Anthropology (ANTH)

ANTH 100. Introduction to Anthropology. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the breadth of inquiry pursued by anthropologists, including the origins and biological evolution of humans, the prehistoric development of world cultures, and the interplay of biological, social, and cultural factors in present day societies. On demand.

ANTH 170. Introduction to Biological Anthropology. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the field of biological or physical anthropology. This course will provide a general background in human evolutionary biology. F,S.

ANTH 171. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. 3 Credits.

Examination of diversity and similarities across contemporary world societies. Topics: fieldwork and ethnographic description; theoretical approaches; communication/human language; interrelationships between environment, technology, social and political organization and worldview; sociocultural change; applied anthropology. Films and case studies illustrate intricacies of culture and how an anthropological perspective provides insights about our own society/culture. F,S.

ANTH 172. Introduction to Archaeology. 3 Credits.

This course looks at how we investigate past cultures using the artifacts that people have left behind. What questions do archaeologists ask about the past?How do archaeologists find and record archaeological sites? What field and laboratory techniques are used to collect evidence and gather data, and how do these methods work? How do we interpret and understand the past using archaeological hypotheses, explanations, models and theories? Case studies will be drawn from different regions, cultures, and time periods to illustrate course concepts. F,S.

ANTH 200. World Prehistory. 3 Credits.

In this course we explore the extraordinary five million year-long record of human cultural achievements, as reconstructed by scientific archaeology. We will focus on prehistoric societies (those that existed before the advent of writing and written history), on what happened in the past, and how the major milestones in the development of world cultures came about. These milestones include the cultural evolution of our earliest hominid ancestors from almost 5 million years ago, the two million year-long persistence of the hunting and gathering lifeway, the origins of agriculture and farming societies, and the rise and collapse of prehistoric civilizations. F,S.

ANTH 209. Special Topics. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable when topics vary. Repeatable. F,S.

ANTH 270. Introduction to Forensic Anthropology. 3 Credits.

Forensic anthropology is the study of skeletal remains in a medico-legal context for the purpose of identification and trauma analysis. This course covers the history of this field, its relevance to death investigation in the United States, and the theories and techniques applied to skeletal identification. On demand.

ANTH 300. Archaeological Laboratory Methods. 3 Credits.

A hands-on introduction to the basic processing, organizing, and analytical techniques used in the archaeological laboratory. Excavated materials from prehistoric sites will be used for lab exercises and demonstrations. Includes lecture and lab. Prerequisite: ANTH 172 and permission of instructor. S.

ANTH 309. Special Topics. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable when topics vary. Repeatable. F,S.

ANTH 325. Human Origins. 3 Credits.

A description of the fossil evidence for primate and human evolution with an emphasis on the origins and evolution of the hominid and human lines. Prerequisite: ANTH 170 or consent of instructor. On demand.

ANTH 330. Human Variation. 3 Credits.

An examination of the range of human physical variation, with a special emphasis on its adaptive nature. Prerequisite: ANTH 170 or consent of instructor. On demand.

ANTH 335. Primates. 3 Credits.

A survey of the biology and behavior of the living primates, with a special emphasis on similarities and differences to humans. On demand.

ANTH 340. Medical Anthropology. 3 Credits.

An examination of the human biological and cultural responses to health and disease as seen from an anthropological perspective. F.

ANTH 350. Cultural Experience: Ethnography. 3 Credits.

Introduction to recording and presenting descriptions of world cultures. Time will be spent reading already-produced ethnographies, watching ethnographic films, and comparing these to similar descriptive products, while wrestling with issues that arise such as race, identity, gender, power, status, and control. Students will also learn the steps needed to pose research questions and conduct fieldwork in cultural anthropology and will analyze ethical research issues and other challenges related to ethnographic research. On demand.

ANTH 360. Environmental Change & Culture. 3 Credits.

This course uses an anthropological lens to understand how humans have responded to and/or caused environmental changes and how differing cultural values and behaviors have shaped this relationship. By the end of the course students should be able to (1) explore how power and privilege impact us and others and how this relates to race, ethnicity, cultural identity, economic class, and environmental discrimination and (2) use wordview as a tool to understand different cultural responses to environmental challenges. Present and past cultural examples from around the world are examined to provide background for class discussions and exploration of hot topics and challenges that currently face us and how this relates to our diverse beliefs and levels of local and global power. F, odd years.

ANTH 370. Language and Culture. 3 Credits.

Fundamentals of modern linguistics; utility of linguistic concepts of culture analysis; interaction of language with other cultural subsystems. Prerequisite: ANTH 171 or consent of instructor. S.

ANTH 371. Cultural Dynamics. 3 Credits.

Focus on sociocultural change along a selected theme, such as "the local and the global," "ethnic minorities and nation-states," or "ethnographer as researcher and writer." Also considered are theoretical orientations in the study of society/culture, fieldwork, ethics, and anthropologists' roles with respect to public policy. Repeatable to 9 credits if topics vary. Prerequisite: ANTH 171. Repeatable to 9.00 credits. F.

ANTH 372. Culture Theory. 3 Credits.

An overview of the ideas and approaches that have played a role in the development of anthropological studies of societies and cultures. Focus on the contributions of major figures in anthropology, in the past and at present, as well as current issues within the discipline. Prerequisite: ANTH 171.

ANTH 373. Indians of Latin America. 3 Credits.

Examination of traditional and modern Indian cultures of Latin America. Focus on the adaptation to cultural change, the impact of world economy, and the impact of resource exploitation on indigenous peoples. Prerequisite: ANTH 171.

ANTH 375. Women in Prehistory. 3 Credits.

This course will explore recent research that explicitly illuminates women's roles, behaviors and ideologies in the ancient past, and will examine methodological and theoretical attempts to understand how gender can be retrieved from the archaeological record. On demand.

ANTH 376. The Aztec, Maya and Inca. 3 Credits.

An examination of the high civilizations of Latin America with focus on the Aztec, Maya and Inca. On demand.

ANTH 377. North American Archaeology. 3 Credits.

Explores the fascinating cultural developments that have taken place throughout prehistory in North America (north of Mexico), ranging from the first peopling of the Americas to the emergence of complex chiefdoms, and from hunting and gathering to the development of intensive agriculture. On demand.

ANTH 378. Physical Anthropology Method and Theory. 1-4 Credits.

A discussion of current theoretical arguments within the field of physical anthropology and the techniques used to examine them. Prerequisite: ANTH 170. S.

ANTH 379. Culture Area Studies. 3 Credits.

A survey of peoples and cultures of selected areas. Selections based upon staff and student interest. May be repeated to maximum of 6 credits. Repeatable to 6.00 credits. F,S.

ANTH 380. Field Techniques in Archaeology. 1-6 Credits.

Prerequisite: ANTH 172 and permission of instructor. SS.

ANTH 385. Antiquities, Culture and Law. 3 Credits.

This course is an exploration of the complex cultural, ideological and legal issues involved in contemporary views of the ancient past and its material record. Students will examine how antiquities, archaeological sites, landscapes and monuments are defined and shaped by current cultural identities, notions of patrimony, human rights, power and prestige, and global conflicts. National and international laws that regulate the antiquities trade and address the illegal trafficking of artifacts will also be explored in the context of ethics and social problems. On demand.

ANTH 388. Method and Theory in Archaeology. 3 Credits.

This course explores how archaeologists reconstruct the past: how they formulate research problems and conduct field work; what field and laboratory analytical tools they employ; and how they use data, models, and theory to explain culture change. Techniques, methods, and theoretical frameworks used in modern prehistoric archaeology are examined. Readings in the professional literature, case studies, and guest lecturers provide vivid examples of archaeologists in thought and action. Prerequisite: ANTH 172 or consent of instructor. S.

ANTH 420. Archaeological Origins of Plant and Animal Use. 3 Credits.

This course uses archaeological information to examine the relationships between humans and the plant and animal resources we exploit and will focus on specific examples of economic uses of both wild and domestic species, covering both prehistoric and modern consequences of how we interact with biological resources. Basic issues in floral and faunal analysis such as the recovery, quantification, analysis, and interpretation of plant and animal remains from archaeological sites will be presented in depth. Prerequisite: ANTH 172. On demand.

ANTH 426. Lithic Technology. 3 Credits.

Study of prehistoric stone tool technology and examination of the analytical methods used by archaeologists in lithics research. Prerequisite: ANTH 172 or consent of instructor. F, odd years.

ANTH 439. Human Osteology. 4 Credits.

This course is an intensive examination of human skeletal anatomy, covering the features of the entire human skeleton and the relationship of human osteology to other fields, including palaeoanthropology, palaeopathology, forensic anthropology, and vertebrate anatomy. Prerequisite: ANTH 170 or ANTH 270 or ANAT 204 or consent of instructor. F.

ANTH 441. Forensic Anthropology Field School. 1-6 Credits.

This course is a hands-on exposure to the field and laboratory methods of forensic anthropology. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. SS.

ANTH 465. Culture, Illness and Health. 3 Credits.

Examination of culturally-based beliefs and practices involved in maintenance of health and the handling of illness in non-Western and modern societies. Prerequisite: ANTH 171 or consent of instructor. S.

ANTH 480. Senior Seminar. 3 Credits.

The seminar will examine current debates or an area of study involving two or more subfields of anthropology. The seminar will provide an opportunity for students to integrate knowledge and skills obtained in anthropology. Prerequisite: Senior major status and completion of two of the three method and theory requirements (cultural, archaeology, physical); or departmental permission. S.

ANTH 489. Senior Honors Thesis. 1-8 Credits.

Supervised independent study culminating in a thesis. Repeatable to 9 credits. Repeatable to 9.00 credits. F,S,SS.

ANTH 492. Independent Studies. 1-4 Credits.

Independent research conducted under advisement with department faculty. Research is student originated and developed. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Repeatable to 16.00 credits. F,S.

ANTH 494. Readings in Anthropology. 1-5 Credits.

Designed for students who want instruction in subjects not covered adequately in usual course offerings. Special arrangements must be made with an instructor prior to registration. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Repeatable to 5.00 credits. F,S.

ANTH 497. Forensic Science Internship. 1-12 Credits.

Students may enroll in this course after they have secured an intern position in a law enforcement agency, crime laboratory or other institution providing procedural and/or analytical processing of evidence from criminal or civil proceedings. Credits obtained will be determined based on length and content of the internship and course responsibilities. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior status, satisfactory completion of CHEM 122 and BIOL 151, and instructor consent. S/U grading. F,S,SS.