Anthropology Undergraduate Program

The anthropology program reflects the broad scope of the discipline, including the three areas of archaeology, ethnology, and biological anthropology. Well-equipped laboratory facilities support faculty and student research in all three subfields.

A student majoring in anthropology must complete 34 semester hours in anthropology, including 10 hours of introductory-level coursework, 3 hours of theory, 9 hours of foundational courses, and 12 hours of electives. The introductory courses include ANTH 2100, ANTH 2300, ANTH 2301, and ANTH 2302. All majors are required to take ANTH 3316 as the theory course. Students are also required to take a foundational course in each subfield: ANTH 3311 (human variation) or ANTH 3310 (human evolution); ANTH 3339 (ethnology); and ANTH 3380 (archaeology). The remaining 12 hours are upper-division elective courses within the program. A maximum of 9 hours of transfer credit may be accepted for the major. With prior departmental approval, 3 advanced hours in a related discipline may be counted toward the major. Anthropology majors must make a grade of C or better in each ANTH course. Up to 6 hours of individual studies and 6 hours of field courses may be credited to the major.

Forensic Anthropology Concentration. The department offers a concentration in forensic anthropology for students seeking the notation “Forensic Anthropology Concentration” on their transcripts. The concentration requires five 3-hour courses (15 hours) with a grade of C or better from the two following groups:

ANTH 3303, ANTH 3314, ANTH 4343 (required core courses)
One course chosen from ANTH 3350, ANTH 4320 
One course chosen from FSCI 2308; ANTH 3350, ANTH 4320; GIST 3300, GIST 3301 (if not already taken)
The anthropology major with a concentration in forensic anthropology requires a total of at least 34 hours of anthropology courses. Students must receive a grade of C or better in each course that counts toward the forensic anthropology concentration. The minimum prerequisites recommended for all advanced courses are ANTH 2100 and ANTH 2300 or consent of instructor. ANTH 3314 is a prerequisite for ANTH 4343.

Communication Literacy Requirement. Communication literacy in anthropology focuses on three forms of communication: written, visual, and oral. The required theory course and two of the foundational courses each deliver instruction and training pertaining to one of these forms of communication. These pairings are based, in part, on differences between the subfields. For example, visual communication in the form of poster presentations is more common in biological anthropologythan ethnology. Therefore, ANTH 3310 or ANTH 3311 provide students with training in effective visual communication. The theory course, ANTH 3316, focuses on written communication. Oral communication is emphasized in ANTH 3380. There is not a set order in which students must complete these courses. However, students must complete the necessary introductory-level coursework before enrolling in the foundational courses.