Anthropology (ANT)

In this course, students will learn the foundations of anthropology as the study of human variation in its biological, social, and cultural dimensions. Students will learn about anthropological concepts, principles, and methodologies to understand and explore past and present human behavior. They will apply the anthropological approach to analyze issues pertaining to past and contemporary cultures, and develop intellectual skills and habits to understand behavioral, social and cultural issues from multiple disciplinary perspectives.

The historical and theoretical backgrounds of Archaeology, the goals and methods of Archaeology, and Archaeological fieldwork techniques.

Survey of the world's known cultures by major geographic region. Topics cover the range and variety of the human condition.

Introduction to global human diversity examining the entirety of biological and cultural adaptations from the holistic, comparative, and cross-cultural lens of cultural anthropology. This course surveys patterns of language, subsistence, technology, political-economic organization, kinship and family, art, religion, and health to highlight how different cultures address universal challenges of human society. This scholarly enriched course imparts foundational professional skills including academic writing based in critical thinking, information literacy, and written communication skills.

In this course, students apply scientific and anthropological methods to examine the evolution of humankind and range and extent of modern human physical and biological diversity. Topics include primates, paleoanthropology, anthropometry and range methods and techniques employed in this field.

Have you ever wondered why so many people believe that aliens built the pyramids, that long-lost civilizations like Atlantis have yet to be re-discovered, or that archaeologists conceal information about the “secrets” of past life on our planet? Using pseudoarchaeology, this class explores false claims in terms of their motives, consequences, and their ability to appear convincing and scientific without bearing any scientific merit at all. By unpacking the contents of these cases, we can learn to become critical consumers of information and develop our own skills in constructing sound arguments based on demonstrable evidence.

This course presents for experience the processes used to create museum exhibitions, from planning and research through exhibit design, display techniques, script-writing, and installation. The focus is on the exhibition as a process that engages curator and visitor, installation space and objects, ideology and aesthetics. The course will also consider and debate the ethical issues in constructing museum exhibitions.

Discussion of archeological evidence for the development of civilization in its regional variants from the earliest beginning to the dawn of written history. Analysis of causes of cultural development in Old and New World centers.

Explores and analyzes the sequence of cultural development in prehistoric old world (Africa, Asia, and Europe) societies. A variety of cultures and culture areas are examined. An emphasis is placed on comparing processes of social change across regions.

A survey of pre-Columbian Native American societies, with a focus on Mesoamerica and South America, from the earliest evidence of human presence on the continents to contact period interactions between Native Americans and Europeans. Students will learn the culture history of each region and will read and discuss current themes and debates in the scholarship of the prehistory of the Americas.

Explores the cultural expressions of Florida's indegenous people from the Paeloindian period through the time of European contact and subsequent conquest. Overviews the temporal, cultural and spatial relationships within Florida and the broader regional archaeology.

Concepts in anthropology explored through studies of particular regions of the world. Provides ethnographic examples in varied courses focusing on specific areas, such as Africa, South America, Asia, Middle East, or Southwest U.S. May be repeated once with a change in region covered.

Introduction to the cross-cultural methods and techniques regarding the collection, classification, and analysis of such materials as myths, jokes, games, and items of material culture.

This course explores ways to accomplish a holistic vision in the field of anthropology through photography, cinematography, videotaping, and the display of material culture artifacts. It emphasizes the potential of using one or another kind of seeing with critical eye as an essential tool to achieve greater accuracy in the representation of ethnographic material and images. Visual Anthropology explores past and current cultural representations through museum exhibits, films, and photographs.

This course examines traditional medical systems and contemporary alternative medicine and related cultural beliefs, behavior, and taboos. The course includes the role of the traditional healer, ethnobotany, and the relationship to biomedicine.

Introduction to qualitative and quantitative data collection through ethnography, cognitive domain analysis, ethnographic decision modeling, survey creation, and data collection and analysis. The goal of the course is to present an overview of methods available for research and to apply one of the techniques in depth to a community issue.

Forensic Anthropology applies theories and methods from Osteology and Archaeology to examine cases of medicolegal significance which involve the creation of the biological profile, estimation of time since death and trauma analysis.

Overview of the taxonomy, evolutionary history, ecology, and behavior of species of the order primates, and the theoretical basis and methodology of non-human primate studies.

This course will focus on primate and human origins, hominin evolution, and modern human evolution through the study of evolutionary morphology, archaeology, genetics, primate behavior, and paleoanthropology.

This course is an applied approach to anthropological linguistics focusing on methods to develop materials for language retention programs in cultures without a written tradition. The goals of the course are to understand the importance of language in cultural identity and the problems faced by minority populations in language retention. Material will cover language structure, description and analysis, language acquisition, language loss, comparative studies of speech, communication, and sociolinguistics.

Practicum covering many aspects of archaeological field work methods including: reconnaissance survey, site mapping and stratigraphic excavation. Students also gain experience in the use of survey equipment, cartographic illustration and statistical analysis.

This three-credit laboratory course complements the archaeological field course. Offered concurrently or separately, the course covers post-excavation analysis and interpretation methods. Students also gain experience in cataloging, curation, preservation and statistical analysis.

Individual study by students under the direction of a faculty member.

The internship course consists of at least 135 hours of supervised work experience intended to complement the Minor in Museum studies courses and provide real-world experience in a museum, historic site, public garden, archive, or other related organization. Students may complete their internship hours at any time during the academic year.

A survey of the major schools of anthropological thought taught from an historical perspective. In addition to understanding the background of scientific anthropology, students will become versed in humanistic approaches to contemporary theory.

This course is designed to teach principles of archaeological analysis and interpretation of mortuary remains. It examines mortuary practices cross-culturally to reveal both striking disparities and common themes in the ways different societies treat their dead.

Cross-cultural study of the social and cultural aspects of religion. Topics may include religious and magic activities in the traditional and modern societies, and ritual behavior, religious practitioners and symbols of belief and their impact on the social, political or economic aspects of peoples' lives.

This course introduces the field of psychological anthropology, examining the interrelationship between individual personality and cultural context. A model of the person has always been central to the practice of cultural anthropology, and by delving into cross-cultural comparisons of personality, cognitive cultural models, and understandings of the body within the context of social structures, students will develop a critical perspective of the culturally constructed self. This course introduces the field of psychological anthropology, examining the interrelationship between individual personality and cultural context. A model of the person has always been central to the practice of cultural anthropology, and by delving into cross-cultural comparisons of personality, cognitive cultural models, and understandings of the body within the context of social structures, students will develop a critical perspective of the culturally constructed self.

An examination of illness, behavior, biomedical and traditional healing systems from a comparative perspective. Provides insights into the inter- relatedness of technology, ecology, and health in larger populations.

Human Osteology is the study of human bones and dental anatomy with attention being paid to how these structures change chronologically and biologically as a result of behavior. Medical terminology is covered in this course as well.

Applied anthropology is the practical application of any or all of the subfields of anthropology: cultural, archaeology physical, and linguistic, to problem-solving in the real world.

Students develop a proposal for self-designed cultural immersion experiences abroad or domestically. Students may also receive credit through this course for experiential and field immersion programs at other institutions.

Specialized subjects and topics in anthropology. Topics may vary. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 credit hours which topics vary.

Capstone experience focusing on student's individual research interests and reflection of personal, intellectual development through anthropology.

This course provides students with experiential learning and opportunity to employ anthropological perspective, and methods in settings beyond classroom.