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ANTHROPOLOGY
College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies

BACHELOR OF ARTS
MINOR
MASTER OF ARTS
CAREER POSSIBILITIES
FACULTY
CONTACT
COMPLETE COURSE LISTING
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Anthropology is the study of people. Its perspective is biological, social and comparative, encompassing all aspects of human existence from the most ancient societies to those of the present day. Anthropology seeks to order and explain similarities and differences between peoples of the world from the combined vantage points of culture and biology.

Specializations
  • Cultural and Social Anthropology deal 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
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 monograph series and annual symposium.
  • Extensive ethnographic and archaeological collections, in conjunction with the Museum of Anthropology, afford students opportunities to learn all phases of museum 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 is supplemented by opportunities for paid fieldwork through the Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Studies, coordinated with ongoing foreign and domestic field projects, income-generating contract work, and the archaeology curriculum.
  • Fieldwork is also available at California and Great Basin sites, while internship placements with museums and governmental agencies provide research opportunities.
  • Professional journals and the updated Human Relations Area File are housed in the University Library.
  • The Institute sponsors occasional publications on California and Great Basin Prehistory.
REQUIREMENTS - BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE

Units required for Major: 49
Minimum total units required for BA: 120
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.

A. Required Lower Division Courses (13 units)

(3)

ANTH 1

Introduction to Physical Anthropology

(1)

ANTH 1A

Laboratory in Physical Anthropology

(3)

ANTH 2

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

(3)

ANTH 3

Introduction to Archaeology

(3)

ANTH 4

Language, Culture, and Critical Thinking


B. Foundational Requirements (24 units)

Archaeology
(3) Select one of the following:

ANTH 107

Anthropology of Hunters and Gatherers

 

ANTH 110

Archaeological Method and Theory (ANTH 3)

ANTH 115

Origins of Agriculture

(3) Select one of the following:

ANTH 111

California Archaeology

ANTH 112

Great Basin Archaeology

ANTH 113

Prehistory of Southwest

ANTH 114

North American Prehistory

ANTH 122

The Evolution of Early Mesoamerican States

 
Biological Anthropology
(6) Select two of the following:

ANTH 151

Human Paleontology (ANTH 1, ANTH 1A or instructor permission)

ANTH 154

Primate Behavior

 

ANTH 155

Method and Theory in Physical Anthropology. (ANTH 1, ANTH 1A)

  ANTH 156 Evolution of Human Behavior (ANTH 1, BIO 10 , BIO 11, or PSYC 1 recommended.)

ANTH 157

Human Variation (ANTH 1, BIO 10, or instructor permission)

 
Cultural Anthropology

(3)

ANTH 146

Ethnographic Analysis (ANTH 2)

(3) Select one of the following:

 

ANTH 104

The History of Anthropology (ANTH 2)

  ANTH 105 Anthropology of War
  ANTH 108 Economic Anthropology

ANTH 140

Social Anthropology (ANTH 2 or ANTH 102 and ANTH 104; or instructor permission)

 

ANTH 141

Culture Theory (ANTH 2, ANTH 104)

ANTH 142

Political Anthropology (ANTH 2 or ANTH 101)

ANTH 145

Peoples and Cultures of Latin America

ANTH 163

Urban Anthropology

ANTH 164

Culture Change (ANTH 2, ANTH 140, or ANTH 141 recommended)

  ANTH 167 Religion and Culture (ANTH 2)
  ANTH 176 Museums, Culture and Society (ANTH 2 or ANTH 102)
  ANTH 187/RPTA 187 Anthropology of Tourism
 
Linguistic Anthropology
(3) Select one of the following:

ANTH 160

Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 2)

ANTH 162

Language & Culture

(3) Select one of the following:
  ANTH 168 Folklore in Anthropological Perspective

ANTH 169

Research Methods in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 160 or ANTH 162 or instructor permission)

ANTH 190

Advanced Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 160 or ANTH 162 or instructor permission)


C. Electives (12 units)

Select four of the following:
  ANTH 116 Old World Prehistory: Paleolithic Archaeology

ANTH 123

Ancient Technology

ANTH 124

Environmental Archaeology

  ANTH 126 Techniques of Archaeological Analysis (ANTH 3 )

ANTH 127

Cultural Resource Management in Theory and Practice

  ANTH 131 Peoples and Cultures of Europe (ANTH 2)
  ANTH 134 Japanese Culture and Society
  ANTH 143 Culture and Society in Mexico

ANTH 144

Contemporary American Culture in Anthropological Perspective

ANTH 145

Peoples and Cultures of Latin America

ANTH 147

Peoples of Southeast Asia

ANTH 148

Anthropology of Chinese Societies

ANTH 149

Cultures of South Asia

ANTH 150

Human Osteology (ANTH 1 and ANTH 1A or BIO 22, or instructor permission)

ANTH 152

Primate Adaptations

ANTH 158

Human Skeletal Analysis (ANTH 150)

ANTH 166

Rise of Religious Cults

ANTH 170/ HRS 170

The Religious Landscape of the Sacramento Valley

ANTH 183

Women Cross-Culturally

ANTH 188

Anthropology of the Body

ANTH 192A

Laboratory Work in Archaeology (Corequisite: ANTH 195A; may be waived with instructor permission)

 

ANTH 195A

Fieldwork in Archaeology (Corequisite: ANTH 192A)

ANTH 192B

Laboratory in Ethnographic Techniques (ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 and ANTH 163; ANTH 163 may be taken concurrently. Corequisite: ANTH 195B)

 

ANTH 195B

Fieldwork in Ethnology (ANTH 140 or ANTH 141 and ANTH 163; ANTH 163 may be taken concurrently. Corequisite: ANTH 192B)

 

ANTH 195C**

Fieldwork in Physical Anthropology

 

ANTH 196M

Museum Methods


D. Other Requirements

Anthropology majors must take a statistics course (e.g., ANTH 120, SOC 101, STAT 1, or one approved by the Department).

Notes: REQUIREMENTS - MINOR

Total units required for minor: 18, 12 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 course work 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 course work. 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, all application materials must be received by May 1. All prospective graduate students, including Sacramento State graduates, must file the following with the Office of Graduate Studies, Riverfront Center 206, (916) 278-6470:

  • 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
  • passed the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) or secured approval for a WPE 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.

(3)

ANTH 202

Physical Anthropology

(3)

ANTH 203

Archaeology

(3)

ANTH 205

Ethnology

(3)

ANTH 207

Languague and Culture

 

Note: Grade "B-" or better required in each course listed above.


B. Electives (24 units)

Any graduate level or advanced upper division courses, two (6 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 299 or ANTH 278 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

Archaeologist · Linguist · Environmental Impact Analyst · Museum Curator · Health Researcher · Redevelopment Specialist · Industrial Consultant · Artifacts Conservator · Anthropometrist · Resource Manager · Ethnic Relations Specialist · Population Analyst · Urban Planner · Exhibit Designer · Expedition Guide · Film Ethnographer · Social Gerontologist · College Faculty Member · Medical Anthropologist · Bilingual Education Consultant · Primatologist · Zoo Director · Museum Program Director · Museum Registrar · Forensic Anthropologist · Folklorist

FACULTY

Mark Basgall, Joyce Bishop, Martin Biskowski, Terri Castaneda, Jay Crain, Michael Delacorte, Samantha Hens, Liam Murphy, George Rich, M. Elizabeth Strasser, Cindi Sturtz Sreetharan, Roger Sullivan, Raghuraman Trichur, Valerie Wheeler, Pei-Lin Yu, David Zeanah

  CONTACT INFORMATION
  • David Zeanah, Department Chair
  • Derek Bevers, Administrative Support Coordinator
  • Mendocino Hall 4010
  • (916) 278-6452
  • www.csus.edu/anth

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