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 201 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 202 | Human Origins | 3 |
| ANTHR 306 | Culture and Interpretation | 3 |
| ANTHR 307 | Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 308 | Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHR 450 | Approaches in Anthropology | 3 |
| One of the following methods courses is required: | 3 | |
| Skeletal Biology | ||
or ANTHR 328 | Archaeological Discovery and Analysis | |
or ANTHR 431 | 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 250.
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| or ENGL 250H | 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 201 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 230 | Globalization and the Human Condition | 3 |
| ANTHR 306 | Culture and Interpretation | 3 |
| ANTHR 309 | Introduction to Culture and Language | 3 |
| ANTHR 310 | Environmental Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 313 | Kinship and Marriage in a Global Perspective | 3 |
| ANTHR 322 | Peoples and Cultures of Native North America | 3 |
| ANTHR 323 | Topics in Latin American Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 332 | Current Issues in Native North America | 3 |
| ANTHR 336 | Culture and Capitalism | 3 |
| ANTHR 340 | Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion | 3 |
| ANTHR 342 | Culture, Sex, and Gender | 3 |
| ANTHR 354 | War and the Politics of Humanitarianism | 3 |
| ANTHR 355 | Understanding Sub-Saharan Africa | 3 |
| ANTHR 411 | Anthropology for Global Professionals | 3 |
| ANTHR 431 | Ethnographic Methods | 3 |
| ANTHR 434B | Internship: Cultural Anthropology | 2-6 |
| ANTHR 434D | Internship: Linguistic Anthropology | 2-6 |
| ANTHR 450 | Approaches in Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 451B | Practicum in Anthropology: Cultural Anthropology | 1-3 |
| ANTHR 451D | Practicum in Anthropology: Linguistic Anthropology | 1-3 |
| ANTHR 490B | Independent Study: Cultural Anthropology | 1-5 |
| ANTHR 490D | Independent Study: Linguistic Anthropology | 1-5 |
2. Archaeology:
| ANTHR 202 | Human Origins | 3 |
| ANTHR 308 | Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHR 315 | Archaeology of North America | 3 |
| ANTHR 320 | Great Plains Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHR 321 | World Prehistory | 3 |
| ANTHR 328 | Archaeological Discovery and Analysis | 3 |
| ANTHR 429 | Topics in Archaeological Laboratory Methods and Techniques: Archaeological Field School | 4-6 |
| ANTHR 434A | Internship: Archaeology | 1-6 |
| ANTHR 450 | Approaches in Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 451A | Practicum in Anthropology: Archaeology | 1-3 |
| ANTHR 490A | Independent Study: Archaeology | 1-5 |
3. Biological Anthropology:
| ANTHR 202 | Human Origins | 3 |
| ANTHR 307 | Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 317 | Primate Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution | 3 |
| ANTHR 319 | Skeletal Biology | 3 |
| ANTHR 424 | Forensic Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 434C | Internship: Biological Anthropology | 1-6 |
| ANTHR 445 | Biological Field School | 4-6 |
| ANTHR 451C | Practicum in Anthropology: Biological Anthropology | 1-3 |
| ANTHR 490C | Independent Study: Biological Anthropology | 1-5 |
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 300/400 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 150 | 3 | ANTHR 202 | 3 |
| LIB 160 | 1 | Minor choice | 3 |
| ANTHR 201 | 3 | Social science choice | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Natural science choice | 3 |
| Arts & Humanities choice | 3 | Arts & Humanities choice | 3 |
| Social science choice | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ANTHR 308 | 3 | ANTHR 306 | 3 |
| World Languages and Cultures/International Perspective | 4 | World Languages and Cultures/International Perspective | 4 |
| Humanities choice | 3 | ANTHR 300 choice | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | 3 | Minor choice | 3 |
| ANTHR 300 choice | 3 | Natural science choice | 3 |
| LAS 203 | 1 | ||
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ANTHR 425 | 1 | ANTHR 307 | 3 |
| STAT 101 | 4 | ENGL 300-level | 3 |
| Arts & Humanities choice | 3 | ANTHR 300 | 3 |
| ANTHR 300 choice | 3 | Minor choice | 3 |
| Natural science choice | 3 | Additional Area requirement | 3 |
| 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 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ANTHR 450 | 3 | ANTHR 300 choice | 3 |
| Minor choice | 3 | Minor choice | 3 |
| ANTHR 300 choice | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Additional Area requirement | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| 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 201 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 202 | Human Origins | 3 |
| One of the following in cultural anthropology: | 3 | |
| Culture and Interpretation | ||
or ANTHR 309 | Introduction to Culture and Language | |
or ANTHR 322 | Peoples and Cultures of Native North America | |
or ANTHR 323 | Topics in Latin American Anthropology | |
or ANTHR 340 | Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion | |
| One of the following in archaeology or biological anthroplogy: | 3 | |
| Biological Anthropology | ||
or ANTHR 308 | Archaeology | |
or ANTHR 315 | Archaeology of North America | |
or ANTHR 319 | Skeletal Biology | |
or ANTHR 321 | World Prehistory | |
or ANTHR 482 | Topics in Biological Anthropology | |
| Three additional credits in ANTHR at the 300+ level | 3 | |
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.