Anthropology (ANTH)
Courses
ANTH 1200. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. 2 Hours.
A first year experience course for new students and new transfer students interested in a career in the social sciences. Provides the necessary foundation for success in a college environment while balancing personal and/or work obligations. Orients students to life on campus, demonstrates how to leverage campus resources to achieve career and academic goals, and emphasizes engagement outside the classroom through collaborative and co-curricular opportunities. Fulfills the University requirement for either UNIV 1101 or UNIV 1131. Offered as SOCI 1200 and ANTH 1200; credit will be granted only once.
ANTH 1306. INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2346)
This course, primarily intended for nonmajors and as a first course for students considering majoring in anthropology, provides an overview of the subdisciplines of anthropology: ethnology (cultural anthropology), archaeology, physical (biological) anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.
ANTH 1310. GREAT DISCOVERIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
A survey of some of the most spectacular and otherwise significant archaeological discoveries worldwide over the past three centuries. Consideration of particular archaeological sites as case studies to illustrate cultural development from the Stone Age to Medieval times.
ANTH 2307. BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2301)
Human variation and human evolution. Genetics, living and fossil nonhuman primates, the human skeleton, the fossil record of human evolution, modern human variation and biological adaptation.
ANTH 2322. GLOBAL CULTURES. 3 Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2351)
Methods and theories of sociocultural anthropology. Examines systems of social organization and cultural meaning in contemporary human societies. Topics include fieldwork, cross-cultural analysis, applied anthropology, and global perspectives on political, economic, and social institutions.
ANTH 2339. INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2302)
Archaeology is the study of the human past through physical evidence and material remains. This evidence ranges from entire landscapes to small objects. Students learn how archaeological sites are discovered, investigated, and interpreted, and how this knowledge contributes to our understanding of human society.
ANTH 2349. HONORS PRINCIPLES OF ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Methods and theories of prehistoric archaeology. Techniques and approaches employed in recovering, dating and interpreting prehistoric cultural materials. Writing-intensive course including group and individual projects and oral presentations. Prerequisite: Membership in the Honors College or permission of instructor.
ANTH 2357. ANTHROPOLOGY IN ACTION. 3 Hours.
Anthropological examination of a particular culture, region or cultural industry. Topics include identity, heritage, commoditization, historical and cultural representation, and authenticity. May be offered on campus or as a field course or study abroad course.
ANTH 2358. ARCHAEOLOGICAL CULTURES. 3 Hours.
Survey of a particular archaeological culture, region, or period. Can be offered on campus or as a field course or study abroad course.
ANTH 2359. MYTHS AND MYSTERIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
This course will critically examine pseudoscience, cult archaeology and creationism from a scientific perspective. Through the close examination of case studies we will dispel archaeological myths and mysteries which are often depicted as fantastic or cult archaeology. This course will demonstrate that a strong adherence to scientific investigation can uncover facts about prehistory that are as interesting as the myths.
ANTH 3300. DEBATES IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Explores core concepts, critiques of past applications, and current challenges of theory and practice in cultural anthropology.
ANTH 3301. ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY. 3 Hours.
Explores core concepts, critiques of past applications, and current challenges of theory and practice in archaeology. Topics include history of archaeological thought, processual and actualistic approaches, ethnoarchaeology, evolutionary archaeology, stewardship of the archaeological past, and post-processual critiques. Prerequisite: ANTH 2339 or permission of instructor.
ANTH 3307. EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE. 3 Hours.
The application of evolutionary theory to the practice of medicine from an anthropological perspective. Topics include diet/paleodiets, sleep habits, infectious diseases, the developmental origins of health and disease, mental health, women's health and reproduction, and aging/senescence, among others. Offered as BIOL 3307 and ANTH 3307; credit will only be granted in one department.
ANTH 3308. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Explores the role of skeletal biology and physical anthropology in criminal investigation. Topics include determination of victim identity and context of death. Case studies will be used to demonstrate application of the methods studied.
ANTH 3310. LATINOS IN THE U.S.. 3 Hours.
Examines the Latino experience in the U.S. from an interdisciplinary perspective. Discusses the commonalities and cultural differences among various Latino groups, and focuses on important contemporary Latino issues such as education, employment, family and gender, identity, immigration, and politics. May receive credit for either MAS 3310 or ANTH 3310.
ANTH 3311. HUMAN ADAPTATION AND THE CONCEPT OF RACE. 3 Hours.
The study of modern human biological variation in the context of the history of the concept of race. Detailed historical review explores changing perspectives on variation within our species. Course examines physiological adaptations to environmental stress among a variety of human populations and implications of recent genetic research. Offered as BIOL 3313 and ANTH 3311; credit will only be granted in one department.
ANTH 3313. PRIMATE EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOR. 3 Hours.
An overview of the Primate Order covering primate origins, evolution, ecology, adaptation, and behavior. Examination of the environmental context within which primates live, how the form of their bodies reflects their activities, and how they relate behaviorally to their environments and to one another. Offered as BIOL 3314 and ANTH 3313; credit will only be granted in one department.
ANTH 3316. LATINO HEALTH ISSUES. 3 Hours.
A cross-cultural examination of issues in Latino health and relevant health practices in the United States through the lenses of social sciences. Themes include the Latino Threat Narrative, acculturation histories and health care status of major Latino ethnic enclaves in the U.S. Listed as SOCI 3316, MAS 3316, and ANTH 3316; may receive credit for either SOCI 3316, MAS 3316, or ANTH 3316.
ANTH 3318. BORDERS, CULTURES, AND CARTELS. 3 Hours.
Critically examines life on the Mexico-U.S. border through ethnography, taking into account the impact of the U.S. war on drugs and the influence of cartels on the lives of those living in the southern border region. Topics may include impacts and influences of drugs and narco life on religion, crime, music, and daily life at the nexus of US-Mexico relations. Listed as ANTH 3318 and MAS 3318; may receive credit for either ANTH 3318 or MAS 3318.
ANTH 3325. ETHNOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AMERICA. 3 Hours.
The indigenous groups of South America, with emphasis on the Aymara and Quechua of the Andes. Topics include culture change, environmental destruction, and preservation of cultural heritage.
ANTH 3328. CIVILIZATIONS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 3 Hours.
Complex agrarian civilizations in South America, concentrating on political, social, and cultural developments of the Chavin, Nazca, Moche, Tiahuanaco, Wari-Tiahuanaco, Inca, and Conquest periods. Formerly listed as ANTH 4328. Credit cannot be given for both ANTH 3328 and ANTH 4328.
ANTH 3329. CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN CULTURES. 3 Hours.
A comparative study of African communities with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Covers regional cultural geography and history as well as ethnography of specific communities. Explores both the challenges facing contemporary African nations as well as emerging solutions. Includes exposure to African art, literature, music, cinema, and food. Offered as AAST 3329 and ANTH 3329; credit will be granted in only one department.
ANTH 3330. CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND IDENTITY. 3 Hours.
The ways identity is constructed in contemporary societies in an increasingly complex and multicultural world. Ethnic, racial, gender, and class identities. How and when identity is asserted and assigned, and how it can both draw boundaries and forge ties between peoples. Formerly listed as ANTH 2350. Credit cannot be given for both ANTH 2350 and ANTH 3330. Also listed as MAS 3330; credit cannot be granted for both ANTH 3330 and MAS 3330. Offered as AAST 3330 and ANTH 3330; credit will be granted in only one department.
ANTH 3331. CULTURE AND PERSONALITY. 3 Hours.
The interplay of culture and personality in various Western and non-Western societies. The relationship of specific practices to the development of personality and the psychological effects of colonization, modernization, and economic development of traditional societies.
ANTH 3332. FOOD AND CULTURE. 3 Hours.
Considers food systems from biological, ecological, and political-economic perspectives. May include food history, cuisines, food preferences, and other areas of anthropological scholarship on food and culture. May cover food and economic development, hunger and overnutrition, food and religion, and the globalization of foods and food systems.
ANTH 3333. NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 3 Hours.
North American Indian cultures and their development both before and after European contact.
ANTH 3334. ANTHROPOLOGY OF SOUTH ASIA. 3 Hours.
With a focus on the Indian subcontinent, this course introduces students to the culture, history and politics of South Asia. Drawing upon anthropological studies and a range of materials, including Bollywood films, music, tourist brochures, advertisements, Gandhi's writings, and South Asian literature, students will gain an increased understanding of the region's past and present.
ANTH 3335. GANDHI: CULTURE AND POLITICS IN A GLOBAL WORLD. 3 Hours.
Introduction to the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi in order to explore the cultural politics of religion, food, animal welfare, sexuality, social movements, and globalization processes. Students gain understanding of Gandhi's enduring significance in the contemporary world.
ANTH 3336. ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION. 3 Hours.
A crosscultural study of magic and religion. Theories of the origin and function of magic and religion in pre-industrial societies.
ANTH 3338. COMPARATIVE KINSHIP AND FAMILY SYSTEMS. 3 Hours.
Variation in kinship and family systems from crosscultural and evolutionary perspectives. Structure, function, and dynamics of kinship and family systems as adaptations to diverse ecological, social, and historical circumstances. Implications of this approach for understanding kinship and family in American society also addressed. Formerly listed as ANTH 4338. Credit cannot be given for both ANTH 3338 and ANTH 4338. Also offered as WOMS 3338; credit will be granted only once. Offered as AAST 3332 and ANTH 3338; credit will be granted in only one department.
ANTH 3339. URBAN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Examines main issues, theoretical approaches and ethnographic methods used by anthropologists working in cities. Also discusses relevant contemporary topics such as growth of global cities, gentrification, poverty and inequality, and the economic, social and cultural integration of international immigrants in U.S. cities.
ANTH 3341. RESEARCH METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Observational techniques, participant-observation, hypothesis testing, research design, use of the computer in research, analysis, and report writing, and oral presentations of research reports. Satisfies oral communication and computer use competence requirements. Prerequisite ANTH 1306 or ANTH 2322 or permission of instructor.
ANTH 3343. APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Explores the use of anthropological knowledge and skills to address practical problems in today's global society, and examines how these are used in government, non-profit, and private sector industries. Addresses issues of health, education, environment, human rights, economic development, and others. Prerequisite: ANTH 1306 or ANTH 2322.
ANTH 3345. VISUALIZING CULTURE: MEDIA, IDENTITY AND POLITICS IN THE GLOBAL WORLD. 3 Hours.
Introduces students to key concepts in Visual Anthropology. This course highlights the contribution of anthropological methods in theorizing the visual in everyday life for the construction of nationalist, gender, ethnic, and class identities. Readings are drawn from diverse geographical regions. Visual material discussed in class may include ethnographic films, art, graphic novels, comics, illustrated magazines, virtual exhibitions and soap operas. Assignments include a writing and research component, and team-based exercises. Offered as ANTH 3345 and COMM 3345; credit will be granted only in one department.
ANTH 3346. ANTHROPOLOGY OF TOURISM. 3 Hours.
Examines the cultural practices of travel and the impact of tourism on both host and guest communities. Various forms of tourism are addressed including, but not limited to, ethnic, historical, regional, health and medical, and ecotourism. Themes of the "tourist gaze" authenticity, identity, consumption, ritual, borders, and pilgrimage will be explored.
ANTH 3348. ANTHROPOLOGY OF MIGRATION. 3 Hours.
This course focuses on the expanding field of migration studies in social and cultural anthropology. It traces the history of migration studies in anthropology, discusses the major theoretical contributions of anthropologists to the interdisciplinary field of migration, and addresses key contemporary topics in migration studies including globalization, transnational communities, gender, identity, and citizenship. The course heavily relies on ethnographic case studies of different immigrant populations in the U.S. written by anthropologists in the recent past.
ANTH 3349. ANTHROPOLOGY OF GLOBALIZATION. 3 Hours.
The forces of economic globalization now reach every corner of the world to the point that few societies have been untouched by their impact. This course examines the forces that drive globalization and their repercussions upon local communities around the world. It examines how economic globalization affects the lives of real people in developing and industrialized countries as well as in small-scale societies traditionally studied by anthropologists.
ANTH 3350. NORTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Prehistoric cultural adaptations in North America from human arrival to European contact. Topics treated include the question of when and where the first Native Americans arrived; the beginnings of village and farming life; and the development of Puebloan and "Mound-building" cultures.
ANTH 3351. ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST. 3 Hours.
This course investigates the peoples and places of the prehistoric North American Southwest. The focus is on the period of increasing settlement, diversity, movement, and change from 500 to 1500 C.E. Focuses on the archaeological record, ethnographies and comparative research to understand the past and present peoples of the Southwest.
ANTH 3352. ARCHAEOLOGY OF AFRICA. 3 Hours.
Course follows the African archaeological record from earliest evidence for human behavior through beginnings of state society. Topics may include stone tool technologies, forager strategies, agricultural systems, early iron technology, and trade and social networks. This is a lecture course, with an emphasis on student research. No prerequisites required, but ANTH 2339 is recommended preparation.
ANTH 3353. STONE AGE HUNTERS AND FARMERS. 3 Hours.
Human adaptations and cultural evolution in the Old World from the earliest African sites over two million years ago to the domestication of plants and animals about ten thousand years ago. Formerly ANTH 2353; credit cannot be granted for both ANTH 2353 and ANTH 3353.
ANTH 3354. ANTHROPOLOGY OF HUNTING. 3 Hours.
Covers a broad range of topics exploring hunting through time, from the prehistoric to the present. Topics include cross-cultural issues of meat and diet, hunter-gatherer subsistence behavior, overkill and animal extinction, and sport hunting. Course is relevant to environmental studies and sustainability studies.
ANTH 3355. THE RISE OF CIVILIZATION. 3 Hours.
The development of complex cultures from village farming societies in various regions of the Old and New Worlds. The civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Mesoamerica, among others, will be treated, along with general questions concerning the rise, development, and collapse of early civilizations. Formerly ANTH 2355; credit will not be granted for both ANTH 2355 and ANTH 3355.
ANTH 3357. COLLAPSE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SOCIETIES. 3 Hours.
This course investigates the collapse of past societies. Understanding why and how archaeologically-known societies collapsed may provide insights to help us understand contemporary social and environmental sustainability problems.
ANTH 3358. UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Explores the field of underwater archaeology and research methods. Topics include shipwrecks, submerged terrestrial sites, the use of scuba diving, robots, and sonar in excavation and survey, and the history and development of the discipline.
ANTH 3359. STONE TOOLS. 3 Hours.
Covers the evolution of stone tools from the first modified stone objects to the use of stone tools in complex societies such as the ancient Maya and Egyptians. Introduces students to lithic analysis and manufacture, emphasizing hands-on learning.
ANTH 3360. ARCHAEOLOGY IN PRACTICE. 3 Hours.
Covers the practical aspects of archaeology with a focus on hands-on activities and experiential learning. Students learn archaeological skills and understand the life and research of archaeologists. Topics may include research design, survey, and the laws protecting archaeological sites.
ANTH 3366. SEX, GENDER, AND CULTURE. 3 Hours.
The ways gender and sexuality are culturally constructed. Readings include ethnographies, life histories, and fiction. Debates within anthropology and within specific cultures over maleness and femaleness. Offered as ANTH 3366 and WOMS 3366; credit will be granted only once.
ANTH 3369. MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Medical systems studied cross-culturally to understand how environmental, biological, social, and cultural factors affect disease and health. The cultural dynamics of traditional practitioners and rituals within the health care system. Methods of articulating modern medicine with traditional medicine are discussed.
ANTH 3370. ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE PREHISTORIC AEGEAN. 3 Hours.
Origin, evolution and decline of the first high civilizations in Europe, namely the Minoans on the island of Crete and the Mycenaeans in Greece. Stone Age background and Early Bronze Age seafaring in the Cycladic Islands; Late Bronze Age society, economy, and religion; art and architecture of the Minoan and Mycenaean palaces; Linear A and B tablets; Mycenaean collapse and the beginning of the Iron Age; Homer's Iliad, archaeology and the Trojan War.
ANTH 3371. ARCHAEOLOGY OF GREECE. 3 Hours.
Material evidence relevant to our understanding of classical Greek culture and society from the collapse of the Mycenaean Empire through the Hellenistic Period (ca. 1200-31 B.C.). Examination of the magnificent (temples, sculpture, athletic monuments, ships) and the mundane (domestic architecture, pottery, crafts, coinage, inscriptions, architecture and artifacts of civic life, burials). Archaeological evidence will be considered in light of contemporary historical sources.
ANTH 3372. ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST. 3 Hours.
Survey of the cultures of Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and Anatolia from the earliest agricultural settlements to the late first millennium B.C. based on the surviving archaeological remains. Among the topics covered: Nature of early urbanism; development of religious and economic hierarchies; origins and impact of writing; interrelationships among early states.
ANTH 3373. ARCHAEOLOGY OF EGYPT. 3 Hours.
The culture of ancient Egypt from its earliest occupation until the Arab invasion (7th century A.C.), with emphasis on the first 20 pharaohnic dynasties (third and second millennia B.C.). Egyptian social, religious, economic and political development traced through the surviving material culture (architecture, art, industries, artifacts of daily life, funerary remains, etc.) supplemented by historical and literary evidence as pertinent. Egypt's relations with neighboring regions (Crete, Anatolia, Palestine, Nubia and Libya) considered. Offered as AAST 3373 and ANTH 3373; credit will be granted in only one department.
ANTH 3374. ARCHEOLOGY OF EUROPE. 3 Hours.
Ancient Europe is a mosaic of archaeological regionalism whose complexity is arguably unparalleled elsewhere in the world. This course surveys the material remains of several prominent ancient cultures from Iberia to the Danube, from Scandinavia to Greece, dating from stone age to medieval times. Emphasis will be on understanding the various regional traditions and their interactions, and on explicating trends in technology, economy and religion in European society during this long period. Among the topics to be examined: Paleolithic hunters and artists; agricultural origins; megalithic monuments; bronze metallurgy and its ramifications; the first high civilizations in the Mediterranean; the rise of the Celts; the coming of iron; impact of Romanization; the nature of Viking exploration and expansion.
ANTH 3375. NEANDERTHALS AND THE ICE AGE WORLD. 3 Hours.
Explores the archaeological record of Neanderthals, early modern humans, and their contemporaries. Topics include new genetic and isotopic analyses, ancient environments, early art and symbolism, and how the Paleolithic is imagined in modern society.
ANTH 3390. SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Selected, specialized topics in anthropology. These may be cultural, archaeological, or biological in focus, and vary each semester. Contact the department or click on the course link to find current course title and description. May be repeated for credit with departmental permission as topics vary.
ANTH 3409. PALEOANTHROPOLOGY. 4 Hours.
Paleoanthropology: an exploration of fossil evidence for human origins and human evolution. Course focuses on the evolution of humans and our close relatives, from our origins as a distinct lineage to "anatomically modern" Homo sapiens, including the relationship between biological and cultural/behavioral evolution. Offered as BIOL 3409 and ANTH 3409; credit will be granted only once.
ANTH 4191. CONFERENCE COURSE. 1 Hour.
Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated area. Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated area. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
ANTH 4291. CONFERENCE COURSE. 2 Hours.
Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated area. Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated area. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
ANTH 4315. GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, AND EVOLUTION. 3 Hours.
A survey of topics at the nexus of modern human biological research in growth and development and the evolutionary record of hominid subadults. Offered as BIOL 4316 and ANTH 4315; credit will be granted only in one department. Prerequisite is only required for students registering for ANTH 4315. Prerequisite: ANTH 2307 or permission of the instructor.
ANTH 4322. PROBLEMS IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Intensive examination of an important problem in anthropological research selected by the instructor. May be repeated for credit whenever the topic varies.
ANTH 4342. TOPICS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Selected topics, to include anthropological theory, population and cultural ecology, semiotics, and humanistic anthropology. May be repeated for credit with departmental permission. Also offered as ANTH 4342. Credit will be granted in only one department.
ANTH 4348. POLITICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Relationships among power, identity, and culture in cross-cultural perspective. Traditional political systems, political symbols and rituals, gender and power, and the relationship between domination and resistance. How culture influences the ways in which men and women get power, use power, and resist power.
ANTH 4350. MESOAMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Covers the cultural development in Mesoamerica during the past 12,000 years, from hunting and gathering lifeways, through the rise of complex societies, to the Spanish conquest. Students will examine the steps from which the early inhabitants of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Hondurus and El Salvador developed into the great civilizations of Ancient Mesoamerica. In this course students will trace the emergence of Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Toltecs, and the Aztecs and explore the factors that contributed to their appearance and decline. New approaches, theories, and recent discoveries within the field of Mesoamerican archaeology will be examined.
ANTH 4358. TOPICS IN ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Selected topics, to include examination of specific archaeological cultures of the Old World, archaeological theory, and archaeology and pseudoscience. May be taken up to four times for a total of 12 hours credit.
ANTH 4391. CONFERENCE COURSE. 3 Hours.
Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated area. Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated area. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
ANTH 4393. INTERNSHIP IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Supervised internship program, in which students intern at various companies, non-profit and governmental agencies, and museums in the Metroplex. Applied use of anthropology in a non-academic setting. Students will learn skills of career development in anthropology. Requirements include several short assignments and a final report to the instructor. Prerequisite: ANTH 2307, ANTH 2322, OR ANTH 2339; permission of the instructor; and junior standing.
ANTH 4394. HONORS THESIS/SENIOR PROJECT. 3 Hours.
Required of all students in the University Honors College. During the senior year, the student must complete a thesis or project of equivalent difficulty under the direction of a faculty member in the major department.
ANTH 4398. SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
(3 or 6 hours credit). Offered only during the summer session. Experience in methods of field research in ethnography or archaeology. May be repeated for credit if research topic changes.
ANTH 4406. HUMAN OSTEOLOGY. 4 Hours.
Detailed examination of human skeletal morphology. Topics include form and function of all skeletal elements in the human body, differentiation of each bone, left and right side identification, identification or fragmented remains, and muscle attachments and articulations. Content useful in forensic anthropology, archaeology, and hominid paleontology. Offered as BIOL 4406 and ANTH 4406; credit will be granted only in one department.
ANTH 4459. BIOARCHAEOLOGY. 4 Hours.
The study of human remains in archaeological contexts in order to reconstruct individual identity, life history, and past population characteristics. No formal prerequisites, but familiarity with the human skeleton is helpful. Lab component is required. Offered as BIOL 4459 and ANTH 4459; credit will be granted only in one department.
ANTH 4460. ZOOARCHAEOLOGY. 4 Hours.
The study of faunal remains from archaeological contexts to understand past human economic strategies and ecological circumstances. Topics include skeletal and taxonomic identification, taphonomic processes, mortality profiles, biometric analyses, and human behavioral ecology. Lab component is required. Offered as BIOL 4460 and ANTH 4460; credit will be granted only once.
ANTH 4698. SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 6 Hours.
(3 or 6 hours credit). Offered only during the summer session. Experience in methods of field research in ethnography or archaeology. May be repeated for credit if research topic changes.
ANTH 5191. CONFERENCE COURSE. 1 Hour.
ANTH 5307. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Estimating age, sex, race, stature, pathology, cause of death, and time since death from human remains. The role of skeletal biology and physical anthropology in criminal investigation. Case studies will be used to demonstrate application of the methods studied. Requires enrollment in the undergraduate lab section.
ANTH 5310. HISTORY OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY. 3 Hours.
This course is a critical examination of major theoretical trends in ethnological theory, from mid-19th century to the present.
ANTH 5315. ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHODS. 3 Hours.
An examination of research methods and underlying theory in archaeology and their evolution since the era of European antiquarianism. Origins and development of archaeology as a scholarly discipline. Emphasis on the period 1960-present; consideration of recent trends in analysis and reportage.
ANTH 5317. ARCHAEOLOGY OF EXPLORATION. 3 Hours.
Archaeological evidence for travel in antiquity. Technology of travel (horse/camel, wheeled vehicles, boats) and related topics (navigation; development of trade and trade routes; nature of discovery, settlement and colonization in antiquity). Case studies drawn from ancient cultures of the Old World from the Stone Age through Medieval times.
ANTH 5320. METHODS IN BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
This course covers several topical areas relevant to biological anthropologists specializing in human biology, including osteology and skeletal biology, skeletal maturation (both postcranial and craniofacial), growth and development from birth to biological maturity, and selected topics in forensics, anthropometry, physiology, nutrition, genetics, epidemiology, and demography.
ANTH 5325. QUALITATIVE METHODS. 3 Hours.
Students do fieldwork in anthropology. Students practice participant observation, conduct an interview, collect a kinship chart, map blocks, collect life histories and participate in rituals. Course emphasizes methods of data collection, analysis/interpretation of data, and critical writing.
ANTH 5341. POSTCOLONIAL SOUTH ASIA. 3 Hours.
It approaches the competing and complementary claims on postcolonial theory by mapping the intersections in historical anthropology, literary theory, and cultural analysis. More broadly it brings to focus the shifts from Marxist to Poststructuralist directions. Though the regional focus is on India, the endeavor is also to assess dialogues among varying strands of cultural perspectives and its impact in other postcolonial contexts, both within and beyond the South Asian subcontinent.
ANTH 5342. ADVANCED ETHNOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Seminar based on student reports and critiques of assigned readings. Major emphasis on the areas of ethnology and social anthropology.
ANTH 5344. CULTURES OF LATIN AMERICA. 3 Hours.
An ethnological comparison of societies and cultures in Central and South America. Emphasis on gender, ethnicity, and political economy.
ANTH 5345. RELIGION AND CULTURE. 3 Hours.
An ethnological comparison of native religions to understand non-western belief systems. Emphasis on rituals, myths, totemic systems, taboos, and cosmology.
ANTH 5346. MESOAMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY. 3 Hours.
An examination of the diversities of several prehistoric Mesoamerican cultures including the Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, and the Aztec. Current issues including the beginnings of agriculture, early village life, the rise of complexity and the institution of kingship, warfare, and Mesoamerican ideology and cosmology will be addressed.
ANTH 5349. TOPICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
May be repeated for credit as the topic changes.
ANTH 5351. EMERGENCE OF HUMANKIND. 3 Hours.
An intensive review of the evidence for, and main outlines of, human biological and cultural evolution up to agricultural origins.
ANTH 5353. MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
An examination of anthropological concepts for understanding curing practices and attitudes toward health programs in various cultures.
ANTH 5355. HUNTERS AND GATHERERS. 3 Hours.
Cross-cultural approach to the ecological, social, and historical contexts of hunters, gatherers, and foragers.
ANTH 5363. ETHNOGRAPHY AND PERSONAL NARRATIVE. 3 Hours.
Focus is on anthropology and autobiography, autoethnography, life history, and narrative constructions of selfhood in different cultural contexts. Development of the life history approach in ethnographic research. Methods in the collections and analysis of life stories.
ANTH 5365. GLOBALIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION. 3 Hours.
Examines how the expansion of global capitalist economy has contributed to the growth of international migration around the world. Focuses on how transnational migration affects the economic, social, political, and cultural practices of immigrants in both their countries of origin and destination.
ANTH 5369. FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Function, forms, and interpretation of folklore and myth in traditional societies; examination of oral literature as an expression of continuity and change; emphasis on a structural analysis of myth.
ANTH 5370. APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Examines the application of anthropological knowledge to solve practical problems in today's global world. We learn how anthropological concepts, methods, and insights are applied to understand and solve important problems related to economic development, health, environmental issues, immigration, international business, and others.
ANTH 5371. RESEARCH PRACTICUM / INTERNSHIP. 3 Hours.
ANTH 5373. ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL. 3 Hours.
This course, conducted during the summer sessions, consists of on-site and classroom instruction in techniques of archaeological survey, excavation, laboratory, processing, and analysis. Students can receive either three or six hours of credit. Enrollment by permission of instructor only. Prior coursework in anthropology desirable but not necessary.
ANTH 5389. TEACHING ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
To learn strategies of coping with practical problems of teaching undergraduate anthropology, students confer with one or more professors to discuss preparing syllabi and lectures, constructing and evaluating examinations, etc. Not to be counted toward the degree requirement.
ANTH 5392. CONFERENCE COURSE IN ANTHROPOLOGY. 3 Hours.
ANTH 5398. THESIS. 3 Hours.
ANTH 5406. HUMAN OSTEOLOGY. 4 Hours.
Detailed examination of human skeletal morphology. Topics include form and function of all skeletal elements in the human body, differentiation of each bone, left and right side identification, identification of fragmented remains, and muscle attachments and articulations. Content useful in forensic anthropology, archaeology, and hominid paleontology. If taken for undergraduate credit either as ANTH 4306 or ANTH 4406, cannot be repeated for graduate credit.
ANTH 5673. ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL. 6 Hours.
This course, conducted during the summer sessions, consists of on-site and classroom instruction in techniques of archaeological survey, excavation, laboratory, processing, and analysis. Students can receive either three or six hours of credit. Enrollment by permission of instructor only. Prior coursework in anthropology desirable but not necessary.
ANTH 5698. THESIS. 6 Hours.