Anthropology

major

Anthropology is the study of people in their cultural context and the examination of all aspects of patterned social behavior. The discipline is worldwide in scope and encompasses all aspects of human, biological, and social life from earliest times to the present. It is a broad, holistic field that seeks to understand human adaptation to natural and social environments.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Department Information

Anthropology lies at the intersection of the multiple approaches to the study of humankind that characterize other disciplines – biological, social, cultural, historical, linguistic, cognitive, material, technological and aesthetic – because of its unique holistic perspective. These multiple approaches are encapsulated in the four traditional subfields that have composed the discipline since its establishment in the 19th century: cultural, archaeological, biological and linguistic anthropology.
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CONTACT

Email | 352.392.2253

P.O. BOX 117305
1112 TURLINGTON HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-7305
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Curriculum

Anthropology includes four subfields: cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistics. Undergraduates may concentrate their studies in one of these four subfields or pursue a focus in an interdisciplinary track with another major or minor. The anthropology major has two different programs: the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science. Coursework for the major will depend upon the program, both of which are flexible. Both degrees are earned in anthropology rather than in any one subfield.

Students who are uncertain of a program should contact the Department of Anthropology's undergraduate coordinator for information and curriculum planning.

Degrees

Anthropology | BA

Provides a broad-based liberal arts education and prepares students to work in an increasingly complex world. BA majors learn about different groups of people, their prehistory, and their biological and cultural diversity through disciplines that combine social science, natural science, and the humanities. Many undergraduate anthropology majors go on to graduate school in the social sciences, while others use anthropology to prepare themselves for professional careers in other disciplines. In a world of increasing globalization and need for effective international relations and understanding, anthropology is a highly relevant liberal arts and sciences major for students interested in pursuing careers in business, education, government, health, and law.

Anthropology | BS

Provides a degree option that blends their interest in basic science with the holistic lens of anthropology. BS majors engage in anthropology through coursework, lab and field-based research, and outreach. A grounding in scientific-based research, community initiatives, and multicultural skillsets enables students to address pressing needs in both local and global contexts. For example, students often participate in independent and collaborative initiatives on and off campus and receive pre-graduate training in life sciences, health-related disciplines, natural history, or archaeological science fields. A BS in Anthropology will encourage students to develop STEM-based skill sets and enhance scientific inquiry to address salient anthropological issues. This degree inevitably draws upon multidisciplinary fields including anatomy, biology, chemistry, ecology, engineering, genetics, geology, physics, mathematics, statistics, zoology, and botany.

Coursework for the Major

Both the BA and the BS require a minimum of 34 semester credits in anthropology and all coursework must be completed with minimum grades of C. A minimum of 18 credits of anthropology coursework must be completed at UF.

For the BS degree, all required anthropology, and required related coursework must be completed with a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Overseas Studies

Students concentrating in any subfield, particularly cultural anthropology and archaeology, are also encouraged to complete either an ethnographic study abroad program or an archaeological field school before their senior year.

Relevant Minors and Certificates

The department encourages students pursuing the BA to choose a minor or an interdisciplinary certificate option in African studies, Asian studies, environmental studies, Jewish studies, Latin American studies, Linguistics, or Women's Studies. Relevant courses in anthropology may be used to fulfill some requirements.

Students will develop critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills in the social sciences and in studies of natural history pertaining to human and non-human primates. Through study of human biological and cultural history and diversity, students will learn holistic, comparative and relative perspectives of anthropology, both scientific and humanistic. Emphasis is on critical thinking skills in the evaluation of alternative knowledge claims. Students will learn to identify western cultural biases, to integrate diverse sources of information into holistic perspectives and to apply anthropological knowledge and perspectives to solve problems of broad human relevance in contemporary contexts.

Before Graduating Students Must

  • Achieve satisfactory evaluation of a term paper written for an upper-division course or senior honors thesis.
  • Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

  1. Identify, describe, explain and apply factual, conceptual and procedural knowledge in the four subfields of anthropology (cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistics).

Critical Thinking

  1. Apply scientific and humanistic approaches to investigate human variation in its biological, social, and cultural dimensions, and identify and evaluate disparate knowledge claims culturally and historically.

Communication

  1. Articulate anthropological knowledge professionally in written and verbal form.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Courses SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3
ANT 2000 I, R, A
ANT 2140 I, R, A I
ANT 2410 I, R, A I I
ANT 3126 R R R
ANT 3141 I R R
ANT 3153 R R R
ANT 3162 R R R
ANT 3164 R R R
ANT 3181 R R R
ANT 3241 R R R
ANT 3302 R R R
ANT 3390 R R R
ANT 3451 R R R
ANT 3514C I, R, A I
ANT 3515 R R R
ANT 3520 R R R
ANT 3620 I, R, A I
ANT 4110 R R R
ANT 4114 R R R
ANT 4266 R R R
ANT 4274 R R R
ANT 4336 R R R
ANT 4340 R R R
ANT 4352 R R R
ANT 4354 R R R
ANT 4403 R R R
ANT 4468 R R R
ANT 4525 R R R
ANT 4550 R R R
ANT 4552 R R R
ANT 4554 R R R
ANT 4586 R R R
ANT 4740 R R R
ANT 4823 R R R
ANT 4824 R R R
ANT 4956 R R R
ANT Capstone I, R, A A A

Assessment Types

  • Exams