Anthropology

College of Liberal Arts
Department of Anthropology
(907) 474-7288

Degrees: B.A., B.S., M.A. Ph.D.

Minimum Requirements for Degrees: B.A.: 133 credits; B.S.: 133 credits; M.A.: 30 credits; Ph.D.: 18 thesis credits

The anthropology program offers a balanced and flexible program of academic courses and research opportunities in cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology and physical anthropology, particularly with respect to the past and present cultures of the North. Anthropology contributes to an understanding of the complex problems of human behavior, biology, language, cultural and social organization, and the relationship of humans to their environments. Anthropological research carried out in the field, laboratory and library provides information about past and present modes of living and of origins and distribution of peoples and cultures in the Arctic and subarctic.

The graduate program emphasizes general preparation in the field of anthropology. Such preparation enables graduates of the master's program to pursue more advanced training leading to the Ph.D. in anthropology, prepares them to teach anthropology within secondary education and/or undergraduate levels of higher education or prepares students for career positions with various levels of government in which some anthropological background and/or expertise is beneficial. Field research in Alaska is a common experience for graduate students in anthropology. All students must have fieldwork and laboratory experience appropriate to the discipline or subdiscipline.

The program offers thesis or non-thesis options. The choice of option is guided by the student's interests and goals, the graduate advisory committee and the requirements of the university.

The primary, although not exclusive, focus of the Ph.D. program is on the North. The Ph.D. is available with an emphasis in any of the four subfields of anthropology. Alaska archaeology, quaternary studies and contemporary Alaska Native studies are among the major areas of study.

Undergraduate Program

Major

Anthropology -- B.S. or B.A. Degree

1. Complete the general university requirements. (As part of the core curriculum requirements complete ANTH 100X*.)
2. Complete the B.A. or B.S. degree requirements (page 30 or 31).
3. Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
   ANTH 211 -- Fundamentals of Archaeology (3 credits)
   ANTH 215 -- Fundamentals of Social/Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)
   ANTH 221 -- Introduction to Biological Anthropology (3 credits)
   ANTH 320W -- Language and Culture: Applications to Alaska (3 credits)
   ANTH 411O -- Senior Seminar (3 credits)
   LING 101 -- Nature of Language (3 credits)
4. Complete 1 from the following concentrations:*
   

   Social/Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology (for B.A. degree)

   1. Complete the following:
      ANTH 304W,O -- Social Organization I (3 credits)
   2. Complete 2 of the following fundamentals of social/cultural anthropology courses:
      ANTH 404W,O -- Social Organization II (3 credits)
      ANTH 409 -- Anthropology of Religion (3 credits)
      ANTH 420 -- History of Anthropology (3 credits)
      ANTH 428W -- Ecological Anthropology (3 credits)
      ANTH 446 -- Economic Anthropology (3 credits)
   3. Complete 2 of the following topical courses:
      ANTH 230 -- The Oral Tradition: Folklore and Oral History (3 credits)
      ANTH 303 -- Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3 credits)
      ANTH 308W,O -- Language and Gender (3 credits)
      ANTH 360 -- Indigenous Art and Culture (3 credits)
   4. Complete 2 of the following ethnography courses:
      ANTH 242 -- Native Cultures of Alaska (3 credits)
      ANTH 301 -- World Ethnography ** (3 credits)
      ANTH 302 -- Anthropology of Siberia (3 credits)
      ANTH 365 -- Native Art of Alaska (3)
      or ANTH 366 -- Northwest Coast Indian Art (3)
      or ANTH 367 -- Eskimo Art (3) (3 credits)
      ANTH 380 -- The People of Alaskan Southwest: Aleuts, Kodiak Islanders and the Chugach (3)
      or ANTH 381 -- The Inupiaq and Yup'ik Peoples (3)
      or ANTH 382 -- The People of Alaskan Southeast (3)
      or ANTH 383 -- Athabascan Peoples of Alaska and Adjacent Canada (3) (3 credits)
   5. Complete open program electives at the 200-level or above (3 credits)
   5. Minimum credits required (133 credits)

   Archaeology and Biological Anthropology (for B.S. degree)

   1. Complete 1 of the following:
      ANTH 210 -- New World Prehistory (3 credits)
      ANTH 212 -- Old World Prehistory (3 credits)
   2. Complete the following:
      ANTH 315 -- Human Biology (3 credits)
      ANTH 351 -- Archaeological Analysis and Interpretation (3 credits)
      ANTH 405 -- Archaeological Methods and Theory (3 credits)
      ANTH 424 -- Analytical Techniques (3 credits)
   3. Complete 1 of the following:
      ANTH 415 -- Zooarchaeology and Taphonomy (3 credits)
      ANTH 422 -- Human Osteology (3 credits)
   4. Complete 1 of the following:
      ANTH 414 -- Environmental Archaeology (3 credits)
      ANTH 419W -- Material Culture Analysis (3 credits)
      ANTH 423O -- Paleoanthropology (3 credits)
      ANTH 453W -- Current Perspectives in Cultural Resource Management (3 credits)
      ANTH 492 -- Seminar: Physical Anthropology (3 credits)
   5. Complete open program electives at the 200-level or above (3 credits)
   5. Minimum credits required (133 credits)

* Student must earn a C grade or better in each course.

** Different geographic regions will be covered each year; e.g. North America, Oceania, etc.

Note: LING 101 satisfies part of the B.A. humanities requirements.

Minor

1. Complete the following:
   ANTH 211 -- Fundamentals of Archaeology (3 credits)
   ANTH 215 -- Fundamentals of Social/Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)
   ANTH 221 -- Introduction to Biological Anthropology (3 credits)
   ANTH 320W -- Language and Culture: Applications to Alaska (3 credits)
   Anthropology electives (6 credits)
2. Minimum credits required (18 credits)

Graduate Program

Anthropology -- M.A. Degree

1. Complete the admission process including the following:
   
   1. Submit GRE scores.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete the master's degree requirements.
4. Complete the following:
   ANTH 629 -- Structures of Anthropological Argument (3 credits)
   ANTH 652 -- Research Design and Professional Development Seminar (3 credits)
5. Complete 18 credits established by the advisory committee, or complete the following requirements for a linguistic anthropology masters degree:
   
   1. Complete at least 4 semesters of an appropriate language (requirement may be met by previous language study or demonstrated competence).
   2. Complete the following courses as part of the 18 credits required by the advisory committee (noted in part 5):
      ANTH 631 -- Language and Culture Seminar (3 credits)
      ANTH/LING 632 -- Field Methods in Descriptive Linguistics (3 credits)
6. Complete 1 of the following:
   ANTH 698 -- Research (6)
   or ANTH 699 -- Thesis (6) (6 credits)
7. Minimum credits required (30-36 credits)

Note: At least 24 credits must be regular coursework (not research or thesis) with 21 of these credits at the 600-level.

Anthropology -- Ph.D.

1. Complete the admission process including the following:
   
   1. Submit GRE scores.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete the Ph.D. degree requirements.
4. Complete coursework in anthropology and related disciplines as determined by the advisory committee.
5. Complete 1 foreign language and a research tool, or 2 foreign languages.
6. Minimum credits required (18 credits)