.
Requirements for General Anthropology Minor
This minor in general anthropology gives the student a broad background in the field of anthropology, and encourages selection of courses from all the sub-disciplines of anthropology, without specializing in any one:
• three courses (12 credits) at the 100-200 level; at least one must be at the 200 level;
• three courses (12 credits) at the 300-400 level.
No more than two (eight credits) of these six courses should be from any single sub-field (linguistics, archaeology, biological, socio-cultural anthropology). At least one course (four credits) should be an “area course” that focuses on a specific world area or region. One of the 300-400 level courses (four credits) may be in any cognate field, chosen in consultation with the student’s anthropology adviser.
Requirements for Socio-Cultural Anthropology Minor
The socio-cultural anthropology minor introduces students to a range of problems in the study of social and cultural systems. This minor is useful to those interested in human behavior and in a worldwide perspective on social problems and comparative cultural phenomena:
• an introductory course (four credits), ANTH 166;
• at least one socio-cultural course (four credits) that focuses on the culture of a specific world area (this will probably be at the 200 level, but it does not have to be);
• three other socio-cultural courses (12 credits) at the 300-400 level. Such courses include ANTH 300, 301, 355, 361, 363, 380/480 (with socio-cultural focus), 411 and 477;
• remaining credits (four) as electives, which may be taken in any area of anthropology or in a cognate field, to be chosen in consultation with the student’s anthropology adviser.
Of the courses taken for the minor, no more than two may be at the 100 level.
Requirements for Biological Anthropology Minor
The biological anthropology minor provides students with a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts of human biology, evolution and the relationships between humans as biological and cultural animals. The program is relevant to students with interests in biology, geology, environmental studies, psychology, nursing, dentistry, medicine and general biobehavioral science:
• ANTH 168 (four credits);
• three courses (12 credits) at the 300 level from among ANTH 332-338;
• one elective course (four credits) in anthropology, preferably from ANTH 242-245. The elective should be chosen in consultation with the student’s anthropology adviser;
• another elective course (four credits) in any area of anthropology or in a cognate field, chosen in consultation with the student’s anthropology adviser.
Requirements for Archaeology Minor
The archaeology minor provides students with a basic understanding of how archaeologists study and reconstruct the past. Such training is relevant to students in a wide variety of fields, including history, art history, classical studies, medieval studies, Judaic studies, African American studies and Middle Eastern and North African studies:
• one introductory course (four credits): ANTH 167 or 169;
• two area courses (eight credits): ANTH 260-262, 374 or 375;
• two methods courses (eight credits): ANTH 321, 372, 373 or 475;
• one elective course (four credits) in anthropology or any cognate field, chosen in consultation with the student’s archaeology adviser. Any of the courses listed above that are not used for the first three requirements may be used to fulfill this requirement.