Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

Anthropology is the comprehensive study of people. It explores the fascinating realm of human biological evolution and variation where we came from and how we came to be Homo sapiens. Anthropology is also the way that humans, in all parts of the world and from prehistoric times to today, adapt to their environment. From groups such as families, clans, tribes, and nations, humans regulate behavior through sanctions, laws, and government; worship and celebrate; communicate; educate their young; and change to meet new challenges. Anthropology gives students a new perspective for understanding and interpreting the world around them by learning how people in different parts of the world live their lives and interacts with their environment. To achieve this, all majors are required to take courses in each of the four main subdivisions of the discipline: archaeology, the analysis of past cultures; sociocultural anthropology, the study of cultural differences in contemporary societies; linguistic anthropology, examination of the relationship between language and other aspects of culture the ways people communicate; and biological anthropology, the analysis of the biological characteristics of past and present primate and human populations. Career Opportunities: Anthropology is a good preparation for jobs in government, business, social services, news media, museums, and education that require an understanding of cultural and national differences and the ability to work with people from different backgrounds. Archaeologists are employed by local, state, and federal government agencies and small and large consulting and environmental firms to preserve, salvage, and restore archaeological resources.