Majors
BA Sociocultural Anthropology
The Anthropology Department aims to give students an anthropological perspective on the world; seeing the varieties of humanity in holistic, worldwide terms as well as an appreciation for the creativity and diversity of humankind.
Toward that end, the Anthropology curriculum offers a diversity of classes on peoples and cultures of the world, past and present. The socio-cultural emphasis instructs students in current methods and theory of anthropology. The skills aquired in either emphasis will provide students with the tools necessary to apply learned principles in whatever field they might embrace.
Anthropology seeks to document the nature of the human condition, among all cultures, past and present. Anthropologists use theories to orient themselves regarding what they should look at and how to organize what they see. They use field methods to acquire and record data produced by organized life in particular places, both in the past (archaeology) and present (socio-cultural anthropology).
From this data, anthropologists produce descriptions of the human condition and of human culture and behavior. They then use these descriptions of life to investigate whether the theories and methods they originally used to orient the description were or are adequate to the task. Of course, the theories fall short and therefore can be improved. Thus we use theory to organize methods of inspection that produce description and we use description to interrogate and improve the adequacy of theory and methods.
BA Archaeology
Students in archaeology gain an appreciation for the creativity and diversity of humankind through the study, excavation, and analysis of archaeological remains. The curriculum in Archaeology offers a diversity of classes on the peoples and cultures of the world, past and present.
Students taking the Archaeology Emphasis learn the most critical theories and methodologies of archaeology, in addition to how to apply these paradigms to archaeological research, site excavation, and the interpretation of archaeological materials. Students are thus prepared with the tools necessary to practice archaeology in today's complex world through both mastering both class assignments and mentored instruction in on-site excavation practices, laboratory analysis, and writing in the discipline. The program also seeks to instill in students the fundamental tenets and ethics of the Archaeology as they are governed by both national and international professional and legal standards.
Sociocultural Anthropology Double Major
The Anthropology Department aims to produce in students a view of the world we call the anthropological perspective; seeing the varieties of humanity in holistic, worldwide terms, and an appreciation for the creativity and diversity of humankind. Toward that end the Anthropology curriculum offers a diversity of classes on peoples and cultures of the world, past and present. The socio-cultural emphasis in the Department instructs students in current methods and theory of anthropology to provide them with the tools necessary to apply learned principles in whatever field they might embrace. We seek to instill in students the fundamental tenets and ethics of the discipline. The double major is no exception. The Double Major is only available as a secondary major to students completing a primary major in another field. The purpose is to allow students with other majors to add the perspectives that anthropology is uniquely qualified to provide.