2020-21 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2020-21 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Anthropology [ANT]


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The anthropology  major provides students the opportunity to undertake a broad based study of the anthropological approaches to understanding past and present human cultural structures. This major is particularly suitable for those interested in teaching professions, continued graduate study or international aid agencies.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the principles and areas of work in the five sub-disciplines within the anthropological discipline:
    • Physical/Biological Anthropology: demonstrate an understanding of the process of human, i.e., bio cultural, evolution and the major events associated with these processes both past and present.
    • Archaeology: demonstrate a basic understanding of how human behavior is gleaned from archaeological sites and their contexts and how human heritage contributes valuable information about people of the past to present-day audiences.
    • Sociocultural Anthropology: demonstrate an understanding of cultural relativism, the dangers of ethnocentrism, and the basic tenets of the process of carrying out field research with present-day cultures.
    • Linguistic Anthropology: acquire a basic understanding of human communication systems and how they function in the larger cultural milieu.
    • Applied Anthropology: Understand the philosophies behind the rise of this most recent field and the basic tenets of how the application of anthropological training can intersect with, and may offer constructive suggestions for, present-day cultures in trouble.
  2. Understand the process of "doing fieldwork," i.e., methodologically, and/or carry out one's research agenda in any of the five sub-disciplines.
  3. Acquire a thorough knowledge of the major anthropological theoretical frameworks within the discipline as utilized in the past and present.
  4. Understand the fundamental processes involved in addressing a research topic or building a hypothesis as the basis for proceeding with anthropological fieldwork (in any subfield).
  5. Demonstrate the ability to communicate their own ideas, and the ideas of others, clearly and effectively in writing.

Program Standard Grade Point Average Requirement

The major GPA is calculated by all courses identified in the college catalog as required for the major. In addition, this program has an established program standard GPA which may be used to determine progress in the program.

  • Program Standard GPA
    • Minimum GPA of 2.0 in any ANT course
  • Anthropology Major Requirements
    • 33 credits in any ANT course

Career Potential

  • Corporate positions in culture management
  • International aid agency positions (e.g., U.S.A.I.D)
  • U.S. government/State Department positions
  • Education/teaching including Native American schools (with certification)
  • C.A.R.E. posts
  • Primate rehabilitation centers, zoos, (e.g., World/National Wildlife Federation)

B. Anthropology Electives: 12 credit hours


Students may choose courses from the list that follows, depending on their personal preferences and/or whether they have a declared concentration. Special courses not listed within either group are occasionally taught with a topics (TP) designation such as ANT 129, 229, 329 or 429 and may count under one of these groups.

  • Six credit hours from Culture Area Courses
  • Six credit hours from Topics Courses

C. Anthropology Electives: 9 credit hours


Students fulfill these credit hours by choosing three courses listed under Culture Area Courses and Topics Courses.

Three elective credit hours may be fulfilled by completing:

Total Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 124


Example of the B.A. in Anthropology over four years


The following is based on freshman admission and 15 credits per semester. More than 15 credit hours will have to be taken in one or more semesters in order to reach the required 124 credit hours for graduation.

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First Year Fall


Total credit hours for semester: 16-17


First Year Spring


Total credit hours for semester: 15-16


Second Year Fall


Two 200-300 level anthropology courses (6 cr. hr.)
GE course (3 cr. hr.)
Foreign language (3 cr. hr.)
One elective (3 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15


Second Year Spring


One or two 200-300 level anthropology courses (3-6 cr. hr.)
GE course (3 cr. hr.)
Foreign language (3 cr. hr.)
One or two electives (3-6 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15-18


Third Year Fall


One or two 300-400 level anthropology courses (3-6 cr. hr.)
One or two electives (3-6 cr. hr.)
One or two GE courses (3-6 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 17


Third Year Spring


Total credit hours for semester: 16


Fourth Year Fall


Total credit hours for semester: 15


Fourth Year Spring


One or two 300-400 level anthropology electives (3-6 cr. hr.)
One to four electives (3-12 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15-18


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