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The Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Major Academic Plans page or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

  • Any upper-division Writing (W) course.

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Course Requirements for the Major: 40-42 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree.

Major Core Courses: 19 units

5 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Biological evolution and variation in humans, mankind's place in nature, origin, and antiquity as represented in the fossil record; recent studies of non-human primates; the beginnings of culture. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (000505)
Case study examination of fundamental concepts, methods, and changing theoretical orientations of archaeology. Archaeology in the contemporary world, and archaeology as a profession. 3 hours lecture. (000506)
Case study examination of fundamental concepts, methods, and changing theoretical orientations of cultural anthropology. 3 hours lecture. (000507)
Language as a symbolic communication; structural, comparative, and sociolinguistics; analysis of English and non-western language data. 3 hours discussion. (000508)
A survey of selected mathematical and logical methods and models of relevance to various problems in anthropology. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of anthropological data. 3 hours seminar. (000530)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GE Written Communication (A2) requirement; ANTH 303.
Investigation of the history of the development of theory and method in anthropological thought and practice from the nineteenth century to the present. Seminar format. 3 hours seminar. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. (000631)
Prerequisites: GE Written Communication (A2) requirement, ANTH 303, acceptance into the Honors Program.
This investigation of the method and theory of anthropological thought of the last century is directed to individual research interests and problem development for the honors thesis. Seminar format. 3 hours seminar. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. (000632)

Methods Courses: 6-8 units

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Archaeological survey and excavation; research aims and strategies; archaeological mapping, photography, and recording. 1 hour lecture, 9 hours supervision. (000526)
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or faculty permission.
This course explores visual aspects of culture and the use of images for the description, analysis, communication, and interpretation of human behavior. Media examined include, photography, film, video, new media, and art. Students develop ethnographic projects based on original research and using available media technologies. 3 hours lecture. (000586)
This course focuses on the creation of an actual museum exhibit for the annual spring Museum of Anthropology student-created exhibition. Students are required to undertake all phases of the research and design process and final installation. 3 hours seminar. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. (000621)
Prerequisites: ANTH 112 or ANTH 302.
Zooarchaeology involves the identification and interpretation of animal remains from archaeological sites. Topics covered include the nature of the archaeofaunal record, units of quantification, taphonomy, the selective utilization of animals and subsistence strategies. A variety of case studies will also be reviewed. Laboratory activity centers around the identification of archaeofaunal remains from selected locations in California. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (000602)
Prerequisites: ANTH 380.
Advanced individual training in archaeological fieldwork, including organization of projects, supervision of field crews, use of specialized field techniques, and preliminary analysis of field data. 1 hour lecture, 9 hours supervision. (000604)
Prerequisites: ANTH 301.
Physical anthropological methods and techniques, such as anthropometry, dermatoglyphics, osteology, and paleopathology as applied to problems of human identification. Credit for repeating this course depends upon your taking it from a different instructor each time. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. (000607)
Independent supervised training in the methods of data description, interpretation, and presentation. Methods of describing, classifying, analyzing, and illustrating archaeological finds, and the preparation of reports for publications. 6 hours activity. (000609)
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or permission of instructor.
This course presents theories and methods of ethnography as well as the ethics of ethnographic fieldwork. Students conduct supervised ethnographic research and present their results both orally and in written format. 6 hours activity. (000610)
Methods and techniques of locating archaeological and historical cultural resources in the field. Proper site recordation by means of photographs, drawings, maps, and appropriately filled-out site survey forms for cultural resource management purposes. 6 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. (000613)
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or permission of instructor.
Applications of sociocultural anthropology to the understanding and resolution of contemporary social problems. Seminar format. 3 hours seminar. (000630)

Fields of Anthropology: 6 units

Select one course from any two of the following four subfields of Anthropology.

2 courses selected from:

Biological Anthropology

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: ANTH 111 or ANTH 301.
Evolution of the human being as a biological entity and as a culture-bearing primate. Emphasis is placed upon ecological principles and problems as they relate to the fossil record. 3 hours lecture. (000552)
Prerequisite: ANTH 111 or ANTH 301.
The nature of human biological variation and an examination of its genetic and cultural basis. 3 hours lecture. (000553)
Prerequisite: ANTH 111 or ANTH 301.
The individual from prenatal period through growth and sexual maturation to old age and death. Special emphasis upon the cross-cultural and holistic approaches to the study of people and their role in human evolution. 3 hours lecture. (000555)
Prerequisite: ANTH 111 or ANTH 301.
Anthropological principles and knowledge applied within the legal system. Topics include the history of the field, biological parameters determined from the skeleton, postmortem interval, and ethics. 3 hours seminar. (000557)

Archaeology

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
An examination of the data and major theories concerning the rise of civilizations, using as case studies early Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Mexico, and Peru. The significance of food production, ecology, writing, and the centralized state in the evolution of complex societies. 3 hours lecture. (000561)
The study of prehistoric North America north of Mexico. An investigation of cultural origins, development, and differentiation based on the analysis of selected archaeological complexes and traditions. Case study examples of contemporary method and theory in American archaeology. 3 hours lecture. (000562)
This course serves as an introduction to the evolutionary processes influencing human behavior grounded in the paleoanthropological study of foraging peoples and an examination of cross-cultural patterns in human behavior. Emphasis will be placed on an evolutionary ecological perspective where aspects of human adaptation are viewed as the result of long-term survival strategies. 3 hours seminar. (000570)
Prerequisites: ANTH 112 or ANTH 302, or permission of instructor.
This course provides an overview and examination of the historical development and prehistory of archaeology in California. Topics include archaeological method and theory, cultural chronologies, regional and temporal patterns in the archaeological record, important sites and their potential links to native peoples in California. Controversial issues and contributions to modern archaeology are also considered. 3 hours lecture. (000572)
Prerequisites: ANTH 112 or ANTH 302, or permission of instructor.
This course examines the method and theory of American historical archaeology as it specifically relates to the broader study of American material culture and sociocultural experiences in North America from the period of European exploration to the recent past through archaeological and documentary evidence. 3 hours lecture. (000574)
Perquisite: ANTH 302.
The primary emphases of this course is to familiarize students with the field of experimental archaeology, introduce them to ancient technologies, and develop their ability to formulate and test hypotheses. Students review the foundational literature of the field, as well as analyze recent studies. They also receive hand-on experience in recreating ancient technologies through in-class exercises. Students then apply what they have learned by designing and implementing their own experimental archaeology projects, and presenting their results in a poster session. 3 hours lecture. (021826)
The social and institutional frameworks, legislative bases, procedures, and practices of prehistoric and cultural resources management taught by means of case studies of legislative documents, management studies, and environmental impact reports. The investigation of selected resources and preparation of appropriate descriptive, evaluative, and management reports. 3 hours lecture. (000617)

Cultural Anthropology

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
This course is also offered as ASST 200.
An introduction to the people and cultures of Asia, emphasizing India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The course employs a multimediated approach to learning. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (000523)
This course is also offered as AIST 261.
Survey of Native North America with an emphasis on U.S. indigenous peoples. Diverse traditional cultures, rituals, languages, interrelationships, and economic and social institutions are examined as informed by archaeological and ethnographic data, in addition to native perspectives. Culture continuity, adaptation, and change in a post-contact period are featured. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. (000383)
Study of the Native peoples of South America, Mexico, and Central America from European contact to the present. The course emphasizes contemporary ethnography and interaction of indigenous people with colonialism and the modern nation-state. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021187)
This course examines how societies create, understand, and resolve environmental problems. It uses anthropological methods to explore relations between cultural and natural orders in a wide range of human groups. It emphasizes new approaches that can contribute to the well-being and sustainability of living communities in the twenty-first century. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (020636)
This course examines the social and cultural contexts of food production and consumption in a cross-cultural, global and historical perspective, including contemporary social, environmental and policy issues associated with food. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (020625)
This course examines the social and cultural contexts of food production and consumption in a cross-cultural, global and historical perspective, including contemporary social, environmental and policy issues associated with food. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021352)
This course is also offered as AIST 362W.
Native peoples of California: their origin, prehistory, languages, and pre-contact cultural practices, such as subsistence, settlement, socio-political organization, and ceremony, with the local area highlighted. Interactions with Europeans are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on the archaeological and ethnographic records. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved US Diversity course. (000519)
Native peoples of the Arctic, range of material and social culture, problems of acculturation and stress, current policies of various governments in the economic and social development of the Far North. 3 hours lecture. (000520)
An introduction to African societies in anthropological and ethnographic perspective. Comparative case studies in historical and regional context explore body and self, religious experience, expressive arts, environmental and political conjunctures, and social change across the continent. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021353)
This course examines Muslim cultures in the daily, national and global contexts in which Islam is practiced. Students read ethnography, fiction, history, and poetry in order to appreciate, respect and understand contemporary Islamic cultures. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021354)
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or RELS 480 or instructor's permission.
This course examines the contemporary theoretical underpinnings of the anthropology of religion, considering especially performative, gendered, psychological, semiotic, and political aspects of religion in cross-cultural persepective. 3 hours lecture. (000577)
Surveys the relationships among disease, curing, culture, and environment. Topics include problems of adapting modern medicines to diverse cultures; explication of the social and cultural correlates of physical and mental health and disease; nutritional implications of culture change; anthropology contributions to health-policy decisions and makers in non-Western countries. 3 hours seminar. (000579)
Explores the historical and contemporary global movements of people, commodities, technology and ideas. Surveys the impacts of colonial relationships on the contemporary world, post-colonialism and the rise of the development era, and contemporary trends resulting in the increased social and cultural integration and differentiation of individuals and groups around the world. 3 hours lecture. (000582)

Museum Studies

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
The principles of museum administration, including staffing, finances, educational programs, and ethics. 3 hours lecture. (000545)
Offers practical training in collections management techniques, including registration methods, curatorial practices, and the care, preservation, and conservation of museum specimens. 6 hours activity. (000596)
This course is designed to provide a foundation in the methodological and theoretical underpinnings in contemporary museum education, with an emphasis on application through exhibits, outreach programs, and visitor experiences. The course focuses on all aspects of the educational role of museums in their communities, the historical developments in the field, and current issues facing museum educators, which includes promoting diversity and civic engagement within the educational setting of a museum. 3 hours laboratory. (021649)
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
This course introduces students to current practices, methodologies, and applied theory in preserving archaeological artifacts for the purposes of exhibit, research, and good stewardship. The course is structured in a seminar/laboratory format designed to familiarize students with preventative conservation, documentation, curation strategies, and basic conservation treatments of archaeological materials. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (000598)
This course has been designed to introduce students to relevant areas of research and theoretical perspectives that concern museums and museum professionals today. Museums have become places that enrich the lives our communities in a variety of ways. As institutions with a public mission to educate and enlighten, museums devote considerable time to civic engagements, inclusiveness, honoring diversity, and good stewardships of cultural heritage while making sure museums thrive and run smoothly. Drawing on the specialization of instructors in the Department of Anthropology's Museum Studies Program, this source will cover a diversity of current topics in museum studies ranging from material culture, visitor studies, and museum education to community participation and new museum theory. 3 hours lecture. (021823)

Electives: 9 units

3 courses selected from:

Any upper-division Anthropology (ANTH) courses selected in consultation with your advisor.

Electives Requirement:

To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

  • You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
  • You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
  • Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
  • Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.

Catalog Cycle:21