The undergraduate program is designed to give students a firm understanding of the four fields of anthropology, namely biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, and linguistics. We offer courses within each of these four fields so that students can explore particular topics of interest to them while still acquiring an excellent education that encompasses all the fields. Our courses span not only the intellectual breadth of anthropology, but also offer opportunities to learn about different cultures around the world, about the prehistory of many regions, about human evolution, and about the role of language in culture and gender relations. A capstone seminar (ANTH500), taken in the senior year, enables students to integrate lessons learned across the anthropology curriculum, which also includes a required junior-level course (ANTH301) that provides students with a firm grasp of anthropological theory. In addition to regular lecture, seminar, and laboratory courses, students have opportunities to pursue internships, explore independent study, and graduate with departmental honors. Full details of the BA program can be found in the Course Catalog/Bulletin
Anthropology Program Learning Objectives
These are the broad Learning Objectives that our majors are expected to master by the time they graduate:
1. Students will acquire and demonstrate a broad knowledge of the terminology and subject matter of the subdisciplines of anthropology;
2. Students will acquire and demonstrate deep knowledge of theory and threshold concepts of anthropology;
3. Students will demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge of methods for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating anthropological information;
4. Students will demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge of the subfield-specific ethical and legal issues related to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of anthropological information.
Minor in Anthropology
Students from any major can earn a minor in anthropology by completing 28 units of coursework. Details regarding the requirements can be found under Minor in Anthropology.
Departmental Honors
Student majoring in anthropology are eligible to receive honors in anthropology at graduation. Details about the requirements can be found in the Departmental Honors webpage.