The anthropology major is designed to give a global perspective on the comparative study of contemporary cultures and the evolution of human biological and cultural diversity over time. Students can choose to emphasize forensic anthropology through an emphasis on Forensic Investigation and Identification. The Core Courses provide students with a combination of theoretical, methodological, applied and research design knowledge and skills that are the foundation of anthropology’s four fields. The Breadth Requirements ground students in all of the content areas that inform the anthropological quest to understand the essence of humanness. Electives allow them to continue in the four field tradition, or to explore one of the four fields in more depth.
The program includes opportunities for hands-on experience doing fieldwork in both local communities and abroad, and with anthropological research and teaching collections including:
- contemporary/fossil ape and hominin casts,
- modern human skeletal material,
- the Cultural and Natural History Collections.
From an anonymous student evaluation: “Physical anthropology should be a mandatory class every student should take because it teaches us who we are and why we are the way we are.”
Degree Requirements
Total program: 60 semester hours
Prerequisite Requirements
22 semester hours
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 220 | Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTH 240 | Language and Culture | 4 |
| ANTH 260 | Archaeology | 4 |
| ANTH 270 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology 1 | 4 |
| or ANTH 252 | Forensic Anthropology | |
| ANTH 270L | Introduction to Biological Anthropology Lab | 2 |
| One of the following: | 4 | |
ANTH 305 | Quantitative Analysis 2 | |
ANTH 394 | Ethnographic Field Methods | |
| Total Semester Hours | 22 | |
- 1
ANTH 252 Forensic Anthropology is required for the Forensic Investigation and Identification concentration.
- 2
ANTH 305 Quantitative Analysis is required for the Forensic Investigation and Identification concentration.
Core Requirements
18 semester hours
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 393 | Anthropological Writing | 4 |
| ANTH 400 | Anthropological Theory | 4 |
| ANTH 497 | Internship | 2 |
| ANTH 499C | Senior Capstone 3 | 4,4 |
| Select an Option: | ||
Forensic Investigation and Identification Concentration | ||
General Anthropology Concentration | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 18 | |
- 3
Two ANTH 499C Senior Capstone Courses are required; each capstone must be in a different anthropological subfield. When crosslisted with a Research Intensive course, that course may only be taken one time for credit (either as 499C or as a catalog course number).
Forensic Investigation and Identification Concentration
20 semester hours
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 262 | Forensic Investigations | 4 |
| ANTH 354 | Human Osteology | 4 |
| ANTH 355 | Techniques in Skeletal Biology | 4 |
| ANTH 360L | Archaeology Lab | 4 |
| ANTH 364 | Forensic Archaeology | 4 |
| Total Semester Hours | 20 | |
General Anthropology Concentration
20 semester hours
Upper Division Breadth Requirements
12 semester hours
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 1 of the following cultural anthropology courses: | 4 | |
ANTH 321 | Kinship and Social Organization | |
ANTH 322 | Anthropology of Religion | |
ANTH 333 | Women Across Cultures | |
ANTH 420 | Environmental Anthropology 4 | |
| Complete 1 of the following biological anthropology courses: | 4 | |
ANTH 351 | Primate Morphology, Behavior and Ecology | |
ANTH 354 | Human Osteology | |
ANTH 356 | Human Origins | |
ANTH 357 | Research in Biological Anthropology 4 | |
ANTH 453 | Human Adaptation and Variation 4 | |
| Complete 1 of the following archaeology courses: | 4 | |
ANTH 364 | Forensic Archaeology | |
ANTH 460 | Research in Material Culture 4 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
- 4
Research Intensive Course; when crosslisted with ANTH 499C Senior Capstone, it may only be taken one time for credit (either as 499C or as the catalog course number).
Anthropological Methods Requirement
4 semester hours
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 1 of the following methods courses: | 4 | |
ANTH 360L | Archaeology Lab | |
ANTH 394 | Ethnographic Field Methods 5 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 4 | |
- 5
Can be counted as a foundational course or methods course, but not both.
Electives
4 semester hours
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 1 of the following elective courses: | 4 | |
ANTH 221 | Peoples and Culture of Mexico | |
ANTH 231 | Food and Culture | |
ANTH 250 | Issues in Anthropology | |
ANTH 252 | Forensic Anthropology | |
ANTH 262 | Forensic Investigations | |
ANTH 321 | Kinship and Social Organization | |
ANTH 322 | Anthropology of Religion | |
ANTH 325 | Anthropology of Terrorism | |
ANTH 331 | Culture and the Individual | |
ANTH 333 | Women Across Cultures | |
ANTH 334 | Women's Experience in the US | |
ANTH 351 | Primate Morphology, Behavior and Ecology | |
ANTH 354 | Human Osteology | |
ANTH 355 | Techniques in Skeletal Biology 4 | |
ANTH 356 | Human Origins | |
ANTH 357 | Research in Biological Anthropology 4 | |
ANTH 360L | Archaeology Lab | |
ANTH 364 | Forensic Archaeology | |
ANTH 394 | Ethnographic Field Methods | |
ANTH 409 | Selected Topics in Anthropology 6 | |
ANTH 420 | Environmental Anthropology 4 | |
ANTH 421 | Environmental Justice | |
ANTH 460 | Research in Material Culture 4 | |
ANTH 470 | Medical Anthropology 4 | |
One Elective as Approved by Advisor | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 4 | |
- 4
-
Research Intensive Course; when crosslisted with ANTH 499C Senior Capstone, it may only be taken one time for credit (either as 499C or as the catalog course number).
- 6
May be taken multiple times for credit with different topics.