2024-25 Academic Catalog
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Anthropology Courses (ANTH)

Courses

ANTH 1001. Bones & Stones: The Science of Human Origins — 3 hrs.

This course will focus on the study of human origins employing scientific methods and theories derived from biological anthropology and archaeology. Students will get hands-on experience with various lines or scientific evidence to help develop a deeper understanding of their place in the world by understanding how we got here, tracing that route from our primate past, to becoming bipedal, tool-making, fire users who eventually spread across the globe and created increasingly complex societies. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 1002. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology — 3 hrs.

Introduction to examining the human condition in cross-cultural perspective. Consideration of the diversity and commonality among human cultures and societies. Includes experiences and perspectives from a wide range of human groups by examining their technologies, economic systems, family life, political structures, art, languages, and religious beliefs and practices. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 1003. Bones & Stones: The Science of Human Origins Laboratory — 1 hr.

This laboratory course is offered as a supplement to the course Bones and Stones: The Science of Human Origins. Laboratory exercises are designed to introduce students to the scientific method and explore topics including human variation, human and non-human primate anatomy, the primate/hominin fossil record, the archaeology of early humans and other resources to investigate processes that affect human origins. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 2003. People of the Great Lakes — 3 hrs.

Survey of Great Lakes cultures and societies from the Ice Age to the 21st century. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 2005. Archaeology for Beginners — 3 hrs.

Introduction to how archaeologists reconstruct past societies from artifacts and ruins. Covers archaeological techniques from excavation to lab analysis. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 2006. Archaeology for Beginners Laboratory — 1 hr.

This laboratory course is offered as a required supplement and co-requisite to the course Archaeology for Beginners. This course provides a practical introduction to the methods and techniques used by archaeologists in the field and laboratory. Students can expect to learn and practice archaeological techniques outdoors. Corequisite(s): ANTH 2005. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 2018. Food and Culture — 3 hrs.

This course examines the relationship between human food and culture from a holistic and comparative perspective. Key issues related to food, nutrition, and culture will be considered. Major topics include sociocultural and ecological underpinnings of human nutrition and the evolution of the human food ways and food systems; sociocultural, symbolic, and medical uses of food; food and ethnicity; food and class; food and gender; industrial food, fast food, and traditional food; the political economy of food overconsumption and malnutrition; food and equality; and global food justice. (Variable)

ANTH 2300. World Prehistory and the Rise of Civilizations — 3 hrs.

Archaeology of human evolution from the appearance of Homo sapiens to earth's earliest societies with and emphasis on cultural development of complex civilizations in the Middle East, Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 2430. Bioarchaeology — 3 hrs.

This class focuses on the study of human skeletal remains from archaeological settings to aid in reconstructing the biological and cultural pasts of populations. The goals and objectives of this class are to provide the student with a basic knowledge of bioarchaeological theory, methods, and applications with an emphasis on the latest literature and research. The class will be grounded in the scientific approach. The student will leave the class with the ability to examine human skeletal remains with the intent of providing biocultural information about the identity of an individual and how it relates to the overall demographics of the population being studied. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1001. (Odd Falls)

ANTH 3001. Language and Culture — 3 hrs.

Examination of how language use shapes and expresses cultural identity. Implications of linguistic diversity for world view, gender and ethnic identity, education, and cross-cultural communication. Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 1001 or SOC 1000 or ANTH 1002. (Variable)

ANTH 3010. Climate Change, Human Migration and Conflict — 3 hrs.

There is growing consensus among professionals in the intelligence and security fields that climate change has very real impacts on demographic displacement, vulnerability of growing masses of people to severe disasters (both natural and human-made) and that there are serious near- and long-term implications for national and global security. This course examines current and emerging forms of threats to nations and human communities that result, at least in part, from climate change. (Fall or Spring)

ANTH 3080/5080. Immigration and Transnationalism — 3 hrs.

Comparative multi-disciplinary perspective on international migration and immigrant settlement strategies, with a focus on Western Europe and the United States. Topics cover the main theoretical and contemporary debates within the field of international migration. Prerequisite(s): SOC 1000 or SOC 1060 or ANTH 1002; junior standing. [Same as SOC 3080/5080] (Variable)

ANTH 3102/5102. Culture, Disease, and Healing — 3 hrs.

Introduction to medical anthropology through examination of the interactions among culture, disease, and healing. Emphasis on non-Western medical systems. Topics include development of medical anthropology; the social fabric of health; the cultural context of health, illness, and disease. Prerequisite(s): SOC 1000 or ANTH 1002; junior standing. (Variable)

ANTH 3104/5104. Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective — 3 hrs.

Evolutionary, biological, psychological, cognitive, social, and cultural theories of gender and gender inequality evaluated with respect to cross-cultural data. Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 1001 or SOC 1000 or ANTH 1002; junior standing. (Same as PSYCH 4608/5608) (Spring)

ANTH 3132. Native North America — 3 hrs.

Ethnographic survey of sociocultural systems developed by Native Americans north of Mexico. Emphasis on relationships that exist among ecological factors, subsistence techniques, social organizations, and belief systems; and the impact interactions with European and U.S. societies had on Indian lifestyles. (Same as HUM 3132) (Variable)

ANTH 3137. Native Central and South America — 3 hrs.

Ethnographic focus on the sociocultural systems of the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, Amazon Basin, and the Andean Highlands. Emphasis on inter-relationships among environment, history, social organizations, and belief systems from a holistic and comparative perspective. (Same as HUM 3137) (Fall and Spring)

ANTH 3201. Physical Anthropology: History and Theory — 3 hrs.

Historical perspective on the development of evolutionary thought and how it changed ideas in physical anthropology, including the theoretical foundations of the "modern synthesis", the race concept, primate studies, paleoanthropology, and human ecology and adaptation. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1001; junior standing. (Spring)

ANTH 3202/5202. Human Biological Variation — 3 hrs.

Exploration of the processes and origins of human biological variability, adaptability, and responses to a changing environment. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1001; junior standing. (Spring)

ANTH 3420. Forensic Anthropology — 3 hrs.

Introduction to methods used in the recovery of unidentified human remains, their use in establishing identity, the post-mortem interval, pathological defects and traumatic insults and reconstructing the events surrounding death. Knowledge of the human skeletal anatomy preferred. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1001. (Fall)

ANTH 3431/5431. Interpreting the Archaeological Record — 3 hrs.

Anthropological approaches to archaeology, including history of research; formation of archaeological record; research design, data collection, artifact analysis, classification, interpretation, dating, and inference. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1001; ANTH 1002; 3 hours of 100/3000/4000-level archaeology or consent of instructor; junior standing. (Odd Falls)

ANTH 3440/5440. Introduction to Museum Studies — 3 hrs.

Exploration of history, public mission, working environment, and ethical issues of museums. Discussion of practical skills and theoretical issues of museum studies, exposing students to broad range of museum types and career opportunities. Prerequisite(s): junior standing. (Same as HIST 4020/5020) (Variable)

ANTH 3450. Archaeological Fieldwork — 3 hrs.

Introduction to field research techniques (survey, excavation, and mapping), laboratory processing, and hypothesis testing. Conducted in the field. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1001; consent of instructor. (Summer)

ANTH 3500. Slavery and Human Trafficking — 3 hrs.

The purpose of this course is to explore ethnical citizenship through an examination of global slavery and human trafficking. We will begin with a brief look at historic slavery in Europe and Africa and some of the "timeless" aspects of slavery, including sexual abuse, relationships with free people, economic roles, access to freedom or manumission, and rebellion. We will then proceed to a more in-depth examination of African slavery in the Americas, including the United States, between roughly 1492 and the late 1800s. Finally, we will draw from our reflections on historic slavery to examine contemporary forms of human trafficking. Throughout the course we will discuss several common themes in accounts of enslaved and/or trafficked people: their legal status; demographics and work routines; treatment; "conditions of life"; community and culture; access to freedom; relationship to the culture and society of free people; historic and contemporary consumer demands for enslaved and trafficked humans; and life after liberation. (Odd Falls)

ANTH 3501. Research Experience in Anthropology — 1-3 hrs.

Research participation and/or independent supervised research in anthropology. May be repeated for maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): 15 hours in anthropology; consent of instructor and department head. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

ANTH 3502. Experience in Applied Anthropology — 1-6 hrs.

Work experience in applied anthropology. Requires prior consultation with instructor. Offered on credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite(s): 12 hours in anthropology; consent of instructor and department head. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

ANTH 3503/5503. Readings in Anthropology — 1-3 hrs.

May be repeated only with consent of department. Prerequisite(s): 9 hours in anthropology; junior standing; consent of instructor and department head. (Variable)

ANTH 4015/5015. Qualitative Research — 3 hrs.

Development and application of the qualitative descriptive and analytic methods used in social science research. Prerequisite(s): SOC 1000 or SOC 1060 or ANTH 1002; junior standing. [Same as SOC 4015/5015] (Variable)

ANTH 4016/5016. Seminar in Anthropology — 3 hrs.

Selected problems within one subfield of anthropology (cultural, physical, archaeological, or anthropological linguistics). Topic listed in Schedule of Classes. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): vary with topic; junior standing. (Variable)

ANTH 4198. Independent Study — 1-3 hrs.

May be repeated with department head approval. Prerequisite(s): written consent of instructor and department head. (Variable)

ANTH 4485. Anthropology Internship — 1-3 hrs.

Experiential learning through internship placement in an anthropology-related agency or position. Requires prior consultation with instructor. Intended for anthropology majors. May be repeated for maximum of three hours. A maximum of three credit hours of ANTH 4485 or 4585 may count toward the anthropology major. Prerequisite(s): 12 hours in anthropology (ANTH xxxx); major GPA of 2.80 or higher; junior standing; consent of instructor and department head. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

ANTH 4585. Practical Field Experience — 1-3 hrs.

Designed for students currently working in in an anthropology-related agency or position. Provides an opportunity for students to apply academic material to their current jobs in anthropology or a related field. Intended for anthropology majors. May be repeated for maximum three hours. A maximum of three credit hours of ANTH 4485 or 4585 may count toward the anthropology major. Prerequisite(s): 12 hours in anthropology (ANTH xxxx); major GPA of 2.80 or higher; junior standing; consent of instructor and department head. (Fall, Spring, Summer)