Anthropology Major

Major Requirements

A major in anthropology consists of ten courses, including either ANTH 101  or ANTH 111  (either of which is a prerequisite for all other anthropology courses except ANTH 112 , ANTH 115 , ANTH 240  and ANTH 340 ), ANTH 230  (which should ideally be taken in the sophomore year or before the student studies abroad), either ANTH 387  or ANTH 487 , the senior seminar (ANTH 490 ) and other anthropology courses chosen in consultation with a departmental advisor. Students with an interest in Biological Anthropology should take ANTH 387  ; students planning to go on to graduate study in Cultural Anthropology should take ANTH 487  . Beginning with the class of 2016, anthropology majors must also take ONE of the following courses: ANTH 112 , ANTH 115 , ANTH 240  , ANTH 340  or ANTH 381  . Majors are strongly urged to take at least one ethnographic area course. If a student cannot complete a required non-elective course successfully in two attempts, he or she must petition the department chair for permission to attempt it a third time. Students may not take both ANTH 101  and ANTH 111  for credit.

In addition, a student majoring in anthropology must complete one semester of study off-campus on either a domestic or foreign study program after successfully completing a course in research methods (either ANTH 230  or a similar course approved by the department). The off-campus program chosen by the student should have a substantial fieldwork-based component or the opportunity to engage in significant independent research. For this reason, the department does not recommend direct enrollment in foreign universities as a study abroad option. Where appropriate, a student may, with the permission of the department chair, count one course taken on an off-campus program towards the major, with the exception noted below.

A maximum of two courses in anthropology taken at other universities or institutions of tertiary education (including foreign universities) may be counted towards the major at the discretion of the department chair.

If circumstances warrant, a student may petition the department to waive a requirement, provided an alternative acceptable to the department is proposed.