2024-25 Edition

Anthropology, B.A.

The major in Anthropology prepares students to embark on a wide range of careers, to pursue graduate studies, and to continue to learn and achieve in our culturally diverse world. The curriculum develops students’ knowledge and skills, including (1) an understanding of cultural diversity and global relationships; (2) the fundamentals of conducting research and analyzing sources of information through ethnographic and other anthropological techniques; and (3) communication skills in organizing and presenting information in written reports and oral presentations.

All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Departmental Requirements for the Major

School Requirements must be met and must include 12 courses (48 units) as specified below:

A. Complete the following:
ANTHRO 2A Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
B. Select one of the following:
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Introduction to Archaeology
Introduction to Language and Culture
C. Select one of the following:
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Introduction to Archaeology
Introduction to Language and Culture
D. Complete the following:
ANTHRO 100A Ethnography and Anthropological Methods
ANTHRO 100B Anthropology Careers
ANTHRO 180AW Anthropology Majors Writing Seminar
E. Select six additional elective courses from the following:
ANTHRO 120-179

The four-quarter Honors Program in Anthropology is designed to allow undergraduates to pursue field research and write an honors thesis on a topic of their choice under the guidance of Department of Anthropology faculty members. Research projects typically involve a combination of library research, exploratory ethnographic interviews, participant observation, and systematic data collection and analysis.

Admission to the program is based on a formal application that is normally submitted in the winter quarter of the junior year. Please see the Department of Anthropology website for detailed information. Applicants must be Anthropology majors with an overall grade point average of 3.3 and a grade point average of at least 3.5 in Anthropology major courses. Prior completion of, or concurrent enrollment in ANTHRO 100A is required. Successful completion of the honors program and the honors thesis satisfies the upper-division writing requirement

Students who are accepted into the honors program complete a four-quarter honors seminar series beginning in spring quarter of their junior year. Students will write a proposal describing their research questions, the relevant background literature, and the methods of data collection and analysis (ANTHRO H190A); conduct ethnographic field research (ANTHRO H190B); apply qualitative data analysis methods to their research data (ANTHRO H190C); and write a senior honors thesis that is typically 40 to 80 pages long (ANTHRO H190W). Each quarter, students must concurrently be enrolled in one unit of ANTHRO 199 with their thesis advisor. Honors theses are read and evaluated by the advisor and the Undergraduate Program Director.

The faculty encourages Anthropology majors or minors to study abroad and experience a different culture while making progress toward degree objectives. The Study Abroad Center, which includes the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) and the International Opportunities Program (IOP), assists students in taking advantage of many worldwide opportunities. For example, UCEAP offers excellent opportunities to study anthropology at many universities abroad; courses taken abroad can be used to fulfill departmental requirement C, D, and E. Study abroad also can provide opportunities for cross-cultural experience, field research, and foreign language training. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) provides funding for independent field research. See the Study Abroad Center and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program sections of the Catalogue for additional information.