Fall 2026 Courses

In this course, students will learn the foundations of anthropology as the study of human variation in its biological, social, and cultural dimensions. Students will learn about anthropological concepts, principles, and methodologies to understand and explore past and present human behavior. They will apply the anthropological approach to analyze issues pertaining to past and contemporary cultures, and develop intellectual skills and habits to understand behavioral, social, and cultural issues from multiple disciplinary perspectives.

The global study of human culture from its origins to the present through the recovery, description and analysis of archaeological remains. Focus is on human cultures worldwide, with comparisons to western civilizations.

Examines cultural, biological, and archaeological aspects of human sexuality through time and space, while evaluating sexuality ideas to societal discourse. Investigates personal and cross-cultural views on sexuality, presenting gender identity, sexual orientation, relationships, and sexual ethics. Appropriate for those seeking an integrative approach to human sexuality. (WR)

The nature of culture. The content of cultures; languages, subsistence, economic structures, art and religion in human societies. The integration of culture.

Introduces the field of medical anthropology including key theoretical and empirical areas. Covers how experiences of sickness and health are shaped by cultural context, how culture and biology intersect to shape global and local inequalities in health, and how healing practices and policies are embedded in political, economic, and historical context. Covers topics from diabetes to global pandemics. Applies anthropological perspective to addressing practical health matters globally.

Examines the complex and multiple relationships that people have with animals, including social, economic, and symbolic connections. Draws on insights from cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and research from multiple other disciplines to explore humans’ unique interdependencies with other animals.

Discussion of archeological evidence for the development of civilization in its regional variants from the earliest beginning to the dawn of written history. Analyzes causes of cultural development in Old and New World Centers.

Examines the archaeology of African peoples from millions of years ago to the present, with particular emphasis placed on the last ten thousand years of African prehistory. Topics covered include the continent’s unique pathways to food production, as well as the development of metallurgy, the rise of complex urban societies such as the Swahili Coast and Great Zimbabwe, and contemporary issues in cultural heritage.

Interpretive survey of the ancient indigenous history of North America and archaeological approaches to its investigation.

Uses photography and film as tools and products of social science. Ways of describing, analyzing and presenting behavior and cultural ideas through visual means. Projects and laboratory work with visual anthropology. (WR)

Examination of the cultural bases for the consumption of commodities in modern society, employing anthropological concepts and social science methods. Primary emphasis is on the social relationships enacted between people and the things they live with.

Survey of the race concept from the perspectives of cultural and biological anthropology. Examines patterns of human biological variation, traces history of race concept, and explores experiences of racism in cross-cultural perspective.

Introduces the subfield of anthropology that focuses on the natural history of humankind. Through lecture and laboratory, surveys a range of materials that focus on the diversity of the Order Primates with an emphasis on human and primate variation, adaptation, and evolution.

Survey of forensic anthropology, an applied field of biological anthropology, focusing the wider scope of skeletal biology on problems of medicolegal significance, primarily in determining personal identity and cause of death from human remains.

Foundational overview of the world’s primates and the discipline of primatology. Key elements include primate taxonomy, distribution, behavior, ecology, and conservation. Recommended precursor to all other primate courses in the department.

Role of speech in individual, social, and cultural settings. Linguistic basis of thought and perception. Mythological studies and analysis. Bilingualism, biculturalism, and minority language politics in current perspective.

Explores outcomes of anthropology degrees by considering how to gain experience, bolster skills, build a resume, and network for career pathways relating to anthropology. Various jobs and pathways are explored.

This course is designed for junior level students to explore special topics classes in the various subfields of anthropology.

This course is designed for junior level students to explore special topics classes in the various subfields of anthropology.

This course is designed for junior level students to explore special topics classes in the various subfields of anthropology.

This course is designed for junior level students to explore special topics classes in the various subfields of anthropology.

Introduces students to the basic quantitative methods required to describe and analyze archaeological data. Asks students to practice using statistical techniques to explore archaeological questions. Emphasizes not only statistical methods, but also 1) how to construct and critically evaluate arguments grounded in quantitative data, and 2) how to explore, analyze, and display data in the open-source R statistical environment.

Consideration of economic philosophies and the behavioral bases of formal economic theories. Cross-cultural studies of production, distribution and consumption, money, and the acquisition of goods. Reviews the latest materials from cultural ecology, Marxism, formalism, substantivism, and discourse-centered approaches.

An anthropological survey of the culture, history and ethnographic background of the circumpolar Arctic. An investigation of the problems of acculturation, human ecology, cultural survival and self-determination of Northern Indigenous Peoples.

Serves as a primer in the burgeoning area of hospital ethnography, covering its roots, how it continues to evolve, and methodological and ethical issues unique to doing ethnography in clinical settings, through journal articles and monographs. Uses course texts to analyze how hospital ethnography enables insight into broader public policy issues related to topics such as governance, accountability, gender equity, and sectarian conflict. Students produce content for website on best practices.

Surveys the field of medical anthropology and its interdisciplinary context; examines contemporary approaches and the development of an applied field concerned with human sickness and healing.

Human skeletal identification for the physical anthropologist and archaeologist. Techniques for estimated age at death, race, and sex from human skeletal remains. The measurement of human skeleton for comparative purposes.

Examines the intersection of evolution, culture, and environment as influencing factors on the emergence and existence of human diseases and pathogens using interdisciplinary methods, but focusing on Darwinian (evolutionary medicine) examination of illness. Students will explore, assess, and solve real world problems through critical-thinking assignments that solidify understanding of the scientific method.

Examines use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for management and analysis of geospatial data in anthropology, experimenting with methods and critically examining case studies. Covers both methodology (collecting data in the field, using publicly-available data; integrating and querying them in a GIS) and theory (the nature of spatial data; scales and topics of analysis). Also examines selected case studies and considers critiques that have been leveled at GIS and spatial analysis.

Individual, supervised research on a specific topic in anthropology.

For students undertaking directed research in supplementary or regular coursework or on special problems.

Provides firsthand, supervised research in anthropology. Projects involve inquiry, design, investigation, scholarship, discovery, or application in anthropology.

Provides firsthand, supervised research in anthropology. Projects involve inquiry, design, investigation, scholarship, discovery, or application in anthropology.

Provides firsthand, supervised research in anthropology. Projects involve inquiry, design, investigation, scholarship, discovery, or application in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Rotating content in anthropology.

Anthropology capstone focusing on the integration of core knowledge from the subfields of anthropology and their application to historical and contemporary topics. Explores application of anthropological knowledge for both preprofessional development and non-professional careers.

Anthropological perspectives on economic philosophies and their behavioral bases. Studies of production, distribution, and consumption; money, savings, credit, peasant markets; and development in a cross-cultural context from perspectives of cultural ecology, Marxism, formalism, and substantivism. Not open to students who have taken ANT 4266.

Photography and film as tools and products of social science. Ways of describing, analyzing, and presenting behavior and cultural ideas through visual means, student projects, and laboratory work with visual anthropology. Not open to students who have taken ANT 3390.

Human skeletal identification for the physical anthropologist and archeologist. Techniques for estimating age at death, race, and sex from human skeletal remains. Measurement of human skeleton for comparative purposes. Not open to students who have taken ANT 4525.

Designed to introduce first-year Anthropology graduate students to the fields of Biological Anthropology and Archaeological Anthropology. This course covers the history, core components, and contemporary issues in the two sub fields.

Special topics in Anthropology. May be repeated as topics vary.

Special topics in Anthropology. May be repeated as topics vary.

Special topics in Anthropology. May be repeated as topics vary.

Special topics in Anthropology. May be repeated as topics vary.

Special topics in Anthropology. May be repeated as topics vary.

Theoretical principles and background of anthropology and its subfields.

Theoretical approaches in social sciences and philosophies, developed and applied in anthropological archaeology through the 20th century and into the 21st. Relationship of archaeology to anthropology.

Selected topic.

Selected topic.

Archaeological literature on mortuary data. History, cultural anthropology, and ethnography offer insights into the origin of religion, the nature of society, and the structure of ritual.

Introduces students to the basic quantitative methods required to describe and analyze archaeological data. Asks students to practice using statistical techniques to explore archaeological questions. Emphasizes not only statistical methods, but also how to 1) construct and critically evaluate arguments grounded in quantitative data, and 2) explore, analyze, and display data in the open-source R statistical environment.

Survey of the culture, history, and ethnographic background of circumpolar Arctic. Examines problems of acculturation, human ecology, cultural survival, and self-determination of northern indigenous peoples.

Serves as a primer in the burgeoning area of hospital ethnography, covering its roots, how it continues to evolve, and methodological and ethical issues unique to doing ethnography in clinical settings, through journal articles and monographs. Uses course texts to analyze how hospital ethnography enables insight into broader public policy issues related to topics such as governance, accountability, gender equity, and sectarian conflict. Students produce content for website on best practices.

Examining the multifaceted dimensions of migration and border issues, emphasizing the historical, social, and political contexts influencing contemporary migration patterns. Engaging students with case studies, analyzing policy frameworks, and assessing the impact of migration and border management on migrants and their sending and receiving countries. Exploring theoretical frameworks and analyzing the socio-political, economic, and ethical dimensions of global migration regimes.

Data collection including free lists, pile sorts, triad tests, paired comparisons, rankings, and ratings. Consensus analysis, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling.

Prepares graduate students for a career in Anthropology. Students will learn how to develop, fund, present, and publish independent research. Additional topics relevant to a professional career in anthropology, including non-academic job opportunities and ethics will be discussed.

Examines use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for management and analysis of geospatial data in anthropology, experimenting with methods and critically examining case studies. Covers both methodology (collecting data in the field, using publicly-available data; integrating and querying them in a GIS) and theory (the nature of spatial data; scales and topics of analysis). Also examines selected case studies and considers critiques that have been leveled at GIS and spatial analysis.

Guided readings on research in anthropology based on library, laboratory, or field work.

Supervised Research

For students undertaking directed research in supplement to regular course work.

Special Topics in Anthropology

Special Topics in Anthropology

Special Topics in Anthropology

Special Topics in Anthropology

Special Topics in Anthropology

Special Topics in Anthropology

Required of all students registered in programs of applied anthropology. Students are expected to complete 4-8 hours.

Research for Master's Thesis

Research for doctoral students before admission to candidacy. Designed for students with a master's degree in the field of study or for students who have been accepted for a doctoral program. Not appropriate for students who have been admitted to candidacy.

Research for Doctoral Dissertation