Department of Anthropology

Professors Emeriti Jon W. Anderson; Phyllis P. Chock; Anita G. Cook
Assistant Professor Laura Masur
Clinical Associate Professor Joshua Samuels, Chair
Newton-Bennett Visiting Scholar Tadeusz Mich
Lecturers David T. Clark; Liliana Duica Amaya

Anthropology is the study of human diversity from the Paleolithic to the present through comparisons of how humans form and think about communities, make a living, shape and are shaped by the environment, communicate, and express themselves in art, religion, language, and in practical activities. Anthropologists integrate different kinds of data about past and contemporary ways of life in the natural situations where people live or have lived, such as an archaeological site, a village, or an urban metropolis, but also virtual worlds and even global networks. The aim of anthropological study is to develop composite, empirically based accounts of human life and cultures. Students in anthropology acquire a broad perspective on social and cultural dimensions of diverse ways of life, including their own, and tools for integrating specialized knowledge into perspectives on global processes that shape our world.

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

The requirements for the major can be found at Anthropology - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Courses for anthropology majors leading to a B.A. include three courses in the foundational disciplines of cultural anthropology (ANTH 101), archaeology (ANTH 108), and human biology and evolution (ANTH 105); a pair of core courses on anthropological perspectives (ANTH 200) and research design and conduct (ANTH 201); six topical electives; and a senior capstone project (ANTH 452) based on an internship/practicum or independent research directed by a faculty member.

Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology

The requirements for the major can be found at Archaeology - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Courses for archaeology majors leading to a B.A. include three courses in the foundational courses in archaeology (ANTH 108), archaeological methods (ANTH 206), and archaeological theory (ANTH 208); a pair of core courses on cultural heritage (ANTH 240) and cultural resource management law (ANTH 290); six topical electives; and a senior capstone project (ANTH 452) based on an internship/practicum or independent research directed by a faculty member.

Courses in the HSSS sequence count as free electives for majors, and HSSS 101 can serve as an equivalent to ANTH 101. An overall GPA of 2.0 is required for acceptance into the major, and a GPA of 3.0 in the major courses is required for continuing in the major.

For non-majors, ANTH 105, ANTH 108, ANTH 206, and ANTH 354 fulfill the Foundations in Natural Science requirement, and ANTH 101, ANTH 201, ANTH 240, and ANTH 260 fulfill the Foundations in Social Science requirement.

Minor in Anthropology

The requirements for the minor can be found at Anthropology - Minor

Minor in Global Migration and Refugee Studies

The requirements for the minor can be found at Global Migration and Refugee Studies - Minor