Anthropology
Anthropology is the scientific and humanistic study of human culture and biology in the past and present and anywhere in the world.
WKU's Anthropology Program offers students a cohesive program of study to develop their cross-cultural perspectives and enrich their understanding of interactions between human culture and biology in contemporary societies and in the archaeological and evolutionary past. Delivered by four full-time faculty members, the anthropology curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning in the classroom, laboratory, and field and provides students with many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities and events. We promote a broad, four-field approach including cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology, with special emphasis on the ways anthropological knowledge and methods can be applied to address contemporary human problems like poverty, human rights abuses, food insecurity, and human dimensions of global environmental change. The Anthropology Program prepares students for graduate programs, as well as a variety of fulfilling careers with non-profit organizations such as The Works in Memphis, state and federal agencies like the National Park Service, museums such as The Hermitage in Nashville, and consulting firms like Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions.
Through major and minor programs and courses designed for students of all disciplines, we encourage students to step outside their biocultural bubbles to explore the rich diversity of human experiences in their own communities and around the globe!
Anthropology 4-Year Degree Path
A major in anthropology (reference number 608) requires a minimum of 31 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. At least half of the total semester hours must be in upper-division (300- or 400- level) courses. Requirements of the major include six core courses, three upper-level courses in a concentration, and two electives. Anthropology majors complete a second major or a minor or certificate, and anthropology advisors can assist students with selecting those additional programs.
Core Courses: All students complete the six-course (16-hour) core curriculum consisting of ANTH 120, 125, 130, 135, 399, and 499. Students must earn a grade of "C" or better in all core courses of the anthropology major.
Concentrations:
Anthropology majors complete at least one three-course (9-hour) concentration, each concentration having its own required courses. Students who complete more than one concentration are not required to complete elective courses in the major, and they may count a maximum of one course in multiple concentrations.
Applied Anthropology
Applied anthropology is the use of anthropological knowledge and methods to address contemporary human problems such as poverty, human rights abuses, food insecurity, cultural heritage loss, and human dimensions of global environmental change. Applied anthropologists also work in user experience (UX), business, health care, international development, and education, among other fields. The majority of professional anthropologists work in applied anthropology.
Applied Anthropology Concentration Requirements: ANTH 360 and two courses selected from ANTH 300, 382, 434, 436, 442, and 449.
Archaeology
Archaeology is the study of past human cultures anywhere in the world based on material remains such as tools, monuments, and ritual objects. There are a number of specializations in archaeology, such as historical archaeology, forensic archaeology, Classical archaeology, Biblical archaeology, underwater archaeology, geoarchaeology, zooarchaeology, paleoethnobotany, industrial archaeology, and public archaeology.
Archaeology Concentration Requirements: One course selected from ANTH 316, 318, 333, 335, or 336; at least three hours in ANTH 432; and ANTH 438.
Biological Anthropology
Biological anthropology is the study of humans as biological organisms on the molecular, individual, population, and species levels. Biological anthropologists study a variety of topics, including non-human primates, human origins and biophysical evolution, modern human biological variation, demography, health and disease, growth and development, diet and nutrition, and forensic anthropology.
Biological Anthropology Concentration Requirements: ANTH 300, 305, and 452.
Cultural Anthropology
Cultural anthropology is the study of the beliefs, practices, and institutions of contemporary human societies anywhere in the world. Cultural anthropologists use participant observation, interviewing, photography, videography, questionnaires, archival research, and other methods to document, describe, and explain human culture, including technology, subsistence, settlement, exchange, ethnicity, kinship, social organization, cosmology, religion, art, health care, and culture contact.
Cultural Anthropology Concentration Requirements: One area course selected from: ANTH 340, 342, 345, 350 and 378; one topics course selected from ANTH 343, 382, 388, 400, 410, 442, 446, 448 and 449; one additional area or topics course.
Electives: Students choosing to complete the single required concentration complete six hours of elective courses, to be selected from anthropology offerings in consultation with the anthropology advisor. A maximum of three credit hours in ANTH 395, 493, and 495 electives may be counted in the first 31 hours of the major. Majors who complete additional concentration(s) do not need anthropology electives.
A minor in anthropology requires a minimum of 21 semester hours. At least 12 hours must be in upper-division (300- or 400- level) courses. Requirements include three of the four 100-level introductory courses, ANTH 399, and three electives to total 21 hours.
Core Courses: Each student completes ANTH 399 and three courses selected from ANTH 120, 125, 130 and 135. Students must earn a grade of "C" or better in each of the four core courses of the anthropology minor.
Electives: Each student completes nine hours of upper-level elective courses, to be selected from anthropology offerings in consultation with the anthropology advisor.
What do anthropologists do?
Some anthropology students find employment in careers that obviously fall within the field of anthropology. In this case, anthropologists are professionals with careers in the discipline, such as forensic anthropologists, ethnographers, anthropology professors, business anthropologists, and archaeology field technicians.
Some anthropology students find employment in careers where they use their training in anthropological concepts, methods, and theories even though “anthropology” or “archaeology” is not in their job titles. For instance, people trained in anthropology work as museum curators, program administrators at non-profit organizations, park rangers, physicians, and wildlife biologists.
Anthropologists are informed citizens who work to make positive impacts on communities. They are people who respect diversity, think critically, reflect locally and globally, and engage holistically.
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