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ANT 101 INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY (4.0 Units)
As an introduction to the theoretical and methodological approaches of archaeology, this course will expose students to the foundations of prehistoric and historic archaeology. Included in the topical considerations are the bases of human hominid evolution, the evolution of human societies throughout the world, evidence for human cultural behavior and creativity, relationships between material culture and ideology, theories of site exploration, as well as selected case studies in the discipline, such as the origins of agriculture, the formation of the state and cultural resources management.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR, UC
• Advisory: ENG 101
• CAN ANTH 6
• Fulfills: Area 4—Social Science (UNR Core); Area 4—Social Sciences (LTCC G.E.); Area D—Social, Political and Economic Institutions and Behavior (CSU G.E.); Area 4 (IGETC)—Social and Behavioral Sciences; A.A. in Social Science (Required Courses)
• Generally Offered: 1-2 times/year
ANT 102 CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (4.0 Units)
This course is an introduction to cultural anthropology. It investigates specific aspects of culture including kinship, law and politics, religion and myth, gender, social organization, expressive culture and art and cultural change. In addition to studying case studies from various world cultures, the course will introduce students to relevant anthropological theories, perspectives and methods, including fieldwork, participant observation and ethnographic writing.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR, UC
• Advisory: ENG 101
• CAN ANTH 4
• Fulfills: Area 4—Social Science (UNR Core); Area 4—Social Sciences (LTCC G.E.); Area 7—Cultural Pluralism (LTCC G.E.); Area D—Social, Political and Economic Institutions and Behavior (CSU G.E.); Area 4 (IGETC)—Social and Behavioral Sciences; A.A. in Psychology (Required Courses); A.A. in Social Science (Required Courses)
• Generally Offered: 3 times/year
ANT 103 PHYSICAL/BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY (4.0 Units)
This course will examine the physical and biological nature of the human species, including hominid evolution, genetics and processes of human variation, paleoanthropology, primatology, forms of human adaptation, disease, demography, and forensic anthropology. The course will develop these topics using an evolutionary, scientific and bio-cultural approach.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR. UC
• Advisory: ENG 101
• CAN ANTH 2
• Fulfills: Area 5—Physical and Biological Sciences (LTCC G.E.); Area B—Physical Universe and Its Lifeforms (CSU G.E.); Area 5 (IGETC)—Physical and Biological Sciences; A.A. in Psychology (Required Courses)
• Generally Offered: 3 times/year
ANT 104 AREA STUDIES IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (4.0 Units)
This is a course which focuses on a specialized geographical area of study in cultural anthropology. Students will develop appreciation of a specific cultural group, such as peoples of Papua New Guinea, cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa, etc.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR, UC
• Advisory. ENG 101
• Fulfills: Area 4—Social Sciences (LTCC G.E.); Area D—Social, Political and Economic Institutions and Behavior (CSU G.E.); Area 4 (IGETC)—Social and Behavioral Sciences; A.A. in Social Science (Required Courses)
• Generally Offered: 1 time/year
ANT 105 BEGINNING FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY (4.0 Units)
This course will introduce students to the scientific methods of excavation and material culture analysis employed by archaeologists. Emphasis will be on specific hands-on understandings of site surveying, excavation, classification and analysis, cataloging and preservation of various forms of material culture under supervised field and laboratory conditions.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR
• Advisory: ENG 101
• Generally Offered: 1 time/year
ANT 106 VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY (4.0 Units)
This course will study the anthropology of visual communication. Specifically the relationships between cultural anthropology and communication theory to space, photography, film, the body, art and aesthetics, museums, the Internet and multi-media will be considered in various cultural contexts. Screenings of ethnographic and documentary films, as well as hands-on use of media technologies, will be incorporated in the course content.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR
• Advisory: ENG 101
• Fulfills: Area 3—Fine Arts and Humanities (LTCC G.E.); Area 4—Social Sciences (LTCC G.E.); A.A. in Social Science (Required Courses)
• Generally Offered: 1 time/year
ANT 107 MAGIC, WITCHCRAFT AND RELIGION (4.0 Units)
This course is a cross-cultural study of beliefs, practices and issues related to varied forms of the supernatural. In developing an anthropological appreciation of religion and spirituality, students will be encouraged to understand and analyze the varied forms of the supernatural in examples including shamanism, animism, magic, witchcraft, totemism, forms of ritual and symbolism, as well as comprehend the socio-cultural purposes of these forms. Applications of anthropological theories to case studies of the past and present will complement the course considerations.
• Transfers to CSU, UNR, UC
• Advisory: ENG 101
• Fulfills: Area 4—Social Sciences (LTCC G.E.); Area 7—Cultural Pluralism (LTCC G.E.); Area C—Arts, Literature, Philosophy and Foreign Languages (CSU G.E.); Area D—Social, Political and Economic Institutions and Behavior (CSU G.E.); Area 3 (IGETC)—Arts and Humanities; Area 4 (IGETC)—Social and Behavioral Sciences; A.A. in Social Science (Required Courses)
• Generally Offered: 1-2 times/year
ANT 108 INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (4.0 Units)
This course will consider the anthropological subfield of language and culture or linguistic anthropology. In this course students will be exposed to the anthropological theories of language origin, language use, and the specific cultural issues associated with language in cross-cultural contexts. Some specific issues will include, the biology of language, non-human language and communication, primate language, the impact of language on worldview (Sapir-Whorf), sociolinguistics, language maps, linguistic nationalism, language and gender, the Internet and communication, linguistic anthropology fieldwork, and the future of language.
ANT 110 APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY (4.0 Units)
Course Description: Applied anthropology focuses on the use of anthropological theories and perspectives in real-world contexts of practice or problem-solving. The course will provide students with tools designed to help understand and solve problems arising as a result of culture change, modernization and globalization. The major arenas of study will include development anthropology and the use of technology in field settings, anthropology and healthcare, anthropology and advocacy, such as in social work settings, anthropology and law, and organizational and business anthropology. An applied research project and/or fieldtrips may be required.
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ANT 131 SPECIAL TOPICS (1.0 – 4.0 Units)
This course is designed to meet the needs of students for studies in areas of special interest. Topics and credit will vary from quarter to quarter and will be included under this cover tide published in the schedule for the quarter in which the course will be offered.
• Transfers to CSU
• Generally Offered: varies
ANT 191 SPECIAL TOPICS (1.0 – 4.0 Units)
This course is designed to meet the needs of students for studies in occupational, technical or college preparatory areas of special interest. Topics and credits will vary from quarter to quarter and will be included under this cover tide published in the schedule of classes for the quarter in which the course will be offered.
• Generally Offered: varies
ANT 231 SPECIAL PROJECTS (1.0 – 4.0 Units)
This course is designed for students wishing to pursue a specific topic of study. Emphasis is placed on individualized instruction and student project planning. The student must arrange for project and credit approval by the instructor prior to registering for this course. Transfers to CSU
• Generally Offered: varies
ANT 291 SPECIAL PROJECTS (1.0 – 4.0 Units)
This course is designed for students wishing to pursue a specific topic of study in occupational, technical or college preparatory areas. Emphasis is placed on individualized instruction and student project planning. The student must arrange for project and credit approval by the instructor prior to registering for this course.
• Generally Offered: varies
This section is intended for individuals wishing to take more anthropology at the 4-year level or those who wish to pursue a B.A. in the discipline.
As an undergraduate major in anthropology, you will have the opportunity to take classes in the four fields of anthropology—archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology and cultural anthropology. Typically, a B.A. in Anthropology from most colleges and universities in the United States will include some exposure in the four fields; the level of exposure will vary depending on the department’s size and its faculty research areas. At the Master’s and Ph.D. level, exposure to the four fields might be limited in that a student may specialize in only one of the four fields.
The undergraduate anthropology major makes you quite marketable in a number of fields and graduate programs, even if you decide not to pursue another degree in anthropology. The requirements for the undergraduate anthropology degree will vary with the school and program. If you look at some of the anthropology department links below you will get a sense of each program’s requirements. Here is a sample of the undergraduate anthropology requirements for the B.A. at Indiana University:
1) A total of 30 credit hours.
2) Core Courses (12 credits):
B200 Bioanthropology
E200 Social and Cultural Anthropology
L200 Language and Culture
P200 Introduction to Prehistoric Archaeology
3) An advanced course in three out of the four different subfields, consisting of bioanthropology, social and cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology and archaeology.
(9 credits)
4) Remaining credit hours in any of the 300-400 level courses. (9 credits)
Here is how I fulfilled those requirements as an undergraduate anthropology major at Indiana University:Culture and Society
Theory of Culture Change
Prehistory of Europe and Asia
Undergraduate Seminar in Anthropology
Seminar in Cultural and Social Anthropology: Music and Ritual (Graduate Course)
Political Anthropology
Social and Cultural Anthropology
Bioanthropology
Introduction to Cultures of Africa
Anthropological and Documentary Films
Laboratory in Bioanthropology
Introduction to Prehistoric Archaeology
Language and Culture
Honors Tutorial in Anthropology
Archaeological Field School
What I found to be exciting about the undergraduate major in anthropology was the overall open perspective of anthropology and the ability I had to take a wide range of courses in the four fields.
Click on any of the links below to look at the Anthropology Department sites of Nevada and California universities.
University of California
University of California—Berkeley Curriculum University of California—Davis Curriculum University of California—Irvine Curriculum University of California—Riverside Curriculum University of California—Santa Barbara Curriculum University of California—Santa Cruz Curriculum University of California—Los Angeles Curriculum University of California—San Diego Curriculum University of California—San Francisco Anthropology, History and Social Medicine (graduate only) University of California—Merced Coming Soon
California State University
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The Job Guide 2002 lists the following as a description of what an anthropologist does:
Anthropologist
Anthropologists study the origin, development and functioning of human societies and cultures, as they exist now or have existed throughout history.
Anthropologists are concerned with the complexities of social and cultural life, including religion and rituals, family and kinship systems, languages, art and music, symbolism and economic and political systems.
An anthropologist may perform the following tasks:
• work in different communities to gather and analyse information on social and cultural behaviour, artefacts, language and biology of groups and societies which they are studying
• collect, identify, date, protect and preserve indigenous artefacts, material possessions and other objects of anthropological interest.
Anthropologists' main research method is fieldwork, living with the people being studied and learning by participation in activities, often under difficult conditions. Anthropologists may specialise in one of the following fields. Note that there is considerable overlap in aspects of these specialisations, and some joint research is carried out.
Applied Anthropologist may work in areas such as social policy and planning, social impact assessments, conservation, advocacy, community development, women and development, cultural resource management, land claims and social justice.
Biological/Physical Anthropologist is concerned with the biological evolution and variations of the human species, past and present, and with the interactions between biology, ecology and culture over the lifespans of individual humans. Some biological anthropologists study the bones of people who lived in the distant past, working closely with archaeologists.
Linguistic Anthropologist looks mainly at the languages of non-Western societies and studies the evolution, structure, history and function of languages and how they influence or are influenced by other aspects of social life.
Social/Cultural Anthropologist conducts ethnographic research on small communities, cities and nations, and makes comparative studies of different cultures.
Personal Requirements:
• capacity for detailed observation and accurate practical work
• able to work independently
• aptitude for research
• well-developed communication skills
• sensitive to other people and cultures
Related Jobs:
• Archaeologist
• Cultural Heritage Officer
• Historian
• Museum Curator
• Psychologist
• Sociologist
• A great essay to read on the perspective of anthropology and how it relates to emerging career fields is “Anthropology: Education for the 21st Century,” at the AAA website. Click Here.
• You might also look at their overall career website; it contains a great deal of information. Click Here.
• Specific to archaeology, read “FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT A CAREER IN ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE U.S.” Click Here.
• NIU Occupations Weblinks for Anthropology. Click Here.
• Career in Primatology. Click Here.
