Requirements for Major

These requirements were updated in Spring 2019.  Students who declared prior to the changes can proceed according to their prior plan or in accord with these new requirements.  All should find the new requirements more flexible and less cumbersome.

Eleven courses (33 credits) taken within a program approved by a departmental undergraduate advisor are required for a major. These eleven courses may include courses taken before declaration of the major, and up to two from outside the Department of Anthropology. Courses taken outside the anthropology department, including courses transferred from other institutions or study-abroad programs, may count toward the area requirements for the major.  These credits are subject to approval by a major advisor.  The maximum number of credits is limited to six and a minimum of three is typically approved. In order to declare a major, a student must have completed one anthropology course.

Grades lower than C- (in anthropology) will not count toward 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. The major requires a distribution of courses in the following areas: 

1. Two of the following three anthropological foundations courses: 1010, 3010, and/or 3020; The faculty recommends that students take all three, but they must take two.Students interested in pursuing the DMP should take both 3010 and 3020.
2. One course at the 2000-level (or above) in each of these areas within anthropology: socio-cultural anthropology; archaeology; and linguistics;
3. All anthropology majors gain experience in doing a research project leading to a significant paper or other major work that can later be used in their applications for graduate school, internships, fellowships, and jobs. Students may complete this task in one of the following ways:
   • Majors seminars in anthropology. These 4000-level courses should ideally be taken in the student’s 3rd year.  They all fulfill the SWR, and major and minors will have priority at enrollment.
   • Well prepared students may consider taking an appropriate 5000-level course to fulfill this requirement in consultation with the seminar instructor and their advisor
4. At least three courses at or above the 3000 level, in addition to 3010 and/or 3020 and 4591; These courses must be taken in the Department of Anthropology at University of Virginia.

Each semester, the department publishes a list of the current courses that satisfy the above requirements on its website.

Students frequently find that anthropology provides a cognate discipline which can be paired with other studies in the humanities and sciences. Many of these 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.

A number of informal activities are associated with the department. Among these is the Virginia Anthropology Society of the University of Virginia. Majors are encouraged to attend meetings of the group and to attend lectures and symposia sponsored by the department.

B.A. in Anthropology with a Specialist Concentration

Students who major in anthropology have the option to work toward one of four specialized concentrations within the major, which will appear on their University transcript. To complete a concentration, students must complete all other requirements for the major, and also fulfill the specific concentration requirements as listed below. A student may choose to specialize in only one concentration.

Specific classes that can be counted toward each concentration can be found in the Appendix below, and on the Department website. Students should consult with concentration faculty when choosing courses, as these lists will be updated periodically, and not all classes will be offered in every semester. When selecting Concentration courses, students should keep in mind that a total maximum of only two courses (6 credits) from beyond Anthropology (courses with other than an ANTH prefix) can be counted toward the Anthropology major.  To declare a concentration, students should meet with the faculty advisor for that concentration. Contact information can be found on the Department website, or from the Director of Undergraduate Programs in Anthropology.

The four concentrations are as follows:

B.A. in Anthropology with Concentration in Culture and Communication

The Culture and Communication concentration in Anthropology offers students a program of study focused on communicative practices across a diversity of world cultures, modalities of embodied discourse, and the technologically mediated channels that increasingly connect people around the globe. Work in this area ranges from the micro-scale of everyday dialogue to the transnational scale of commerce, migrations, politics, and development. The program prepares students to bring critical thinking and holistic conceptual tools to an increasingly globalized workplace, where communicative practices vary across almost every conceivable dimension and where attention to relative cultural differences can mean the difference between communication and miscommunication, justice and injustice, and even life and death. Culture and Communication introduces students to theoretical approaches from linguistic anthropology, cognitive anthropology, and other anthropological subfields, and builds on interdisciplinary ties that include sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, conversation analysis, exchange theory, art, media, and mediated discourse analysis, preparing students to understand the impact of differing modes of expression, cultural styles, and interactional genres on the accomplishment of group tasks, the creation of human connections, and the building of a globally interconnected world.

Requirements

1. Fulfill all non-elective requirements for the B.A. in Anthropology, including the Linguistic Anthropology distribution requirement.
2. When choosing electives toward your Anthropology major, include a total of four, as follows:

• 2-4 classes from Culture and Communication Concentration Course List A
• up to 2 classes from Culture and Communication Course List B

B.A. in Anthropology with Concentration in Indigenous Worlds

Students in this concentration will be exposed to ethnographic studies and anthropological theories devoted to “the Indigenous.” For anthropologists, this term commonly refers to the knowledges and worldviews of the many peoples who are our disciplinary interlocutors around the globe. In American contexts, “indigenous” usually refers to First Peoples of the Western hemisphere, and includes Native American Studies. At the transnational scale, indigenous peoples’ movements are political realities, converging at sites like the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and the World Conservation Congress. This concentration takes an unbounded approach, engaging with all of these perspectives and scales, and many others, without reducing “the Indigenous” to any of them. Students will be given the opportunity to engage with the vast array of possibilities for being human, studying for example both colonial-era encounters, and contemporary indigenous relationships to issues such as sustainable livelihoods, public health, and environmental care. This concentration offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary learning across two areas of distinction at UVA: Indigenous arts and curation, and the environmental humanities.

Requirements

1. Fulfill all non-elective requirements for the B.A. in Anthropology.
2. when choosing electives toward your Anthropology major, include the following:
   • 3 classes from Indigenous Worlds Concentration Course List A
   • 2 classes from Indigenous Worlds Concentration Course List B

BA in Anthropology with a Concentration in Medical Anthropology, Ethics, and Care

Students in this concentration will study a diverse range of factors that impact the body, and the ways that people understand, experience, and respond to states of health and illness.  Students will critically examine the complex ethical orientations that shape the manners in which people care for or abandon one another in various conditions of exposure, vulnerability, and well-being.  Anthropological knowledge and practice offer a unique resource for questioning our own assumptions on these and other matters. Students in this concentration will use such knowledge to address some of the most difficult problems we face today, and in so doing, help create the world anew.  

Requirements:

1. Fulfill all non-elective requirements for the B.A. in Anthropology
2. When choosing electives toward your Anthropology major, include the following:

• ANTH 2280 Medical Anthropology
• 4 additional courses chosen from the Medical Anthropology Concentration Course List

Note:  Majors seminar on appropriate topics can, in most cases, count towards the concentration electives.  Further, with the exception of the Concentration in Culture and Communication requirement that students take the concentration elections in addition to their linguistics distribution requirement, students may use concentration courses towards the distribution requirements as needed. 

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 project 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.

Distinguished Majors Program in Anthropology

Students with superior academic performance are encouraged to apply for the departmental Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) in which they write a thesis demonstrating independent study of high quality. The requirements for admission to the DMP are:

1. satisfaction of all College requirements as stated in this Record with a GPA of at least 3.25 in all university courses;
2. a GPA of at least 3.400 in all courses taken as part of the anthropology major;
3. completion of both 3010 and 3020;
4. seeks permission of an advisor, who may be any member of the departmental faculty that is willing to take on the responsibility of supervising the thesis and is normally someone to whom the students have already demonstrated their ability in an upper-level course;
5. applies for admission (normally in the spring semester of the Third Year) to the Director of the Program, by declaring their DMP graduation year (and semester), and by including their relevant course transcripts showing their two cumulative GPAs, along with the selected thesis topic, and the names of the primary and second faculty thesis advisors.

On admission, student registers with the primary faculty advisor for ANTH 4998 in the first semester of the Program, and for ANTH 4999 in the second semester for revising and finalizing the thesis in consultation with the two faculty readers. A DMP thesis involving field research on human subjects requires the University’s IRB Approval. This should be acquired before beginning the fieldwork, with the help of the primary faculty advisor.

In the final semester of the Program, the student takes into account the criticisms and suggestions of the two advisors and other interested faculty members, and submits a finished thesis of approximately 10,000 words to the two advisors three weeks before the Grades Due date for the semester. For regular Spring Graduation, the thesis is to be submitted by April 15. The level of distinction awarded in a thesis is approved by both the faculty advisors.

At the end of the spring semester each year, an oral Presentation of all DMP theses will be held in Brooks Hall Commons. Each Distinguished Major and his/her committee members will be present. Theses Presentations will be open to the public. Friends and faculty are invited.

Any prospective and current DMP students wishing help in entering, setting up or conducting their Program should contact their major advisor.

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Course Descriptions

Courses at the 1000 and 2000 levels have no prerequisites and are open to all students. Courses at the 3000 and 4000 level are advanced undergraduate courses and often assume that students have already taken ANTH 1010 or other relevant 2000-level courses. These are general prerequisites and individual professors may consider other courses within or outside the department to be sufficient preparation. Courses at the 5000 level have third- or fourth-year status and prior course work in anthropology as a general prerequisite. These courses are designed primarily for majors and graduate students, but are open by permission to other qualified, sufficiently motivated undergraduates.

General and Theoretical Anthropology

• ANTH 1010 - Introduction to Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 1090 - Colloquia for First-Year Students Credits: 3
• ANTH 3010 - Theory and History of Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3020 - Using Anthropology Credits:3
• ANTH 4591 – Majors Seminar in Anthropology Credits: 3

Principles of Sociocultural Analysis

• ANTH 1050 - Anthropology of Globalization Credits: 3
• ANTH 2120 - The Concept of Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 2153 - North American Indians Credits: 3
• ANTH 2156 - Peoples and Cultures of Africa Credits: 3
• ANTH 2190 - Desire and World Economics Credits: 3
• ANTH 2210 - Marriage and the Family Credits: 3
• ANTH 2230 - Fantasy and Social Values Credits: 3
• ANTH 2240 - Progress Credits: 3
• ANTH 2250 - Nationalism, Racism, Multiculturalism Credits: 3
• ANTH 2270 - Race, Gender, and Medical Science Credits: 3
• ANTH 2280 - Medical Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 2285 - Anthropology of Development and Humanitarianism Credits: 3
• ANTH 2291 - Global Culture and Public Health Credits: 3
• ANTH 2310 - Symbol and Ritual Credits: 3
• ANTH 2320 - Anthropology of Religion Credits: 3
• ANTH 2325 - Anthropology of God Credits: 3
• ANTH 2340 - Anthropology of Birth and Death Credits: 3
• ANTH 2345 - Anthropology of Reproduction: Fertility and the Future Credits: 3
• ANTH 2360 - Don Juan and Castaneda Credits: 3
• ANTH 2365 - Art and Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 2370 - Japanese Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 2375 - Disaster Credits: 3
• ANTH 2500 - Cultures, Regions, and Civilizations Credits: 3
• ANTH 2557 - Culture Through Film Credits: 3
• ANTH 2560 - Hierarchy and Equality Credits: 3
• ANTH 2565 - Society and Politics in Cross-Cultural Perspective Credits: 3
• ANTH 2570 - History and Narrative Credits: 3
• ANTH 2575 - Migrants and Minorities Credits: 3
• ANTH 2590 - Social and Cultural Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 2620 - Sex, Gender, and Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 2621 - Culture, Gender and Violence Credits: 3
• ANTH 2625 - Imagining Africa Credits: 3
• ANTH 2660 - The Internet Is Another Country: Community, Power, and Social Media Credits: 3
• ANTH 2670 - How Others See Us Credits: 3
• ANTH 2900 - The Cultural Politics of American Family Values Credits: 3
• ANTH 3070 - Introduction to Musical Ethnography Credits: 3
• ANTH 3105 - Love and Romantic Intimacies Credits: 3
• ANTH 3129 - Marriage, Mortality, Fertility Credits: 3
• ANTH 3130 - Disease, Epidemics and Society Credits: 3
• ANTH 3152 - Amazonian Peoples Credits: 3
• ANTH 3154 - Indians of the American Southwest Credits: 3
• ANTH 3155 - Anthropology of Everyday American Life Credits: 3
• ANTH 3157 - Caribbean Perspectives Credits: 3
• ANTH 3170 - Anthropology of Media Credits: 3
• ANTH 3171 - Culture of Cyberspace: Digital Fluency for an Internet-Enabled Society Credits: 3
• ANTH 3175 - Native American Art: The Astor Collection Credits: 3
• ANTH 3180 - Social History of Commodities Credits: 3
• ANTH 3200 - Marriage, Gender, Political Economy Credits: 3
• ANTH 3205 - Modern Families, Global Worlds Credits: 3
• ANTH 3210 - Kinship and Social Organization Credits: 3
• ANTH 3220 - Economic Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3230 - Legal Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3240 - The Anthropology of Food Credits: 3
• ANTH 3255 - Anthropology of Time and Space Credits: 3
• ANTH 3260 - Globalization and Development Credits: 3
• ANTH 3270 - Anthropology of Politics Credits: 3
• ANTH 3272 - Anthropology of Dissent Credits: 3
• ANTH 3300 - Tournaments and Athletes Credits: 3
• ANTH 3320 - Shamanism, Healing, and Ritual Credits: 3
• ANTH 3325 - Capitalism: Cultural Perspectives Credits: 3
• ANTH 3340 - Ecology and Society: An Introduction to the New Ecological Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3360 - Fieldwork, Ethnographic Methods, and the Field Experience Credits: 3
• ANTH 3370 - Power and the Body Credits: 3
• ANTH 3380 - The Nature of Nature Credits: 3
• ANTH 3395 - Mythodology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3550 - Ethnography Credits: 3
• ANTH 3560 - The Museum in Modern Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 3580 - Science and Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 3590 - Social and Cultural Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3630 - Chinese Family and Religion Credits: 3
• ANTH 3660 - China: Empire and Nationalities Credits: 3
• ANTH 3675 - Museums and Cultural Representation in Quebec Credits: 3
• ANTH 3680 - Australian Aboriginal Art and Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 3685 - Austronesia: World of Islands Credits: 3
• ANTH 3700 - Globalizing India: Society, Bazaars and Cultural Politics Credits: 3
• ANTH 3705 - Anthropology of the Middle East Credits: 3
• ANTH 3930 - Kinship and the New Reproductive Technologies Credits: 3
• ANTH 4060 - People, Culture and Environment of Southern Africa Credits: 3
• ANTH 4590 - Social & Cultural Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 4630 - Eastern European Societies Credits: 3
• ANTH 5600 - Queer and Feminist Anthropology Credits: 3

Linguistic Anthropology

• ANTH 1401 - Your Heritage Language Credits: 3
• ANTH 2400 - Language and Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 2410 - Sociolinguistics Credits: 3
• ANTH 2420 - Language and Gender Credits: 3
• ANTH 2430 - Languages of the World Credits: 3
• ANTH 2440 - Language and Cinema Credits: 3
• ANTH 2470 - Reflections of Exile: Jewish Languages and their Communities Credits: 3
• ANTH 2541 - Topics in Linguistics Credits: 3
• ANTH 3440 - Language and Emotion Credits: 3
• ANTH 3450 - Native American Languages Credits: 3
• ANTH 3455 - African Languages Credits: 3
• ANTH 3470 - Language and Culture in the Middle East Credits: 3
• ANTH 3480 - Language and Prehistory Credits: 3
• ANTH 3490 - Language and Thought Credits: 3
• ANTH 3541 - Topics in Linguistics Credits: 3

Archaeology

• ANTH 2589 - Topics in Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 2800 - Introduction to Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 2810 - Human Origins Credits: 3
• ANTH 2820 - The Emergence of States and Cities Credits: 3
• ANTH 2850 - American Material Culture Credits: 3
• ANTH 2890 - Unearthing the Past Credits: 3
• ANTH 3589 - Topics in Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3603 - Archaeological Approaches to Atlantic Slavery Credits: 3
• ANTH 3810 - Field Methods in Archaeology Credits: 3 to 6
• ANTH 3820 - Field Methods in Historical Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3830 - North American Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3840 - Archaeology of the Middle East Credits: 3
• ANTH 3850 - Historical Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3870 - Archaeology of Virginia Credits: 3
• ANTH 3880 - African Archaeology Credits: 3
• ANTH 3885 - Archaeology of Europe Credits: 3
• ANTH 3890 - Archaeology of the American Southwest Credits: 3
• ANTH 4840 - Quantitative Analysis in Anthropology I Credits: 3
• ANTH 4841 - Quantitative Analysis II Credits: 3

Independent Study and Research

• ANTH 4993 - Independent Study in Anthropology Credits: 1 to 6
• ANTH 4998 - Distinguished Majors Thesis Research Credits: 3
• ANTH 4999 - Distinguished Majors Thesis Writing Credits: 3

Swahili

• SWAH 1010 - Introductory Swahili I Credits: 3
• SWAH 1020 - Introductory Swahili II Credits: 3
• SWAH 2010 - Intermediate Swahili I Credits: 3
• SWAH 2020 - Intermediate Swahili II Credits: 3