Anthropology, B.A.

FACULTY:
Michael Miyawaki, Chair
Christa Craven
Heather Fitz Gibbon
Pamela Frese
Ricardo Higelin Ponce de León
Setsuko Matsuzawa
Olivia Navarro-Farr
Anne Nurse
Zareen Thomas

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers a diverse curriculum exploring the institutions and processes that maintain and change human societies. Our program places special emphasis on the development of students’ ability to analyze contemporary social and cultural issues, and their problem-solving and research skills. Students choose a major in either Sociology or Anthropology, but all majors are introduced to the concepts, methods and theories appropriate to research in both disciplines.

Anthropology

Anthropology explores the variety of human groups and cultures that have developed across the globe and throughout time. Anthropologists rigorously deploy varied field-based research methods - grounded in a particular subfield - in an effort to account for, investigate, and contextualize the tremendous variability in the human experience. The hope is that by seeing the self in the mirror of alternative cultural and historical possibilities, students of anthropology can come to a better understanding of their/our own assumptions, values, and patterns of behavior. Students in anthropology receive excellent training for continuing graduate study in social sciences, humanities, or biological fields, and Anthropology majors are sought after by NGOs, medicine, law, business, technology, museums, education, and government.

Major in Anthropology

Consists of eleven credits:

ANTH 11000 - Introduction to Anthropology
One of the following courses:
ANTH 21000 - Biological Anthropology
ANTH 22000 - Linguistic Anthropology
or
ARCH 10300 - Introduction to Archaeology
SOAN 30000 - Social Research Methods and Design
SOAN 30100 - Social Statistics I
Two additional half-credit methods courses
SOAN 32000 - Discovery of Social Thought
Four elective Anthropology courses (three must be in anthropology, see Special Notes below)
ANTH 45100 - Independent Study Thesis
ANTH 45200 - Independent Study Thesis

Special Notes

Junior Independent Study: The college requirement of a unit of Independent Study in the junior year is satisfied by completing SOAN 30000 plus one other half-credit methods course prior to enrolling in Senior Independent Study.
A second or third course from ANTH 21000, ANTH 22000, or ARCH 10300 may count as electives for the requirements for the major. One elective can be from Archaeology, Museum Studies, or Sociology.
Anthropology majors who elect to participate in the 3-2 program in Social Work at Case Western Reserve University (see Pre-Professional and Dual Degree Programs) must complete all requirements in the major except Senior Independent Study. Students should see the department chairperson for more details about this arrangement.
Only grades of C- or better are accepted for the major or minor.
Students may not major in Anthropology and minor in Sociology (nor vice versa), nor are they allowed to double major in the two disciplines. Additionally, Anthropology majors may not double major with Archaeology.