Geography and Anthropology

Anthropology Program

Bachelor of Science in Anthropology

Anthropology is the scientific study of the peoples of the world, past and present, in the broadest possible sense: their total cultural and biological heritage. The goal of anthropology is a complete understanding of the human species, from its origins several million years ago to the present, including all of its current cultural and biological diversity. Students majoring in Anthropology in the department of Geography and Anthropology enroll in one of three options: General Anthropology, Archaeology, and Applied Anthropology.

Through a common integrated core of courses selected from all four of the major anthropological subfields (Sociocultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, and Linguistics), each of the three options provides students with a broad-based understanding of the diverse subject matter of anthropology. Each option then diverges to provide additional training aimed toward better serving the individual needs of students with different specialty interests and career goals.

General Anthropology

The General Anthropology Option adds advanced coursework in each of the major subfields to the common core, providing students with a traditionally broad and generalized "four-field" anthropology degree. This option is particularly suitable for students intending to go on to graduate studies in anthropology or a related field at an institution which prefers or requires broad-based undergraduate training in anthropology, or for students who intend to pursue a career in social, governmental, or international service, primary or secondary education, or law.

Archaeology

Please stay tuned for more information about our upcoming Archaeology program...

Employment

Employment opportunities open to anthropologists are almost as diverse as the subject matter of the discipline itself. Recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees in anthropology have taken positions in areas as varied as advertising, journalism, radio and television, public relations, purchasing, sales, travel and tourism, government service, business management, personnel service, police work, military intelligence, science writing, community and international development, and marketing. With additional training beyond the bachelor’s degree, anthropologists are qualified for and find employment in various healthassistance or legal-assistance occupations, primary or secondary teaching, and medical or dental technology.

Continuing Education

Anthropologists who continue their education through graduate school, and receive a master’s degree or doctorate in anthropology or a related field at another institution, qualify for professional careers in such areas as higher education, public administration, counseling, environmental health, public health, library science, museum science, city management, city planning, government service, business administration, international business, or social or environmental research. Some anthropology graduates move on to law school or medical or veterinary school, and pursue a career in one of these areas. Due to the broad-based training that a degree in anthropology provides, anthropology graduates typically find their degree to be an ideal launching platform for career opportunities in innumerable occupational areas.