Program Description

Anthropology is the multifaceted study of humans and their ways of life from a global and evolutionary perspective. Students in anthropology learn about the self as well as other ethnic nationalities as they are shaped by biological evolution, ecological constraints, political history, and sociological conditioning. The Department of Anthropology offers theoretical and methodological courses in the five sub-disciplines: biological anthropology, prehistory and archaeology, anthropological linguistics, sociocultural anthropology, and applied anthropology. Regional courses on major populations of the world, especially the heritage cultures of North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East, form an important component of the curriculum.

At the undergraduate level, students in the B.A. degree program (note: for information on the MA program, click on the "Graduate" tab in the upper right corner of the home page) may choose to focus on special interests in two combined sub-disciplines:

Archaeology and Biological Anthropology emphasize the study of human biology, variation, evolution, and the reconstruction of past ways of life and cultural systems from material remains.

Socio-Cultural and Applied Anthropology emphasize the study of social and cultural systems of more recent historical and contemporary populations, and the application of anthropological insights into present-day problems.
Other combinations are possible upon consultation with, and approval by, the faculty.

Features

The Department administers the Clarence E. Smith Museum of Anthropology, located on the fourth floor of Meiklejohn Hall. The museum houses a sizable collection of archaeological artifacts recovered in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, as well as ethnographic specimens from cultural groups throughout the world. The museum is an instructional facility for museum curating, research, design, and exhibits. Museum exhibits and special events are open to the public free of charge. For information, call (510) 885-7414 or (510) 885-3104.

Major Requirements (B.A.)

This page outlines the undergraduate major requirements beginning with the 2006-2007 catalog.  For students who declared the major before Fall 2006, please consult earlier catalogs, or an advisor, to confirm the course requirements.  In any event, please consult an advisor in your major department for clarification and interpretation.

The major consists of 60-61 units; the B.A. requires a total of 180 units.

Required Courses in Anthropology (60-61 units)

I. Lower Division (12 units)

ANTH 1100, 1200, 1300 (ANTH 2020 or 3000 may be substituted for ANTH 1300 on approval of an advisor and the department chair)

II. Upper Division (48-49 units)

A. ANTH 3100, 3200, 3400, 3710, 3785, and 3800 (24 units)

B. One regional studies course from the following: ANTH 3500, 3510, 3540, 3545, 3550, 3560, 3580 (4 units)

C. ANTH 4910 Pro-Seminar in Anthropology (4 units)

D. Four additional courses from either one of the two tracks: 1) Archaeology/Biological Anthropology, or 2) Socio-Cultural Anthropology (16-17 units)

1. Archaeology/Biological Anthropology track:

ANTH 4240 (4)
ANTH 4250 (5)
ANTH 4260 (3)

Any one of the following: ANTH 3101, 3110, 3250, 3260, 3280 (4 units)

2. Socio-Cultural Anthropology track:

ANTH 4310 (5)

One additional regional course from the 3500 series (4 units)

Any two of the following: ANTH 3110, 3410, 3720, 3730, 3740, 3745, 3750, 3760, 3840 (8 units)

Highly Recommended Courses in Supporting Fields:

It is highly recommended that majors refine their skills in one or more supporting disciplines depending on their academic interests and long-term career/educational goals. When possible, they should satisfy their G.E. requirements from the courses listed below. In addition, students intending to pursue graduate work and who cannot yet demonstrate competence in a foreign language through testing are urged to elect or add modern language courses. A faculty advisor will assist students in making choices from the following list:

BIOL 1001 (or one of 1003,1005, 2001,2002, or 2003), 1002, and one of 2040, 3020, 3031, or 3060

GEOL 2101 (or 2100) and one of 3030, 3110, or 3200 (5-10 units)

HIST 3017, 3020, and/or upper-division regional history courses

SOC 3000, 3411, 3415, 3416, 3431, 3507, 3510, 3550, 3610, 4450

STAT 1000 and one of STAT 3010, CS 1020, or CS 1160

Three consecutive quarters of a single modern language

Ethnic or Area Studies courses, excluding Anthropology Department offerings in these fields

Other Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University requirements for graduation which are described in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements chapter in the front of this catalog. These include the General Education-Breadth requirements; the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement; the University Writing Skills requirement; and the residence, unit, and grade point average requirements.

 

Minor Requirements

The minor requires thirty-six (36) units in Anthropology to be taken in approximately the following order:

A. Two of the following: ANTH 1100, 1200, 1300 (3000 may be substituted), 1800

B. Two of the following: ANTH 3100 (or 3101), 3200, 3400, 3800

C. One course in the 3500 series (regional ethnography)

D. One course in the 3700 series (applied anthropology) and two additional 3000- and/or 4000-level courses (excluding 3500 series)

E. ANTH 4910

Anthropology Option: Liberal Studies

Area I (4 units)

One of the following (4 units): ANTH 1100 Introduction to Biological Anthropology (4), 1200 Introduction to Archaeology (4), 1800 Introduction to Anthropological Linguistics (4)

Area VII, Credential Track or Area VI, General Track (24 units)

Either ANTH 1300 Cultural Anthropology (4), or

ANTH 3000 Anthropology in the Modern World (4)

Three of the following courses (12 units):

ANTH 3500 North American Indians (4), 3505 Indians of California (4), 3510 South America (4), 3520 Contact Period California (4), 3545 China (4), 3550 Japan (4), 3560 India (4), 3580 Middle East (4)

One additional upper division Anthropology course (4 units)

ANTH 4910 Pro-Seminar in Anthropology (4)