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Anthropology Major and Concentrations
Courses in Anthropological Sciences reflect the four major subfields of the discipline: cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. Majors are given basic training in all of these areas, with additional specialization available through elective coursework. The Program features concentrations in Archaeology, Forensic Anthropology, Bioarchaeology, and General Anthropology. Please see the course catalog for the Core Curriculum requirements and the specific requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees. Students need a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate.
Major Required Coursework
Required Classes
23 CREDITS
Concentrations - Majors Must Choose One
Archaeology Concentration (21 credits)
Students interested in a career in archaeology have the option of choosing the Archaeology concentration. This concentration will prepare students for a career as an archaeologist by giving them training in both archaeological field and lab techniques but also on an archaeological culture area in addition to their general training in anthropology. In addition to the Required Anthropological Sciences Courses listed above, students in the Archaeology Concentration must complete the following:
Archaeology Concentration Coursework: R&A
The following course:
AND 1 Archaeology course from the following list:
- ANSC 103 - Ancient Worlds of the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inka
- ANSC 333 - Old World Prehistory
- ANSC 433 - The Ancient & Living Maya: Anthropological Perspectives on Maya Culture
AND 1 Cultural Anthropology course from the following list:
- ANSC 305 - Principles of Ethnography
- RELN 313- Religion and Culture
- ANSC 105 - Native North America
- ANSC 205 - Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
AND 1 Biological Anthropology course from the following list:
- ANSC 210 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
- ANSC 310 - Human Skeletal Biology
- ANSC 320 - Human Osteology
- ANSC 330 - Primatology or BIOL 330 - Primatology
- ANSC 410 - Paleoanthropology
- ANSC 420 - Advanced Forensic Anthropology
- ANSC 430 - Bioarchaeology
AND 6 additional credit hours from any ANSC-prefix course.
Bioarchaeology Concentration (21 credits)
Students interested in learning about culture and past societies from human skeletal remains can take the Bioarchaeology concentration. In this course of study, students will learn about human skeletal analysis, an archaeological culture area, and what we can learn about an individual and their culture from a burial.
In addition to the required classes listed above students in this concentration will take:
Bioarchaeology Concentration R&A
Take each of the following:
- ANSC 310 - Human Skeletal Biology OR ANSC 320 - Human Osteology
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
- ANSC 430 - Bioarchaeology
AND 1 of the following:
- ANSC 103 - Ancient Worlds of the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inka,
- ANSC 321 - Archaeological Field and Lab Methods
- ANSC 333 - Old World Prehistory
- ANSC 433 - The Ancient & Living Maya: Anthropological Perspectives on Maya Culture
AND 1 Cultural Anthropology course from the following list:
- ANSC 105 - Native North America
- ANSC 205 - Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- ANSC 305 - Principles of Ethnography
- RELN 313- Religion and Culture
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
AND 9 additional credit hours from any ANSC-prefix course.
Forensic Anthropology Concentration (23 Credits)
Students interested in specializing in Forensic Anthropology have the option of choosing a Forensic Anthropology Concentration. This preprofessional concentration prepares students for graduate-level study of recent unidentified human remains in a medicolegal context. In addition to the Required Anthropological Sciences Courses listed above, students in the Forensic Anthropology Concentration must complete the following:
Forensic Anthropology Concentration Coursework: R&A
Each of the following 3 courses
- ANSC 210 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
- ANSC 320 - Human Osteology
- ANSC 420 - Advanced Forensic Anthropology
- ANSC 430 - Bioarchaeology
AND 1 Archaeology course from the following list:
- ANSC 103 - Ancient Worlds of the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inka
- ANSC 321 - Archaeological Field and Lab Methods
- ANSC 333 - Old World Prehistory
- ANSC 371 - Weirding Archaeology: Exploring the Popular Perception of Archaeology
- ANSC 361 - Human Impacts on the Prehistoric Environment
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
- ANSC 433 - The Ancient & Living Maya: Anthropological Perspectives on Maya Culture
- ANSC 493 - Field School in Archaeology
1 Cultural Anthropology course from the following list:
- ANSC 105 - Native North America
- ANSC 305 - Principles of Ethnography
- ANSC 205 - Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- RELN 313- Religion and Culture
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
AND 6 additional credit hours from any ANSC-prefix course.
General Anthropology Concentration (21 credits)
The General Anthropology Concentration is designed for students who wish for a broader foundation in anthropology. Students are encouraged to take a variety of anthropology coursework in order to build an interdisciplinary understanding of the field. In addition to the Required Anthropological Sciences courses listed above, students in the General Anthropological Concentration must complete the following:
General Anthropology Concentration Coursework: R&A
1 Archaeology course from the following list:
- ANSC 103 - Ancient Worlds of the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inka
- ANSC 321 - Archaeological Field and Lab Methods
- ANSC 333 - Old World Prehistory
- ANSC 361 - Human Impacts on the Prehistoric Environment
- ANSC 371 - Weirding Archaeology: Exploring the Popular Perception of Archaeology
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
- ANSC 433 - The Ancient & Living Maya: Anthropological Perspectives on Maya Culture
- ANSC 493 - Field School in Archaeology
AND 1 Cultural Anthropology course from the following list:
- ANSC 105 - Native North America
- ANSC 205 - Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- ANSC 305 - Principles of Ethnography
- RELN 313- Religion and Culture
- ANSC 415 - Anthropology of Death
AND 1 Biological Anthropology course from the following list:
- ANSC 210 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
- ANSC 310 - Human Skeletal Biology
- ANSC 320 - Human Osteology
- ANSC 330 - Primatology or BIOL 330 - Primatology
- ANSC 410 - Paleoanthropology
- ANSC 420 - Advanced Forensic Anthropology
- ANSC 430 - Bioarchaeology
AND 12 additional credit hours from any ANSC- prefix course.