Program Overview

---

Anthropology Major, B.A.

The Anthropology Major, B.A. is an integrative study of human beings at all times and in all places. Anthropological expertise has special application for hidden histories and the ancient past; the intersection of human biology and ecology; and the way communities create and use meaning, values, and history in everyday life.

Overview

Anthropology is the study of human beings, from the earliest human societies to the present day. It encompasses the study of human biology, culture, language, and social organization. The Anthropology Major, B.A. program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the discipline and its applications.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Anthropology program, students should be able to:

• Discuss and critically assess theories and concepts for the study of social, cultural, and biological forms, phenomena, and change in the human species
• Engage in the coherent, holistic, integrative study of humans over time and space
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of human social, cultural, and biological heterogeneity, within a framework that affirms the essential unity of the human species

Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must:

• Earn a minimum final cumulative GPA of 2.000
• Complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
• Take at least half of their major core requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill
• Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the major core requirements

The major requires the completion of 27 hours of coursework, including:

• One course from biological anthropology (3 hours)
• One course from archaeology (3 hours)
• One course from sociocultural anthropology (3 hours)
• One theoretical perspectives course (3 hours)
• A capstone seminar in anthropology (3 hours)
• Four additional three-hour courses in anthropology (12 hours)

Course List

The following courses are required for the major:

• Biological Anthropology:
  • ANTH 143: Human Evolution and Adaptation
  • ANTH 148: Human Origins
  • ANTH 217: Human Biology in Comparative Perspective
  • ANTH 237: Food, Environment, and Sustainability
  • ANTH 238: Human Ecology of Africa
  • ANTH 315: Human Genetics and Evolution
  • ANTH 318: Human Growth and Development
  • ANTH 319: Global Health
• Archaeology:
  • ANTH 72: First-Year Seminar: Archaeology and Popular Culture
  • ANTH 121: Ancient Cities of the Americas
  • ANTH 123: Habitat and Humanity
  • ANTH 145: Introduction to World Prehistory
  • ANTH 149: Great Discoveries in Archaeology
  • ANTH 220: Principles of Archaeology
  • ANTH 222: Prehistoric Art
  • ANTH 231: The Inca and Their Ancestors: The Archaeology of Andean South America
  • ANTH 232: Ancestral Maya Civilizations
  • ANTH 233: Archaeology of Ancient Turkey
  • ANTH 250: Archaeology of North America
  • ANTH 252: Archaeology of Food
  • ANTH 409: Curating Things
  • ANTH 454: The Archaeology of African Diasporas
  • ANTH 457: Perspectives in Historical Archaeology
• Sociocultural Anthropology:
  • ANTH 101: General Anthropology
  • ANTH 102: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 120: Anthropology through Expressive Cultures
  • ANTH 142: Local Cultures, Global Forces
  • ANTH 147: Comparative Healing Systems
  • ANTH 202: Everyday Cultures: Folklore in America
  • ANTH 203: Approaches to American Indian Studies
  • ANTH 280: Anthropology of War and Peace
  • ANTH 284: Culture and Consumption
  • ANTH 330: Melancholy Japan: Myth, Memory, and Everyday Life
  • ANTH 331: The Anthropology of Memory
  • ANTH 361: Community in India and South Asia
• Theoretical Perspectives:
  • ANTH 291: Archaeological Theory and Practice
  • ANTH 294: Anthropological Perspectives on Society and Culture
  • ANTH 298: Biological Anthropology Theory and Practice
• Capstone Seminar:
  • ANTH 490: Undergraduate Seminar in Anthropology

Special Opportunities in Anthropology

Honors in Anthropology

Writing an honors thesis is an excellent way to cap one’s major in anthropology. The process offers students the chance to carry out original research on a topic that they are passionate about. To pursue an honors thesis project, students must:

• Maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.3 from the spring semester of the junior year through the entirety of the senior year
• Secure a faculty advisor who is an anthropologist at UNC-Chapel Hill
• Successfully complete the ANTH 691H and ANTH 692H sequence
• Receive approval from UNC’s Office for Human Research Ethics prior to the start of research, for all projects involving human subjects

Internships, Field Work, and Independent Study

Students who wish to explore an anthropological concern outside the conventional classroom setting, or who desire advanced or specialized work beyond current course offerings, should consider ANTH 393, ANTH 395, ANTH 396, ANTH 451, and ANTH 453.

Study Abroad

Anthropology majors are encouraged to enroll in a study abroad program. These programs can offer direct experience of another culture and intensive language training, as well as excellent coursework in anthropology.

Department Programs

The Department of Anthropology offers the following programs:

• Major: Anthropology Major, B.A.
• Minors: General Anthropology Minor, Heritage and Global Engagement Minor, Medical Anthropology Minor
• Graduate Programs: Ph.D. in Anthropology

Courses

The Department of Anthropology offers a wide range of courses, including:

• ANTH 143: Human Evolution and Adaptation
• ANTH 148: Human Origins
• ANTH 217: Human Biology in Comparative Perspective
• ANTH 237: Food, Environment, and Sustainability
• ANTH 238: Human Ecology of Africa
• ANTH 315: Human Genetics and Evolution
• ANTH 318: Human Growth and Development
• ANTH 319: Global Health
• ANTH 72: First-Year Seminar: Archaeology and Popular Culture
• ANTH 121: Ancient Cities of the Americas
• ANTH 123: Habitat and Humanity
• ANTH 145: Introduction to World Prehistory
• ANTH 149: Great Discoveries in Archaeology
• ANTH 220: Principles of Archaeology
• ANTH 222: Prehistoric Art
• ANTH 231: The Inca and Their Ancestors: The Archaeology of Andean South America
• ANTH 232: Ancestral Maya Civilizations
• ANTH 233: Archaeology of Ancient Turkey
• ANTH 250: Archaeology of North America
• ANTH 252: Archaeology of Food
• ANTH 409: Curating Things
• ANTH 454: The Archaeology of African Diasporas
• ANTH 457: Perspectives in Historical Archaeology
• ANTH 101: General Anthropology
• ANTH 102: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
• ANTH 120: Anthropology through Expressive Cultures
• ANTH 142: Local Cultures, Global Forces
• ANTH 147: Comparative Healing Systems
• ANTH 202: Everyday Cultures: Folklore in America
• ANTH 203: Approaches to American Indian Studies
• ANTH 280: Anthropology of War and Peace
• ANTH 284: Culture and Consumption
• ANTH 330: Melancholy Japan: Myth, Memory, and Everyday Life
• ANTH 331: The Anthropology of Memory
• ANTH 361: Community in India and South Asia
• ANTH 291: Archaeological Theory and Practice
• ANTH 294: Anthropological Perspectives on Society and Culture
• ANTH 298: Biological Anthropology Theory and Practice
• ANTH 490: Undergraduate Seminar in Anthropology

Department of Anthropology

The Department of Anthropology is located in the Alumni Building, CB#3115. The department is led by:

• Chair: Amanda Thompson
• Associate Chair: Benjamin Arbuckle
• Director of Graduate Studies: Townsend Middleton
• Director of Undergraduate Studies: Martha King

Undergraduate Awards

The Honigmann Undergraduate Honors Thesis Award is given each year to the student who completed the best undergraduate honors project.