The discipline of anthropology is as much one of the humanities as one of the social sciences, while, through its bio-archaeological component, it has affinities with the natural sciences. Anthropology majors are expected to become acquainted with the major subfields of the discipline and also to pursue an individually tailored concentration of courses designed in consultation with their advisors. These individual programs should reflect the backgrounds and interests of the students and should draw on courses available in this department and others.

Major requirements. If you plan to major in anthropology, you should take Being and Becoming Human (ANTH101), the department's required gateway course, during your first or sophomore year.

All majors are required to earn a minimum of nine anthropology credits numbered 201 or higher, including Contemporary Anthropological Theory (ANTH201), History of Anthropological Thought (ANTH383), and a course on methods (e.g., ANTH265, ANTH349, ANTH362, or another approved course).

Majors must complete a concentration consisting of four electives on a specific topic. You should work together with your faculty advisor to develop your concentration by defining a topic and selecting a coherent set of courses, which may include one course from outside the department. It is up to you to articulate the coherence of the selected courses. Possible concentration topics include

• Gender and political economy
• State/nation/transnation
• Violence and/of law
• The human past
• Power and social process
• The anthropology of media

Senior writing requirement. Majors are required to complete a senior writing project based either on field or library research. Your project may take the form of an honors thesis, a senior essay, or an extended paper.

• In the spring semester of your junior year, if you are contemplating an honors thesis, you should either enroll in an individual tutorial (ANTH402), in which you would begin library research on your area of interest, or else take a course that has been approved by your advisor as relevant to your research concerns. A thesis proposal is due on the last day of classes, and departmental approval of the proposal is required for pursuit of honors. The department also has limited funds for thesis work that requires summer research. If you wish to compete for these funds, you should include a budget in your proposal. In the fall semester of your senior year, assuming that your proposal was approved and you indeed intend to pursue honors, you must enroll in ANTH400 Cultural Analysis, a research seminar in which you will pursue your individual project in a group context. In the spring semester, you will enroll in an individual thesis tutorial (ANTH410) to complete your honors project.
• A senior essay involves fewer requirements but also represents a serious research commitment. If you elect to do an essay, you have two options. You may (and are strongly encouraged to) enroll in ANTH400 Cultural Analysis, the research seminar described above. In this case, you would substantially complete your essay in the fall semester for final submission by no later than the end of February. Alternately, if your project is one that a particular faculty member is especially qualified (and willing) to supervise, you may take an individual tutorial (ANTH402) with that person in either the fall or the spring semester of your senior year. Please note that if you intend to do a spring semester tutorial, you must make the arrangements with your advisor before the end of fall semester.
• An extended paper is a revised and extended version of a term paper. Ordinarily, the first version is written in an anthropology seminar taken in your junior year or in the fall semester of your senior year. The revised version is completed during your senior year, in consultation with an appropriate faculty member.

Cross-listed courses. Various departments and programs offer cross-listed or other courses that can be counted toward the anthropology major. These include African American studies, American studies, archaeology, biology, classical studies, earth and environmental sciences, history, religion, sociology, and feminist, gender, and sexuality studies. If outside courses are to be counted toward the anthropology major requirements, they must be approved in advance by your advisor.

Double majors. Students may pursue double majors for example, anthropology/history, anthropology/biology, anthropology/sociology, anthropology/music, anthropology/film, anthropology/English, or anthropology/E&ES. All the requirements for the two majors must be met, except when faculty representatives of the two departments approve alterations in your program. Please consult with the department chair and/or a department advisor.

Study abroad. Majors are welcome to take advantage of semester-abroad programs and, with the approval of your advisor, you may be able to substitute one or more of your study-abroad courses for specific concentration or elective courses. The Office of International Studies has information about specific programs, etc.

BA/MA program. The Anthropology Department also offers a concurrent BA/MA for qualified candidates. A description of the BA/MA program is available via a link on the Anthropology Department home page.