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Program Mission Statement

Anthropology is the study of humankind, its past and present, from a multidisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives. Anthropology students are exposed to theories and methodologies from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. They receive a comprehensive training in Anthropology’s four fields, that is, sociocultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and physical anthropology. The integration of interdisciplinary and indigenous perspectives in the study of cultures, societies, and behavior is one of anthropology’s unique contribution to the study of humankind.

The anthropology program at º£½ÇÉçÇøprepares students to enter both graduate school and the non-academic job market. To this end it emphasizes ethically grounded and theoretically informed experiential learning opportunities in the classroom and outside. Faculty members bring to their classes their areas of expertise which include Latin America, West Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Southern Europe and the US. The program offers classes in ethnographic and quantitative methods, archaeological data analysis, faculty-directed research experiences (in the form of Directed Independent Studies and Honor’s Thesis), and archaeological fields schools. It also coordinates and oversees internships and other service-learning opportunities. The program seeks to impart the content knowledge, research methods, critical and communication skills that are key to success in graduate school as well as the job market.

The anthropology program aims to cultivate globally engaged students. It trains them in the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the challenges of living in a globally interconnected world. It also teaches them to recognize and address new and old forms of exclusion and division, including rising levels of inequality and injustice. It does so in collaboration with the broader University, local and global actors, and communities.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

Content/Discipline-Specific Knowledge/Skills

• See the world anthropologically, that is, apply a broad, comprehensive approach to the study of cultural, social, economic and political issues (or: humans and their environments). Key to the anthropological mindset are the concepts of holism, cross-cultural comparison, historical change, empathy, and global engagement. Students should display evidence of an anthropologically-informed frame of academic inquiry.  
• Have a familiarity with key theories, research, themes, and concepts prominent in anthropological thought across the subfields.
• Show competence in the collection and analysis of quantitative and/or qualitative data related to human behavior and culture and a recognition of the strengths and limitations of both.

Communication Skills

• Produce oral and written arguments that are clear, logical, and supported by appropriate evidence, including relevant literature.

Critical Thinking Skills

• Be critical and informed consumers of both scientific and popular research and media OR  Involves the analysis and critique of scholarly literature across the fields of anthropology. This includes evaluating strengths and weaknesses of informational resources, broadening or narrowing searches, creating links between various sources of information, and synthesizing sources into reports.
• Have the skills and desire to be engaged and informed global citizens and apply our anthropological training and perspective to life’s challenges.
  OR: Explores the dilemmas in social inequality and social justice. Prescribes the ability to think reflexively and analyze one’s own familiar cultural environment through a critical lens.

Assessment Approaches

The Anthropology BA program utilizes direct measures to assess the degree to which students in the Program are able to demonstrate (1) knowledge of disciplinary content; (2) ability to apply critical thinking; (3) ability to communicate anthropologically. Most measures are embedded in assignments, tests, etc.