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Anthropology

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Overview

The ISU program in Anthropology is housed in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (http://catalog.iastate.edu/collegeofliberalartsandsciences/worldlanguagesandcultures/).

Anthropology students develop a well-rounded professional education in cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. An undergraduate major in Anthropology can serve as the nucleus for a general liberal education, or as the prerequisite for graduate training qualifying a person for positions in (1) college and university teaching, (2) research, and (3) administrative and applied positions in government, development organizations, museums, and private businesses or corporations.

Anthropology majors may choose either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree, both of which require 33 credits in anthropology. A Bachelor of Arts degree is obtained by fulfilling the college general education requirements plus 6 additional credits in Area I (Arts and Humanities) or III (Social Sciences) or a combination of both. A Bachelor of Science degree is obtained by fulfilling the college general education requirements plus 6 additional credits in Area IIA (Mathematics) or IIB (Natural Sciences) or a combination of both. All students must also complete a minor or a second major as part of their degree requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the major in anthropology, students will be able to:

1. Explain what it means to be human through the study of culture and society, the biology and evolution of humans and other primates, and through the study of past human communities and material culture. 
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the important historical and contemporary issues in the subdisciplines of archaeological, biological, and cultural anthropology. 
3. Describe and evaluate local and global issues from an anthropological perspective. 
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the value of cultural diversity.

Degree Requirements

Undergraduate students with majors in anthropology are required to take the following anthropology core courses:

ANTHR 2010Introduction to Cultural Anthropology3
ANTHR 2020Human Origins3
ANTHR 3060Culture and Interpretation3
ANTHR 3070Biological Anthropology3
ANTHR 3080Archaeology3
ANTHR 4500Approaches in Anthropology3
One of the following methods courses is required:3
Skeletal Biology
Archaeological Discovery and Analysis
Ethnographic Methods
In addition to the above, 15 ANTHR choice credits are required.15

Communication Proficiency requirement: According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 2500.

ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
or ENGL 2500H Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition: Honors
Additionally, the Anthropology Program requires a grade of C or better in one of the following courses:
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Technical Communication

The principal sub-disciplines of anthropology are represented by the following:

1. Cultural anthropology:

ANTHR 2010Introduction to Cultural Anthropology3
ANTHR 2300Globalization and the Human Condition3
ANTHR 3060Culture and Interpretation3
ANTHR 3090Introduction to Culture and Language3
ANTHR 3100Environmental Anthropology3
ANTHR 3130Kinship and Marriage in a Global Perspective3
ANTHR 3220Peoples and Cultures of Native North America3
ANTHR 32303
ANTHR 33203
ANTHR 3360Culture and Capitalism3
ANTHR 3400Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion3
ANTHR 3420Culture, Sex, and Gender3
ANTHR 3540War and the Politics of Humanitarianism3
ANTHR 3550Understanding Sub-Saharan Africa3
ANTHR 4110Anthropology in Professional Applications3
ANTHR 4310Ethnographic Methods3
ANTHR 4340BInternship: Cultural Anthropology2-6
ANTHR 4340DInternship: Linguistic Anthropology2-6
ANTHR 4500Approaches in Anthropology3
ANTHR 4510BPracticum in Anthropology: Cultural Anthropology1-3
ANTHR 4510DPracticum in Anthropology: Linguistic Anthropology1-3
ANTHR 4900BIndependent Study: Cultural Anthropology1-5
ANTHR 4900DIndependent Study: Linguistic Anthropology1-5

2. Archaeology:

ANTHR 2020Human Origins3
ANTHR 3080Archaeology3
ANTHR 3150Archaeology of North America3
ANTHR 3200Great Plains Archaeology3
ANTHR 3210World Prehistory3
ANTHR 3280Archaeological Discovery and Analysis3
ANTHR 4290Topics in Archaeological Laboratory Methods and Techniques: Archaeological Field School4-6
ANTHR 4340AInternship: Archaeology1-6
ANTHR 4500Approaches in Anthropology3
ANTHR 4510APracticum in Anthropology: Archaeology1-3
ANTHR 4900AIndependent Study: Archaeology1-5

3. Biological Anthropology:

ANTHR 2020Human Origins3
ANTHR 3070Biological Anthropology3
ANTHR 3170Primate Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution3
ANTHR 3190Skeletal Biology3
ANTHR 4240Forensic Anthropology3
ANTHR 4340CInternship: Biological Anthropology1-6
ANTHR 4450Biological Field School4-6
ANTHR 4510CPracticum in Anthropology: Biological Anthropology1-3
ANTHR 4900CIndependent Study: Biological Anthropology1-5

As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Anthropology students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated above for the major.

LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level. You must also complete the LAS world language requirement and career proficiency requirement.

Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. diversity and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses.

Students in Anthropology have the option of pursuing a B.S. or a B.A. A B.S requires six additional group requirement credits in natural science or mathematics disciplines. A B.A. requires six additional group requirement credits in social or humanities disciplines.

Anthropology B.S., B.A.

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGL 15003ANTHR 20203
LIB 16001Minor choice3
ANTHR 20103Social science choice3
Elective3Natural science choice3
Arts & Humanities choice3Arts & Humanities choice3
Social science choice3 
 16 15
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANTHR 30803ANTHR 30603
World Languages and Cultures/International Perspective4World Languages and Cultures/International Perspective4
Humanities choice3ANTHR 3000 choice3
ENGL 25003Minor choice3
ANTHR 3000 choice3Natural science choice3
LAS 20301 
 17 16
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANTHR 42501ANTHR 30703
STAT 10104ENGL 3000-level3
Arts & Humanities choice3ANTHR 30003
ANTHR 3000 choice3Minor choice3
Natural science choice3Additional Area requirement3
 Summer: It is highly recommended that students complete a field school, internship, or study abroad experience during the summer between their junior and senior years however, this is not required for graduation.  
 14 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANTHR 45003ANTHR 3000 choice3
Minor choice3Minor choice3
ANTHR 3000 choice3Elective3
Additional Area requirement3Elective3
Electives3 
 15 12

Minor

A minor in anthropology consists of at least 15 credits. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.

ANTHR 2010Introduction to Cultural Anthropology3
ANTHR 2020Human Origins3
One of the following in cultural anthropology:3
Culture and Interpretation
Introduction to Culture and Language
Peoples and Cultures of Native North America
Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
ANTHR 3230ALatin American Anthropology: Violence and Memory3
or ANTHR 3230B Latin American Anthropology: Social movements and Democracy
or ANTHR 3230C Latin American Anthropology: Race, Class and Gender
or ANTHR 3230D Latin American Anthropology: Regional Focus
One of the following in archaeology or biological anthroplogy:3
Biological Anthropology
Archaeology
Archaeology of North America
Skeletal Biology
World Prehistory
Or ANTHR 4820A, ANTHR 4820B, ANTHR 4820C, ANTHR 4820D
Three additional credits in ANTHR at the 3000+ level3

Graduate Programs

The department offers a mas­ter of arts degree with a major in anthropology. Graduate courses are offered in the areas of archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropol­ogy. Competence in statistics or a methodology relevant to the student's program of study must be demonstrated. Students are required to do original field, archival, or laboratory research that will result in a scholarly thesis.