ANTHROPOLOGY
College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. Anthropologists take a broad approach to understanding the varieties of human experience, which uniquely places us at the juxtaposition of the social sciences, natural sciences and the humanities. Anthropology is traditionally organized into four subfields that offer distinctive skills.
Cultural and Social Anthropology deals with the social lives of people around the world, including our own society: economic systems, legal practices, kinship, religions, medical practices, folklore, arts and political systems, as well as the interrelationship of these systems in environmental adaptation and social change. Anthropological Linguistics deals with varied aspects of human language and the characteristics of nonhuman communication systems, to achieve an understanding of past and present human language systems and their significance in social life.
Biological Anthropology is a biological science that deals with adaptations, variability and evolution of humans, and our living and fossil relatives. It is also a social science because biological anthropologists study human biology within the context of culture and behavior. Simply put, they study humans from a biocultural perspective across space and time. Physical Anthropology describes and compares world human biology. Focuses on humans and their primate order, and seeks to document and understand the interplay of culture and biology in the course of human evolution and adaptation.
Archaeology focuses on the material remains of human societies from the remote and recent past with emphasis on reconstructing and understanding past modes of human cultural adaptation and change.
While maintaining exposure to these four subfields, the Anthropology program allows students to sharpen their skills in specific domains of anthropological thought and practice. Students may choose from three concentrations that share a common foundation.
- Culture, Language and Society (CLS): develops knowledge, skills, and perspectives to understand and engage with a diverse, interconnected world. It prepares students to pursue a diverse array of careers in governmental and non-governmental organizations, education and healthcare; or pursue advanced graduate study in anthropology or other fields such as business or law.
- Archaeology and Biological Anthropology (ABA): emphasizes a scientific approach to anthropology. It prepares students for careers in the anthropological sciences in both the public and private sectors, such as cultural resources management, collections management, basic forensic science, and advanced graduate studies in anthropology or related disciplines.
- General Anthropology (GA): constitutes a solid liberal arts foundation that allows students to pursue advanced graduate studies and/or careers in diverse fields based on a more general suite of coursework or a unique curriculum constructed under the guidance of a faculty member.
Special Features
- Diverse faculty who are widely published and enjoy national repute in their specializations.
- Regular activities include Faculty Colloquia and the Sacramento Anthropological Society with its annual symposium.
- Extensive ethnographic and archaeological collections, housed in the Museum of Anthropology and the Archaeological Curation Facility, afford students opportunities to learn all phases of museum and collections management work. The Department exhibit hall displays an excellent collection of museum artifacts.
- The Department maintains a computer lab, as well as several computer stations in the Archaeology lab.
- Course related fieldwork in California and the Great Basin and archaeological laboratory opportunities are offered through internships at the Archaeological Research Center (ARC) and the Archaeological Curation Facility (ACF). Paid fieldwork and laboratory opportunities may also be available for qualified students through the ARC and ACF.
- Professional journals and the updated Human Relations Area File are housed in the University Library.
Requirements - Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology
Units required: 52 units, includes units of study in chosen concentration
Minimum total units required for BA: 120
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.
A. Required Lower Division Core Courses (13 units)
(3) |
Introduction to Biological Anthropology |
|
(1) |
Laboratory in Biological Anthropology |
|
(3) |
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology |
|
(3) |
Introduction to Archaeology |
|
(3) |
Language, Culture, and Communication |
B. Upper Division Core Requirements (12 units)
(3) |
Ethnographic Analysis (ANTH 2) |
|
(3) |
Language & Culture (ANTH 4 or instructor permission) |
(3) Select one of the following:
|
California Archaeology (ANTH 3) |
|
Great Basin Archaeology (ANTH 3) |
||
Prehistory of Southwest (ANTH 3) |
||
North American Prehistory (ANTH 3) |
||
The Evolution of Early Mesoamerican States (ANTH 3) |
(3) Select one of the following:
|
||
C. Additional requirements for Concentrations (27 units)
Archaeology & Biological Anthropology Concentrations (27 units)
The Archaeological and Biological Anthropology concentration provides students with the knowledge, skills and perspectives of scientific anthropology. It prepares students for careers in the anthropological sciences, such as cultural resources management, skeletal identification, zoological or museum technicians for the graduate training.
Required Upper Division Courses
Archaeology Theory
(3) Select one of the following:
|
Anthropology of Hunters & Gatherers (ANTH 3) |
|
Ecological and Evolutionary Approaches to Anthropology (ANTH 3) |
||
Archaeological Method & Theory (ANTH 3) |
||
Origins of Agriculture (ANTH 3) |
Biological Anthropology
(3) Select one of the following:
|
Human Paleontology (ANTH 1, ANTH 1A or instructor permission) |
|
Evolutionary Medicine (ANTH 1, BIO 1, BIO 2 or PSYC 2 recommended) |
||
Primate Behavior |
||
Laboratory Methods
(3) Select one of the following:
|
Introductory Statistics for Anthropologists |
|
Environmental Archaeology (ANTH 3) |
||
Techniques of Archaeological Analysis (ANTH 3) |
||
Human Osteology (ANTH 1 and ANTH 1A, or BIO 22 or instructor permission) |
||
Laboratory Work in Archaeology (ANTH 3, Corequisite ANTH 195A; may be waived with instructor permission) |
||
Breadth Requirement
(9) Select three from all the upper division courses listed above plus the following:
|
Old World Prehistory: Paleolithic Archaeology |
|
Ancient Technology |
||
Cultural Resources Management in Theory & Practice (ANTH 3) |
||
Indians of California |
||
Indians of North America |
||
Primate Adaptations |
||
Human Skeletal Analysis (ANTH 150) |
||
Bioarchaeology: Analyzing Human Remains from Archaeology Sites (ANTH 1 and ANTH 1A or instructor permission) |
General Electives (6 units)
Select any two upper division courses from Anthropology (except
ANTH 155 and
ANTH 157) or
any related discipline with approval from Major Advisor.
Additional Requirements (3 units)
Anthropology majors must take a statistics course (e.g.
STAT 1, or one approved by the Department).
Note: All requirements except General Electives must be completed with a grade of "C-" or better.
Culture, Language & Society Concentration (27 Units)
The Culture, Language & Society concentration develops knowledge, skills and perspectives to understand and engage with our diverse, interconnected world. It is designed to meet the needs of students who wish to pursue graduate work or post-baccalaureate careers in government, the non-profit sector, education, healthcare or other contexts that require attention to cultural and linguistic dynamics.
Required Upper Division Courses
Theoretical Perspective
(3) Select one of the following:
|
Anthropology of War (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
Economic Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
Social Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
Culture Theory (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
Political Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
|
Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 162 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Religion and Culture (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Folklore in Anthropological Perspective (ANTH 162 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Museums, Culture and Society (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Advanced Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 162 or instructor permission) |
Methods
(3) Select one of the following:
|
Applied Anthropology (ANTH 105 or ANTH 108 or ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 or ANTH 142 or ANTH 167 or ANTH 168 or ANTH 176 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Research Methods in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 160, ANTH 190 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Museum Methods (ANTH 176 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Laboratory in Ethnographic Techniques (ANTH 105 or ANTH 108 or ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 or ANTH 142 or ANTH 167 or ANTH 168 or ANTH 176 or instructor permission. Corequisite: ANTH 195B) |
|
|
Fieldwork in Ethnology (ANTH 105 or ANTH 108 or ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 or ANTH 142 or ANTH 167 or ANTH 168 or ANTH 176 or instructor permission. Corequisite: ANTH 192B) |
Breadth Requirements
(6) Select two of the following:
|
Europe in the Ethnographic Imagination (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Contemporary American Culture in Anthropological Perspective (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Peoples and Cultures of Latin America (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
African Cultures and Societies (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Urban Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Culture Change (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropologies of Music (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropology of Contemporary Asia (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropology of Food (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropology of Globalization (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
The Anthropology of Human Rights (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
Practicum (3 units)
|
Anthropology Practicum (ANTH 165 or ANTH 169 or ANTH 177 or ANTH 192B or instructor permission and senior level) |
General Electives (9 units)
Select three upper division courses from Anthropology
(except ANTH 155 and
ANTH 157) or related
discipline with approval of Major Advisor.
Additional Requirement (3 units)
Anthropology majors must take a statistics course (e.g.
STAT 1, or one approved by the Department).
Note: All requirements except General Electives must be completed with a grade of "C-" or better.
General Anthropology Concentration (27 Units)
The General Anthropology concentration introduces students to the fundamentals of archaeological, biological, sociocultural and linguistic anthropology. It constitutes a good liberal arts foundation that will help students pursue advanced studies and/or careers in diverse fields.
Required Upper Division Courses
(6) Select two of the following:
|
Anthropology of Hunters & Gatherers (ANTH 3) |
|
Ecological and Evolutionary Approaches to Anthropology (ANTH 3) |
||
Archaeological Method & Theory (ANTH 3) |
||
|
California Archaeology (ANTH 3) |
|
Great Basin Archaeology (ANTH 3) |
||
Prehistory of Southwest (ANTH 3) |
||
North American Prehistory (ANTH 3) |
||
Origins of Agriculture (ANTH 3) |
||
The Evolution of Early Mesoamerican States (ANTH 3) |
||
Indians of California |
||
Indians of North America |
||
|
Human Paleontology (ANTH 1, ANTH 1A or instructor permission) |
|
Evolutionary Medicine (ANTH 1, BIO 1, BIO 2, or PSYC 2 recommended) |
||
Primate Behavior |
||
(6) Select two of the following:
|
Anthropology of War (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
Economic Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
Europe in the Ethnographic Imagination (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
Social Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
Culture Theory (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
Political Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
||
|
Contemporary American Culture in Anthropological Perspective (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Peoples and Cultures of Latin America (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 162 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Urban Anthropology (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Culture Change (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Applied Anthropology (ANTH 105 or ANTH 108 or ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 or ANTH 142 or ANTH 167 or ANTH 168 or ANTH 176 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Religion and Culture (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Folklore in Anthropological Perspective (ANTH 162 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Research Methods in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 162 and instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropologies of Music (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropology of Contemporary Asia (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropology of Food (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Anthropology of Globalization (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Museums, Culture and Society (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Museum Methods (ANTH 176 or instructor permission) |
|
|
The Anthropology of Human Rights (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Advanced Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 162 or instructor permission) |
|
|
Laboratory in Ethnographic Techniques (ANTH 105 or ANTH 108 or ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 or ANTH 142 or ANTH 167 or ANTH 168 or ANTH 176 or instructor permission. Corequisite: ANTH 195B) |
|
|
Fieldwork in Ethnology (ANTH 105 or ANTH 108 or ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 or ANTH 142 or ANTH 167 or ANTH 168 or ANTH 176 or instructor permission. Corequisite: ANTH 192B) |
General Electives
(12) Select four upper division courses from all of the above plus the following:
|
Old World Prehistory: Paleolithic Archaeology |
|
|
Introductory Statistics for Anthropologists (instructor permission) |
|
Ancient Technology |
||
Environmental Archaeology (ANTH 3) |
||
Techniques of Archaeological Analysis (ANTH 3) |
||
Cultural Resources Management in Theory & Practice (ANTH 3) |
||
Japanese Culture & Society |
||
Culture & Society in Mexico |
||
Peoples of Southeast Asia |
||
Anthropology of Chinese Societies |
||
Cultures of South Asia |
||
Primate Adaptations |
||
Human Skeletal Analysis (ANTH 150) |
||
|
African Cultures and Societies (ANTH 146 or instructor permission) |
|
Rise of Religious Cults |
||
Bioarchaeology: Analyzing Human Remains from Archaeology Sites (ANTH 1 and ANTH 1A or instructor permission) |
||
Women Cross-Culturally |
||
Anthropology of the Body |
Additional Requirement (3 units)
Anthropology majors must take a statistics course (e.g.
STAT 1 or one approved by the Department).
Note: All requirements except General Electives must be completed with a grade of "C-" or better.
Requirements - Minor
Total units required for minor: 18, twelve must be in upper division.The Anthropology minor requires 18 units of Anthropology courses; with a minimum of 12 upper division units. There are no specific course requirements. Not more than 3 units of ANTH 178, ANTH 195A, ANTH 195B, ANTH 195C or ANTH 199 may be counted toward the minor.
GRADUATE PROGRAM
The Master of Arts program in Anthropology is designed for students who plan to continue their graduate studies in Anthropology at the Ph.D. level as well as for students who plan to pursue any of the numerous opportunities for graduate anthropologists, such as in private research, Foreign Service, education, and government.
The program centers on a core of general requirements designed to provide each student with a graduate level exposure to the broad discipline of Anthropology, with an emphasis on general methodology and the ways in which problems are conceptualized and approached in at least three of the interrelated sub-disciplines. Beyond this core, each student is encouraged to design a plan of elective coursework relevant to his/her postgraduate goals. The plan may be to continue a broad, unspecialized course of study, or to concentrate on any of the specialties represented by the interests of the faculty.
Following admission to classified standing, each student is assigned a temporary advisor and informally interviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee to determine the scope of his/her interests and academic background and to establish the plan for elective coursework. After the graduate interview, the student forms a Thesis Committee composed of a graduate advisor and at least one additional member of the Anthropology faculty. The responsibility of the Thesis Committee is to provide general academic advice and to guide the student in conducting research and writing the thesis.
Students may develop their special interests through individual arrangements with their faculty advisors, or they may take advantage of opportunities for special training in such areas of Applied Anthropology as cultural resource management, museology, Anthropology in education, and medical Anthropology through participation in ongoing informal programs which may include special field work or intern placement with local agencies. Prospective students should obtain a copy of the most recent Department of Anthropology Graduate Study Brochure for updated information on special opportunities.
Admission Requirements
Admission to classified graduate standing in Anthropology requires:
- a baccalaureate degree;
- a minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 units attempted.
Admission Procedures
Graduate students are considered once a year for admission for the fall semester. To ensure consideration of admission for the following year, applicants must complete a university application and a separate departmental application by the posted application deadline dates for the term applying. For more admissions information and application deadlines, please visit http://www.csus.edu/gradstudies/.
Notes:
- an application for admission and a supplemental application for graduate admission (forms A and B in the CSU application booklet); and
- two complete sets of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, other than Sacramento State.
At the same time, applicants must submit to the Graduate Coordinator, Department of Anthropology: a letter describing their academic background and present interests, two signed letters of recommendation on official letterhead from individuals who can assess the applicant's potential for graduate study, and results of the General Graduate Record Examination and Graduate Record Examination Writing Assessment.
Advancement to Candidacy
Each student must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy indicating a proposed program of graduate study. This procedure may begin as soon as the classified graduate student has:
- removed any deficiencies in admission requirements;
- completed at least 12 units of 200-level Anthropology courses with a minimum 3.0 GPA;
- completed a Thesis Prospectus Review; and
- taken the Writing Placement for Graduate Students (WPG) or taken a Graduate Writing Intensive (GWI) course in their discipline within the first two semesters of coursework at California State University, Sacramento or secured approval for a WPG waiver.
Students should consult the Department's current Graduate Program Brochure for deadlines.
Note: Students may not enroll in ANTH 500 until Advanced to Candidacy. Advancement to Candidacy forms are available in the Office of Graduate Studies. The student fills out the form after planning a program of study in consultation with his/her Anthropology faculty advisors. The completed form is then returned to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.
Requirements - Master of Arts Degree
Units required for the MA: 30 with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
A. Required Courses (6 units)
Students must take the seminar in their field of study and choose one additional seminar.
Biological Anthropology Seminar |
||
Archaeology |
||
Ethnology |
||
Language and Culture |
Note: Grade "B-" or better required in each course listed above.
B. Electives (21 units)
Any graduate level or advanced upper division courses, three (9 units) of which must be graduate level seminars in the Anthropology Department. Specific electives must be approved in advance by the student's Thesis Committee.
No more than 3 units of ANTH 278 or ANTH 299 may be applied to the MA. ANTH 278 and ANTH 299 courses that have passed the seven-year University limit may not be applied to the MA.
Preliminary Examination: Passing the Preliminary Examination is a prerequisite to Advancement to Candidacy.
C. Culminating Requirement (3 units)
| (3) | ANTH 500 | Master's Thesis (Advanced to candidacy and chair permission of his/her thesis committee) |
Career Possibilities
Anthropology equips students with the necessary knowledge to engage with the political, economic, cultural, and social complexities of the world. In addition to providing students analytical and critical thinking skills, anthropology exposes students to the intersection of culture, biology, and history on peoples’ lived experiences. Majoring in Anthropology provides students a solid foundation for advanced studies in diverse fields such as anthropology, business, cultural resources management, law, journalism, medicine, communication, social work, urban studies, public policy, informatics, and any other profession that calls for the sustained engagement with cultural diversity, critical thinking, analytical abilities and people skills. Given the training they receive, anthropologists are increasing sought by the business world, government agencies and non-government organizations. Traditionally Anthropology majors have pursued careers in primary and secondary teaching; consumer market research; human resource development; local, state, and federal governmental agencies; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); archaeological field or laboratory technicians; forensic analysis, community development organizations; trade union organizations and allied fields. The globalized world economy has expanded this horizon to include career opportunities in communication, health care, entertainment, information technology, consumer product development, etc.
Faculty
Data Dea Barata, Mark Basgall, Joyce Bishop, Martin Biskowski, Terri Castaneda, Michael Delacorte, Jacob Fisher, Samantha Hens, Liam Murphy, Nathan Stevens, M. Elizabeth Strasser, Cindi Sturtz Sreetharan, Roger Sullivan, Raghuraman Trichur, Michael Walker, David Zeanah
Contact Information
Raghuraman Trichur, Department Chair
Ana Gutierrez, Administrative Support Coordinator
Mendocino Hall 4010
(916) 278-6452
www.csus.edu/anth