Anthropology

What Is Anthropology ?

Anthropology is from the Greek anthropos (human) + logia (study). It is the science that studies humankind from our beginnings millions of years ago through the present day. Anthropology seeks to understand and explain the nature of Homo sapiens as the animal with culture and language. Its subject matter ranges from the exotic to the ordinary: from the star and sailing lore of Pacific Islanders to the anatomy of the foot; from the evolution and diversity of language to the use and care of obsidian tools. Anthropologists may study ancient Mayan writing, the music of African Pygmies or Scottish Highlanders, cottage industries in Mindoro or the corporate culture of a car manufacturer in Michigan. It was anthropologists, for example, who explained the relationships among sickle cell anemia, endemic malaria and the rise of shifting agriculture.

To an anthropologist, diversity itself - seen in body shapes and sizes, blood types, different kinds of languages, customs, clothing, religion and ideas about the world - provides a frame of reference for understanding any single aspect of life.

Archaeology studies the things earlier humans created, used and left behind, in order to try to understand prehistoric and earlier historic societies and how they lived.

Biological anthropology studies our species and its close relatives, tracing their biological origins, development and genetic diversity and the nature of the cultural and linguistic animal that we are.

Cultural anthropology seeks to describe how societies and their cultures work and to discover explanatory principles that apply to all human communities, past and present, and to explain differences among them. Why, for instance, do some peoples believe in and fear witches, but others do not?

Linguistics describes how languages actually work and tries to explain why languages have some patterns in common but not others. It investigates possible relationships between language and culture and uses comparative linguistic reconstruction to investigate prehistoric cultures without written records. It was linguists and archaeologists together who traced the origins, development and migrations of the Bantu peoples of Africa.

Success Factors

While each branch of anthropology carries its own special techniques and required skill sets, certain attributes common to all will help a student succeed:

• open-mindedness and willingness to understand how other social and cultural systems work
• intellectual curiosity about human similarities and differences
• desire to find out how things actually are vs. how someone thinks they "oughta be"
• analytic ability and, for some branches, some quantitative and statistical skills
• verbal facility: ability to read carefully and write clearly and concisely
• desire to cultivate a disciplined imagination

Career Possibilities

Graduates of this major pursue many different careers. They are employed as:

• Archaeologists
• Anthropologists
• Librarians
• Educators
• Diplomats

Graduates may work in research, evaluation or administration, at private or public archaeological firms, or in such specialized fields as medicine, epidemiology, law enforcement and linguistics.

Additional career options are listed on the Career Development Center's Web site. 

Major Details

Anthropology majors take 54 hours of anthropology courses, distributed among each of the four fields: cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, archaeology and linguistics. The first two years are usually spent developing a breadth of knowledge and skills, meeting the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) requirements and, of course, beginning the study of anthropology. The model schedule of minimum requirements is only a guide for planning and cannot be followed precisely by transfer, part-time, advanced placement or other students who depart from a four-year program.

McMicken College's flexible degree requirements allow for and highly encourage students to pursue multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.

• Biology
• Classics and Classical Civilization
• Environmental Studies
• Heritage Studies Certificate
• Geography
• History
• Historic Preservation Certificate
• Latin American Studies
• Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is a large part of the Anthropology undergraduate major. Students are strongly encouraged to conduct research and take unique courses such as this Archaeology field course held at Shawnee Lookout. Watch the YouTube video.

Minor Details

Anthropology Minor Checklist

A minor in anthropology requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. Students must take at least two courses each in cultural anthropology, biological anthropology and archaeology. Students must also take at least two courses at the 300 level or above.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

Anthropology Major Checklist

College Requirements Checklist

This is a suggested plan to complete the program in four years.  Students will take required courses at different times depending upon their choice of options and the combination of the major with a minor or other program.

Course Name	Course Number	Credits
First Year
*English Composition	ENGL101 & 15ENGL102	6
*Elementary Probability & Statistics (recommended)	15STAT147-148-149 (QR)	9
*Foreign Language	see checklist	9-15
Cultural Anthropology	15ANTH101-102-103	9
Introduction to Archaeology	15ANTH107	3
*Humanities (HU)	see offerings	3
Courses in minor or other program	see options	0-6
Total for first year		45
-	-	-
Second Year
*Intermediate Composition	15ENGL289	3
Biological Anthropology	15ANTH104-105-106	9
World Prehistory	15ANTH108	3
*Foreign Language (if necessary)	see checklist	0-9
*Social Sciences (SS)	see offerings	3
*Historical Perspectives (HP)	see offerings	9
*Natural Sciences (NS)	see offerings	9
Courses in minor or other program	see options	0-9
Total for second year		45
-	-	-
Third & Fourth Years
Course in Linguistics	see major checklist	3
Courses in Anthropology at any level	see major checklist	18
Courses in Anthropology at 300 level or above	see major checklist	6
Anthropology Capstone (in senior year)	see major checklist	3
*Social Sciences (SS)	see offerings	6
*Literature (LT)	see offerings	3
*Humanities, Literature or Fine Arts (HU, LT or FA)	see offerings	3
*Social & Ethical Issues (if not already taken, SE)	see offerings	3
*Diversity & Culture (if not already taken, DC)	see offerings	3
Courses in minor or other program, or free electives	see options	42
Total for third & fourth years		90
	Minimum total overall: 180

*Needed to fulfill A&S college requirements.

Special Opportunities

Students in the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, Tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

Majors get a solid grounding in all four branches of anthropology from an accessible faculty actively practicing, or "professing," their fields. There are opportunities to become involved in faculty research and fieldwork, and the program stresses training and practice in learning to think like an anthropologist - a skill highly transferable into fields which reward careful thinking and respect for data (law, medicine, investigation, etc.). The department is primarily an undergraduate department with good facilities, including a "hangout" area near the center.

A capstone activity or experience is required by the university general education program. Anthropology’s capstone activity is normally one of the regular courses that overlaps the four fields and may change from year to year. It is important to check with the department when planning the senior year.

Admission Requirements

Admission criteria for this program vary based on the relative strength of test scores, class rank and GPA. Please see the Freshman Class Profile for this major in the Quick Facts sidebar on this page for the range of academic credentials typically accepted into this program. Test scores in the lower range may be acceptable with higher class rank and/or GPA.

Freshmen applying to this program should also have completed the following state of Ohio articulation requirements with no more than two units missing:

• English (4 units)*
• College-preparatory mathematics (3 units)*
• Science (2 units)
• Social science (2 units)
• Foreign language (2 units)*
• Fine arts (1 unit)
• Additional college-prep subjects (2 units) 

*McMicken College of Arts & Sciences does not allow units missing from these areas.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants who have received an associate degree from an accredited college or university and whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

Although midyear off-campus transfer students are not able to participate in early registration in the quarter prior to their enrollment, they are included in the summer registration period prior to their fall quarter enrollment.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree-seeking student in one of UC’s other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English Composition or its equivalent and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

Further details on individual programs are available online or in the A&S Office of Undergraduate Student Affairs and Advising (102 McMicken Hall).

Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting the university's General Education requirements, the requirements listed in the McMicken College Core Requirements are common to all potential graduates of the college, whether they are pursuing the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or bachelor of interdisciplinary studies degree.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the college, since many course sequences begin in that quarter. Applicants to the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in McMicken 102). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd Floor, University Pavilion).