ANTHR-BA - Anthropology (BA)

The courses offered by the Department of Anthropology are designed to:

1. provide undergraduates with instruction in anthropology;

2. provide undergraduate majors in Anthropology with a program of work leading to the bachelor’s degree;

3. and prepare graduate candidates for advanced degrees in Anthropology.

Anthropology is devoted to the study of human beings and human societies as they exist across time and space. It is distinct from other social sciences in that it gives central attention to the entire period of human history and the full range of human societies and cultures, including those in historically marginalized parts of the world. It is, therefore, especially attuned to questions of social, cultural, and biological diversity, to issues of power, identity, and inequality, and to understanding the dynamic processes of social, historical, ecological, and biological change over time.

The Department of Anthropology offers various approaches to the topics and area studies within the field, including archaeology, ecology, environmental anthropology, evolution, linguistics, medical anthropology, political economy, science and technology studies, and sociocultural anthropology. Methodologies for studying micro- and macro-social processes are taught through qualitative and quantitative approaches. The department provides students with excellent training in theory and methods to enable them to pursue graduate study in any of the abovementioned subfields of Anthropology.

In addition to gaining an excellent foundation for graduate research and study, students majoring in Anthropology can pursue careers in government, international business, international development agencies, international education, law, mass media, nonprofit organizations, and public policy.

Undergraduate training in the Department of Anthropology is only designed for students who seek a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Students may declare a major in Anthropology and earn a BA degree by completing the requirements below. The Anthropology BA degree program usually requires at least five quarters of enrollment. Eligible students may also pursue a Bachelor of Arts with Honors. 

Students interested in majoring in Anthropology should apply in Axess for the major by the time junior status is achieved at 85 units. Students are encouraged to work closely with a faculty advisor to develop a coherent study plan.

To declare a major in Anthropology:

1. Meet with the department’s undergraduate student services officer to prepare the Major Form and to request a faculty advisor assignment.

2. Apply in Axess for the BA in Anthropology.

3. Meet with the assigned faculty advisor to approve the department Major Form and submit the required forms to the undergraduate student services officer.

Advising

Advising is an essential component of the Anthropology major. Students will get assigned a major advisor and are encouraged to work closely with them. Advising milestones for the major include the following:

1. In the quarter in which the major is declared, students meet with their assigned major advisor, create a rigorous plan of study based on topical breadth, obtain major advisor approval of an Anthropology emphasis as part of the plan of study, and obtain the major advisor’s signature on the Major Form.

2. Undergraduate Anthropology majors should plan to meet with their major advisor at least once each quarter before the final study list deadline. The faculty advisor must approve any revisions to the initial checklist.

3. Undergraduate Anthropology majors must submit an updated and approved Major Form to the undergraduate student services officer in the quarter before graduating.

Please note your major advisor is not necessarily your honors thesis advisor. You will need to cultivate a relationship for the latter, and enlist a relevant honors thesis advisor who will oversee your research. Please contact the Undergraduate SSO if you have questions.