Ten courses (31 credits) taken within a program approved by a departmental undergraduate advisor are required for a major. These ten courses may include courses taken before declaration of the major, and up to two from outside the Department of Anthropology. Courses taken outside the Department of Anthropology, including courses transferred from other institutions or study-abroad programs, may count toward the area requirements for the major (subject to approval by a major advisor), but normally they may not count toward the above-3000-level requirement for the major. No course for the major may be taken on a CR/NC basis. Normally at least 18 credits must be taken after declaration of the major.

In ord​er to declare a major, a student must have completed two courses taken in the Department of Anthropology.

The requirements of an Anthropology Major include:

• All majors must take one course in each of the following areas within Anthropology:
  • Principles of Socio-cultural Analysis
  • Ethnography
  • Archaeology
  • Linguistic Anthropology
• All majors must take ANTH 3010, History and Theory of Anthropology, preferably in their third year. This is a four-credit course, with an obligatory discussion section.
• All majors must take a Senior Seminar, ANTH 4591, during their fourth year.
• All majors must take at least two ANTH courses at or above the 3000 level in addition to ANTH 3010 and 4591. These may overlap with the area requirements (noted above).
• All majors must take at least one course in Anthropology that fulfills the Department's non-western perspectives requirement.

Each semester the Department publishes a list of the current courses that satisfy the above requirements. (Click here to see current courses).

Students frequently find that Anthropology provides a cognate discipline that can be paired with other studies in the humanities and sciences. Many students choose to double-major in anthropology and another discipline. Up to six credits in another department major may be counted toward an Anthropology major if they are consistent with a student's overall program. Specific courses, therefore, may be counted toward both majors, but the student must receive approval from a departmental advisor in advance.

Exceptions to any of these requirements are made only upon written petition to the Undergraduate Committee of the Department of Anthropology. No petitions are accepted after the completion of a student's seventh semester.

Independent Study in Anthropology

For students who want to work on an individual research project, ANTH 4993 allows considerable flexibility. There is no formal limitation on the kind of project as long as a faculty member is willing to direct it, but the projects should not duplicate what is already available in a regular course. Applicants should have their projects roughly defined when they apply to the faculty member. The normal requirements for ANTH 4993 are a reading list comparable in substance to those in regular courses and a term paper and oral examination at the end of the semester.