Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
Anthropology is the holistic, comparative study of human diversity. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Anthropology provides students with a solid foundation in the contemporary theory, practice and application of the discipline and an understanding of global human diversity with a special emphasis on the cultures, lifeways and contemporary social issues of Alaska and the Circumpolar North. The program prepares students in intercultural fluency, critical thinking and research skills through coursework, applied research experiences and fieldwork. Graduates find opportunities in education, health care, museums, social services, international development agencies, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, marketing and publishing. Many graduates also pursue graduate degrees in anthropology, law, public health, public policy, social work and other fields.
Admission RequirementsComplete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
Graduation Requirements- Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the following major requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| ANTH A202 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH A205 | Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH A210 | Linguistic Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH A211 | Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTH A410 | Anthropological Theory | 3 |
| ANTH A458 | Applied Ethics in Anthropology 1 | 3 |
| Ethnographic Courses | ||
| ANTH A200 | Alaska Native Cultures | 3 |
| ANTH A390A | Arctic and Subarctic Cultures 1 | 3 |
| ANTH A390B | World Cultures 1 | 3 |
| or ANTH A390C | Comparative Culture Studies | |
| Methodology Courses | ||
| Complete six credits from at least two of the following courses: 2 | 6 | |
ANTH A415 | Applied Anthropology | |
ANTH A430 | Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology | |
ANTH A431 | Field Methods in Archaeology and Bioanthropology 3 | |
ANTH A477 | Cultural Resource Management | |
ANTH A480 | Analytical Techniques in Archaeology and Bioanthropology 1 | |
ANTH A487 | Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology | |
GEOG A470 | Environmental Policy and Regulation in Alaska | |
or GEOG A475 | Geospatial and Cartographic Techniques for the Sciences | |
| Topical/Theoretical Courses | ||
| Complete six credits from at least two of the following courses: 2 | 6 | |
ANTH A411 | Archaeological Theory | |
ANTH A452 | Culture and Human Biodiversity | |
ANTH A454 | Culture and Ecology | |
ANTH A455 | Culture and Health | |
ANTH A464 | Culture and Globalization | |
ANTH A490A | Health, Ritual and Science 1 | |
ANTH A490B | Historical Engagements 1 | |
ANTH A490C | Belief and Identity 1 | |
ANTH A490D | Topics in the Contemporary North 1 | |
ANTH A490E | Culture, Environment, Place 1 | |
| Program Electives | ||
| Complete any additional 3 credits in ANTH or GEOG. | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Humanities Electives | ||
| Complete six upper-division credits in AKNS, ART, ENGL, HIST, PHIL, THR or languages. | 6 | |
| Total | 48 | |
- 1
Specific topical emphases for these courses vary by offering. See catalog course descriptions for details.
- 2
Other upper-division selected topics (ANTH A490), practicum (ANTH A495), independent study (ANTH A497), or individual research (ANTH A498), or thesis (ANTH A499) courses may be applied to satisfy methodological or topical/theoretical course requirements with department approval, depending on course content.
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ANTH A431 is infrequently offered, typically as a summer field school. Please check with the Department of Anthropology for the schedule.
A minimum of 120 credits is required for the degree, of which 39 credits must be upper-division.
Honors in AnthropologyThe BA in Anthropology recognizes distinguished achievement by undergraduate majors in the study of anthropology by conferring programmatic honors in Anthropology. In order to receive honors in Anthropology, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Be a declared anthropology major;
- Satisfy all of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Anthropology;
- Meet the requirements for Graduation with Honors;
- Earn a minimum GPA of 3.50 in courses specific to the anthropology major;
- Complete a senior thesis project (taken as ANTH A499), based on library, laboratory or field research resulting in a substantial, thesis-quality paper defended before the anthropology faculty. The course may be taken on a one-semester (3-credit) or two-semester (6-credit) basis.