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Declaring the Anthropology Major

In order to declare Anthropology your major, you should first telephone the Undergraduate Coordinator at 215.746.0418 to make an appointment to meet with the Undergraduate Chair. The Anthropology major consists of 14 credits, each taken for a grade. You may NOT take a class PASS/FAIL and count it toward your major. The Anthropology major covers the fields of Archaeology, Biological/Physical, and Cultural/Linguistic Anthropology. Though the Department encourages a broadly based education within Anthropology (and discourages specialization), you may nevertheless indicate one of these sub-fields as your concentration. The major also offers a specialized Human Biology concentration that will be described later.

All majors must take the required courses—ANTH 001, 002 (or 004), 003, plus two 100+ level courses in Cultural/Linguistic Anthropology and one 100+ level course in each of Biological/Physical Anthropology and Archaeology. The other seven units may be taken from one or any combination of these sub-fields, though you are encouraged to take as many as possible in all three fields. An Anthropology Freshman Seminar or a Writing about Anthropology (ANTH 009) course may be included here. You also should consider taking Statistics as well as a course in research methods appropriate to your field of concentration. A maximum of three non-anthropology courses (and those not already cross-listed with anthropology) can be applied to the major with the approval of the Undergraduate Chair, but these courses should be linked to a more general topic or theme in your concentration. The major also encourages Study Abroad. Minimum Requirement 14 c.u.

The Human Biology Concentration
Anthropology students who wish to concentrate in Human Biology are expected to complete courses for a grade from four blocks. This concentration is designed for students who wish to study medicine, public health and medical anthropology. The first consists of the three introductory courses—ANTH 001, 002 (or 004), and 003. The second block consists of ANTH 243—Human Biology, plus two additional courses selected from a menu of courses in Biological/Physical fundamentals. The third block requires ANTH 238—Medical Anthropology, plus three additional courses selected from a menu emphasizing applied anthropological perspectives on health, nutrition, and medicine. The fourth block consists of four general electives. Any two additional Anthropology courses may be included here, and/or courses from other departments that have a biological/physical emphasis (but no more than two from any one department). A list of courses from other departments is suggestive, but since course offerings change frequently it is wise to consult with the Undergraduate Chair for advance approval of these courses. Students are encouraged to plan for a research project in their senior year under the mentorship of one of the affiliate faculty members.  

The Anthropology Minor consists of 6 courses taken for a grade, NOT PASS/FAIL. Minors are encouraged (but not required) to take the introductory courses to each sub-field, ANTH 001, 002 (or 004) and 003, and no more than four courses in one sub-field. Any cross-listed courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  To declare Anthropology as a minor, you should meet with the Undergraduate Chair.  To make an appointment, contact the Undergraduate Coordinator (215.746.0418).

The Undergraduate Handbook provides further information on the Anthropology Major and Minor.