This page
lists brief descriptions of our anthropology course offerings. Links to recent
course syllabi are provided in most cases.
General
Education Attributes: N2=Natural Science, S2=Social Science, AH2=Humanities,
HO2=Other World Civilizations, WS2=Writing Skills.
Click here for a
schedule of future classes
ANTH 100
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3 s.h.)
Using a cross-cultural approach, this course provides an understanding of
human behaviors and beliefs, kinship systems, worldview, social organization,
and economic and political systems. Focusing on both cultural
diversity and universal values, this course provides an understanding of
contemporary human problems and needs, and stimulates concern about change and
continuity in the global society. No prerequisite.
(Click on names to see course syllabi for recent sections that have been
offered by Haley and Han)
General Education Attribute: S2
ANTH 101 Human
Origins (3 s.h.)
This course is an introduction to the study of human origins and evolution.
Topics include: historical views on human origins and
evolution; the debate between human evolution and creation; methods for
analyzing fossils and past environments; and the fossil and archaeological
record of human evolution. The major focus is on the origins of primates and
human ancestors, bipedalism, increased brain size, tool use and technology,
language, geographic expansion, agriculture, and civilization. No prerequisite.
General Education Attribute: N2
ANTH 105
World Cultures (3 s.h.)
What’s it like to grow up in New Guinea? How do the
Maya fit into the world system? Where do the Masai go
when looking for a mate? The major goal of this course is to develop an
understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. Such a broad perspective
fosters a global consciousness, provides insights about the variety of human lifeways, and helps develop a greater understanding of the
world’s peoples. Several selected cultures will be examined in depth using
ethnographic literature and films, including hunting-gathering, kin-based, and
agricultural societies, as well as ethnic groups in complex societies. No prerequisite.
General Education Attribute: HO2
(Click on names to see course syllabi for recent sections that have been
offered by Hill and Libby)
ANTH 120
Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology (3 s.h.)
An
introduction to the study of language in anthropological perspective. Topics include language, culture, and
thought; language acquisition and language socialization; language and human
evolution; historical linguistics; language and identity; performance;
ethnographies of communication. No prerequisite.
General
Education Attribute: AH2
ANTH 130 Introduction to Biological
Anthropology (3 s.h.)
An introduction to the study of human biological variation
and evolution. Topics include principles of human genetics, evolutionary
theory, human genetic diversity, human adaptation, primate biology and
behavior, primate evolution, and the fossil record of human evolution. No prerequisite.
General Education Attributes: N2
(Click on name to see course syllabi for recent sections that have been offered
by Betsinger
and Relethford)
ANTH 140
Principles of Archaeology
(3 s.h.)
This class is an introduction to archaeological methods and theory. It defines
the nature of archaeology as a socia Iscience inclUding major events
in the history of archaeology and the different approaches to the study of
archaeology. In this class we will learn about the
purpose and process of archaeological research and data acquisition and the
methods used to date archaeological finds. We will identify and analyze the
ways archaeologists reconstruct human behavior and explain the oocial relevance of archaeology to today's world. We will
cover certain key principles in gaining a better understanding of archaeology. No prerequisite.
General Education Attribute: S2
ANTH 145
Prehistoric World Cultures (3 s.h.)
This introduction to
world prehistory traces our shared human past from the emergence of human
beings to the rise of ancient states and empires, with special attention to key
developments such as the emergence of art, farming, urbanism
and social complexity. Select ancient cultures from around the world are
examined in-depth. Emphasis is placed on archaeology as anthropology and the
relevance of archaeology to modern human society and politics. No prerequisite.
General Education
Attribute: HO2
ANTH 201 North American Indians
(3 s.h.)
An ethnographic and ethnohistorical survey of the diverse
Native American societies and cultures north of Mesoamerica, illustrating
historical and contemporary cultural transformations as political, economic,
and cultural circumstances change. Prerequisite:
Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: HO2
(Click on name
to see course syllabi for recent sections that have been offered by Betsinger and Haley)
ANTH 202 Peoples and Cultures of Africa (3
s.h.)
A survey of cultures and societies of Africa with emphasis on
the range and distribution of populations, language, and sociocultural
systems south of the Sahara. Historical and environmental perspectives
supplemented by analyses of selected sociocultural
systems. Problems of nationhood and cross-cultural research.
Africanism
in the New World. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: HO2
ANTH 203
Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean (3 s.h.)
A survey of the colonial and post-colonial Caribbean. The cultural diversity of Caribbean societies if viewed as masking
similar historical, economic, social, and political processes. Spanish,
English, and French Creole cultures are examined in detail. Emphasis is on
African cultural influences. Prerequisite: Sophomore
standing.
General Education Attribute: HO2
ANTH 209
Mexican Immigration
(3 s.h.)
Examines immigration from Mexico to the United States over
time, emphasizing anthropological perspectives on contemporary immigration.
Course is designed to illustrate the value of ethnographic research to social
policy questions. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
ANTH 210
Anthropological Folklore (3 s.h.)
A global survey of culture that is learned
orally or by imitation, with emphasis on folklife
(material folk culture), ritual belief, and oral tradition.
Emphasizes the anthropological concepts of holism (traditions as aspects of the
"way of life" of a people), functionalism (culture as a system of
interrelated parts), and symbolism. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or
sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: S2
ANTH 211
Religion, Magic, and Myth
(3 s.h.)
A study of the anthropology of religion with special
attention on the early roots of religion, mythology, systems of magic, and
science. Anthropological theories of religion are applied to topics like
shamanism, witchcraft, rites of passage, the religious
use of drugs, divination, and ancestor worship. Emphasizes
ethnographic studies of religion in small-scale societies. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: AH2
ANTH 212 Music
of the Caribbean (3 s.h.)
A survey of the music and social milieu of the Caribbean, African, British,
Spanish, and French influence in ritual and popular music (salsa, reggae, and
calypso) of a Creole society. Prerequisite: Sophomore
standing.
General Education Attribute: AH2
ANTH 214
Psychological Anthropology
(3 s.h.)
The history of the culture and personality movement will be outlined and
emphasis will then be placed on cultural universals and specifics.
Cross-cultural biobehavioral practices will be
considered along with their varied expression in specific cultural settings. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: S2
ANTH 215
Anthropology of North America
(3 s.h.)
Examines cultural ideas and social practices of community and
identity in contemporary North America, especially in the United States,
focusing on kinship, gender, class, and race/ethnicity. Emphasis will be
on the ethnography of everyday life. Topics include popular culture and media,
science and technology, the environment, and work.
ANTH 217
Visual Anthropology
Examines human
creative expression from the Paleolithic Period to modern day with examples in
media such as the visual arts, architecture, sculpture, personal adornment, and
film. Explores how cultural beliefs are manifested in these media and how
artworks create and sustain a culture's belief systems, values and social
relations. Enables students to recognize correlations
between complexity of art styles and the nature of artworks in ancient, modern,
Eastern and Western societies. Reveals that social context is an
inextricable facet of creative expression which
determines how artwork is circulated and received within individual cultures. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: AH2
ANTH 221
Anthropology of Sexes and Genders
(3 s.h.)
Introduction to comparative, cross-cultural study of gender.
Part One focuses on the life cycle, including
evolution and biological development, sexuality and reproduction, parenting and
bonding, and nutrition. Part Two views women and men
cross-culturally, comparing their roles and responsibilities in diverse
settings. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
ANTH 227 Cultural
Identities (3 s.h.)
This course examines the major forms of cultural identity—ethnicity, race,
nationalism—from an anthropological perspective. Explores how people create, maintain,
and use cultural identities, how social context shapes their form and content,
and how form and content support social relationships. Students will explore
case studies and theoretical perspectives, and write a paper based on library
research. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: S2
ANTH 229 Critique of Civilization (3 s.h.)
This course explores
the concept of civilization and its opposite, the primitive or savage, from
anthropology’s unique cross-cultural perspective. We will examine how these
paired concepts figure prominently in the origin and development of
anthropology, and how anthropology ultimately challenges the validity of both.
This intellectual history touches upon the ideologies and social consequences
of progressivism, romanticism, colonialism, neocolonialism, environmentalism, indigenism, the New Age, neoconservativism,
and traditionalist social movements. The course is lecture based and includes
several writing assignments. Prerequisites: ANTH 100, or 105, or 140
General Education Attribute: HO2
ANTH 230
Primate Behavior
(3 s.h.)
An introduction to the study of nonhuman primate behavior,
biology, and ecology, with broad coverage from prosimians to apes.
Topics include classification, evolution, communication, social organization,
and cognition. Includes laboratory and field studies of
selected species. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or
ANTH 130 or PSYC 100.
ANTH 232 Human
Biology and Culture Change
(3 s.h.)
This course examines the biological impact of culture change in the human
species over the past 12,000 years, focusing primarily on changes in health and
disease and demography in foraging, agricultural, and industrial societies.
Topics include: principles of epidemiology, the
ecology of disease, principles of demography, health and demography of foraging
societies, the transition to agriculture, the rise of civilization and
urbanism, culture contact, the epidemiologic and demographic transitions of
modern times, and contemporary and future issues. Prerequisite:
Sophomore standing.
ANTH 233 Race,
Genetics, and Variation
(3 s.h.)
This
course examines the ways in which human genetic variation in the world today is
used to explore questions of race and ancestry and the history and adaptation
of human populations. This course is structured around a series of case studies
of events in human evolutionary history, with particular emphasis on events
that took place in the past 15,000 years. Topics include: the
history of the race concept in anthropology;
changing views on analyzing genetics and human variation; using genetic
data to explore population origins and history (such as the origin of the first
Americans, the origin of farming in Europe, the origin of the Polynesians, and the
genetic history of African Americans, among others); genetic adaptations of
human populations to environment and diseases; and genetic, social, forensic,
and biomedical aspects of race and human variation. Prerequisite:
Sophomore standing.
ANTH 236
Medical Anthropology (3 s.h.)
An introduction to issues in medical anthropology, exploring
the interaction of biology and culture in the production of health and illness.
We will engage in comparative study and consider the diversity of ideas and
practices that constitute health and illness across cultures and societies. The
goal is to understand health and illness as products of cultural and social
practice. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or ANTH 130.
ANTH 238
Anthropology of Reproduction (3 s.h.)
This course examines women’s and men’s experiences of reproduction in anthropological
perspective, including childbearing, childbirth, menarche, and menopause across
cultures and societies. Emphasizes reproduction as a cultural
and social experience. Prerequisite: ANTH 100.
General
Education Attribute: S2
ANTH 239
History of Human Evolution (3 s.h.)
This course
provides an historical review of the discovery of the fossil record for human
evolution from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. This review
examines how new data have been used to develop and test hypotheses in human
evolution, with particular focus on the divergence of ape and human lines, the
evolution of the first hominins, the origin of bipedalism, the origin of tool
use, and the origin and dispersal of different hominin species including modern
humans. Prerequisite: ANTH 101 or 130.
ANTH 244
Old World Archaeology
(3 s.h.)
This course is a survey of human prehistory in the Old World (Africa, Asia,
and Europe) from the beginnings of stone-tool culture in Africa 2.5 million
years ago through the development of complex societies during the past 6,000
years. In particular, this course focuses on the relationships between
prehistoric humans and their environments, the aspects of culture that
distinguish each area, and the origins of and explanations for sedentism, food production, and complex society in the Old
World. Prerequisite: ANTH 140.
ANTH 245 North
American Archaeology
(3 s.h.)
An examination of prehistoric and historic populations in
North America. Emphasizes description, analysis, and
interpretation of regional cultural sequences and systems from an
archaeological perspective. Prerequisite: ANTH 140.
ANTH 250
Anthropology of the Southwest (3 s.h.)
A survey of sociocultural
diversity and change from prehistory to the present in the greater Southwest, a
region recognized as a major cultural borderlands and blending zone of Native,
Latin, and Anglo-American influences. Archaeological, historical, and
ethnographic examples from California to Texas, and northern Mexico to
Colorado, explore the cultural outcomes of migration, trade, resistance,
conquest, slavery, capitalism, activism, and ethnogenesis. Prerequisite:
Sophomore standing.
ANTH 251 Mesoamerican
Archaeology (3 s.h.)
Surveys the pre-Columbian history of the Andean region of South America,
and investigates archaeological approaches to understanding that history.
Outlines the development of Andean cultures from initial
peopling of the continent to the fall of the Inca Empire at the time of
European conquest. The Inca and several prehistoric cultures are
examined in detail, such as Chavin, Moche, and Tiwanaku.
Simultaneously explores select topical issues, such as human-environment interactions,
plant and animal domestication, the emergence of inequality, gender, mummies
and ancestor worship, art as communication, and the rise and collapse of states
and empires. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or ANTH 140, and
sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute:
HO2
ANTH 252
The Incas and Their Ancestors (3 s.h.)
Surveys
the pre-Columbian history of the Andean region of South America, and
investigates archaeological approaches to understanding that history. Outlines the development of
Andean cultures from initial peopling of the continent to the fall of the Inca
Empire at the time of European conquest.
The Inca and several prehistoric cultures are examined in detail, such
as Chavin, Moche, and Tiwanaku.
Simultaneously explores select topical issues, such as human-environment
interactions, plant and animal domestication, the emergence of inequality,
gender,
mummies and ancestor worship, art as
communication, and the rise and collapse of states and empires. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or
ANTH 140, and sophomore standing.
ANTH 253 Women
& Gender in Prehistory
(3 s.h.)
Introduces
students to archaeological research and perspectives on women and gender in
prehistoric societies and ancient civilizations, emphasizing cross-cultural
variation in the past.
Outlines the historical development of gender archaeology and
contemporary approaches to engendering the past. Examines
facets of gender (ideology, relations, sexuality, age, class, alternative
genders, etc.) in past cultures and in a range of prehistoric cultural contexts
(early hunter-gathers, farmers & pastoralists, states & empires).
Select ancient cultures (Andean, Mesoamerican, Egyptian, etc.) are examined in
more detail. (Emphasis is on non-Western ancient cultures.) Prerequisites: SoS and any 100-level ANTH or WMST
130.
ANTH 294 Special Topics in Anthropology (1–6 s.h.)
Various topics in cultural anthropology, biological
anthropology, or archaeology. Consult department or current schedule of
classes for specific offering. May be repeated for credit if
different topics are offered. Prerequisite: Varies with content of
course.
ANTH 299
Independent Study in Anthropology (1–3 s.h.)
Individual study (reading and/or research related to
any aspect of Anthropology) under the sponsorship of a faculty member with
conferences and written report(s). Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and
permission of instructor.
ANTH 312
Exhibiting Cultures in Museums (3 s.h.)
What are some of the challenges that museum professionals face when creating
representations of other cultures? By studying several examples of exhibits in
various institutions students will gain appreciation
for these challenges. In this class, we will discuss theories, methodology and
issues in representing other cultures in a museum setting. Participants will be
engaged in several exercises that will prepare them for the eventual
installation of their own exhibit. Readings, film, and visits to local museums
will also help students organize for the culminating class project. This course
will provide practical experience to students interested in pursuing
post-graduate education in museum studies and/or a career in the field.
Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or ANTH 130 or ANTH 140, and Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: WS2
ANTH 325
Applied Anthropology (3 s.h.)
Explores the use of anthropology in application to
solving human problems. Traces the history of applied anthropology and
teaches the process of applied research and practice through one or more team
projects. Course projects are determined in advance by the instructor and are
subject to change. Past projects have addressed local development options,
historic textile preservation and interpretation, immigration policy debates,
and cultural preservation policy cases. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or ANTH 130 or ANTH 140 and
Sophomore standing.
General Education Attribute: WS2
ANTH 330
Paleoanthropology (3 s.h.)
A detailed examination of the fossil record of human
evolution and the methods of paleoanthropological research. The course
covers evolutionary events from the initial divergence of ape and human lines
through the origin of anatomically modern humans. Emphasis is on the analysis
of morphology and phylogenetic analysis. A substantial part of the course
consists of examining, describing, and analyzing fossil cast material. Prerequisite: ANTH 101 or 130.
General Education Attribute: WS2
ANTH 331 Human
Skeletal Anatomy (3 s.h.)
Introduces students to the study of the human skeleton (osteology) and the physiological and cultural processes
operating on it. Topics include human skeletal and dental anatomy,
and skeletal growth and development. Emphasis is on the identification of
individual skeletal and dental elements and features. Course serves as a
foundation for other courses in biological anthropology that utilize and study
the human skeleton. Prerequisite: ANTH 130 or
BIOL 100, and Junior standing.
ANTH 332 Human
Population Genetics (3 s.h.)
An introduction to the study of population genetics, the
mathematical basis of evolutionary theory and its particular application to
human populations. Topics include:
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, mating systems, mutation, natural selection,
genetic drift, and gene flow. Case studies focus on human populations. Prerequisite: ANTH 130 or
BIOL 212.
General Education Attribute: WS2
ANTH 333 Human
Biological Variation (3 s.h.)
A detailed examination of the data and methods used to analyze human
biological variation. Variation is examined in blood types, protein and enzyme
polymorphisms, DNA markers, anthropometrics, skin color, dental measures, and
dermatoglyphics. Variation is analyzed in relationship to sex, age, natural
selection, adaptation, and population history. A substantial part of the course
consists of in-class lab experience in the measurement of variation and the
application of analytic methods and their interpretation. Prerequisite:
ANTH 130.
General Education Attribute: WS2
ANTH 336
Forensic Anthropology (3 s.h.)
Explores
the field of Forensic Anthropology through lectures and exercises that replicate
the methods commonly used.
Students will learn about the methods forensic anthropologists use to assess
age, determine sex, identify ancestry, estimate height, and identify traumatic
injuries. The course also addresses how individual
identifications are made and the role of the forensic anthropologist in law
enforcement and in legal settings. Offered once every
two years. Prerequisites: ANTH 331 or BIOL 205 or
Permission of Instructor.
ANTH 341 Zooarchaeology (3
s.h.)
This course provides students with a background in the methods of zooarchaeology, the analysis of animal remains from
archaeological sites used to reconstruct the interrelationships between people,
animals, and the environment. Both theoretical and methodological issues are
explored, with emphasis on the use of comparative vertebrate skeletal
collections in zooarchaeological research,
specifically those animal species commonly found in eastern North American
prehistoric and historic archaeological sites. Laboratory experience is a
central focus of the course. Prerequisite: ANTH 140
ANTH 342
Understanding Stone Tools (3 s.h.)
The analysis and interpretation of archaeological lithic (stone) artifacts. Teaches methods and
techniques of analysis and identification of stone artifacts, and the use of lithics to investigate and understand the human past.
Students will handle and analyze actual stone artifacts, hear lectures, and
engage in reading and discussion. Prerequisite: ANTH
140.
ANTH 343
Archaeological Field and Laboratory Methods (3 s.h.)
This course introduces students to methods archaeologists use to excavate,
identify, preserve, analyze, and interpret archaeological remains. The course
integrates lectures with field trips and laboratory analysis. Topics include: field survey methods; excavation methods; and
laboratory analysis of lithics, pottery, flora and
fauna, and other evidences of material culture. Emphasis is on using these
materials to gain greater insight into past cultures based on archaeological
investigation. Time outside of class will be needed for local field trips. Prerequisite: ANTH 140.
ANTH 345
Field School in Archaeology (6 s.h.)
This course is a summer field program that introduces students to methods that
archaeologists use to identify, excavate, record, and interpret archaeological
sites. The emphasis is on providing students first-hand experience with methods
of archaeological analysis in the field and preliminary artifact processing
techniques. Course readings, lectures, and discussions complement this field
program. Prerequisite: ANTH 140 or permission of
instructor.
ANTH 355 Field
Methods in Cultural Anthropology (3 s.h.)
This course introduces students to the practical skills and field methods used
by anthropologists. Included in this are: problems of
participant-observation; how to conduct an interview; design of questionnaires
and structured interviews; techniques of data analysis; still photography and
audio/visual recording; and proposal and report writing. The skills
taught in this course will be valuable not just to those planning field work, but also in many of the professions available to
Social Science graduates. Students will learn through participation in ongoing
faculty research. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 and
permission of instructor.
General Education Attribute: WS2
ANTH 390 Issues in Anthropology (3 s.h.)
What does it mean to be human? Are there human universals? How is behavior
fashioned by nature and nurture? Is a unified discipline of anthropology
possible? This seminar will assist students in answering basic questions about
the nature of the human experience by considering practical and theoretical
issues of interest to anthropologists and others. Students will discuss general
questions in cultural and biological anthropology, as well as examine
anthropological perspectives on current events. Guest lectures, film, readings,
and discussion will form the basis of the seminar. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior
standing, and 18 s.h.
of ANTH courses.
General Education Attribute: WS2
(Click on names to see course syllabi for recent sections that have been
offered by Betsinger,
Han, Klink, Libby, and
Walker)
ANTH 393 History of Anthropological
Thought (3 s.h.)
The
history and theory of anthropology from the eighteenth century to the present. Focus on key concepts and
ethnological theorists within the broad framework of natural and social sciences.
Prerequisite: Junior or Senior
standing, and 18 s.h.
of ANTH courses.
(Click on names to see course syllabi for recent sections that have been
offered by Haley
and Relethford.
ANTH 395 Teaching Assistantship in
Anthropology (3 s.h.)
Heightens the advanced student’s awareness of anthropology through
preparation of materials for teaching introductory courses. Student works directly under
the instructor of a selected course and is assigned special readings related to
the teaching of anthropology to undergraduates. Student required to attend all formal class sessions and weekly meetings
throughout the semester with the faculty supervisor. Prerequisite: 18 s.h. of ANTH courses, and
permission of instructor.
ANTH 397
Internship in Anthropology (1–15 s.h.)
Internships are available in institutions, agencies, and facilities. See
department Chair for details. Prerequisite: Junior standing, and 12 s.h. of ANTH courses, and permission of
instructor.