Anthropology
Chair Christopher DeCorse, 209 Maxwell Hall, 315-443-2200.
Faculty Douglas V. Armstrong, Hans C. Buechler, John S. Burdick, A.H. Peter Castro, Christopher R. DeCorse, William F. Kelleher Jr., Shannon A. Novak, Deborah Pellow, Robert A. Rubinstein, Maureen Trudelle Schwarz, Theresa A. Singleton, John M. Townsend, Cecilia Van Hollen, Susan S. Wadley
The anthropology department in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University is oriented primarily toward socio-cultural anthropology, historical archaeology, and anthropological praxis (including applied anthropology and the study and implementation of social movements).
Anthropology is the systematic study of humankind, globally and temporally. It stands apart from other disciplines as its classic subfields—biological anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, cultural anthropology (or ethnology)—bridge the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. A fifth subfield, applied anthropology, uses anthropological skills and knowledge to address contemporary social issues. The discipline provides grounding in an integrated, holistic, and comparative understanding of the biological and cultural aspects of the human experience.
At Syracuse, we are particularly concerned with culture change, symbolic systems, and issues of power, both through the historical archaeological record and in modern communities. We believe that an anthropological perspective has much to offer students seeking a liberal arts education, especially in a country increasingly confronting issues of multiculturalism and globalization. Our program, through its individual courses and its overall curriculum, trains students to be able to:
- understand and describe human diversity through the study of core anthropological knowledge (key concepts, theories, data) and methods (from one or more subfields);
- think critically (including the capacity to evaluate competing ideas and to generalize from specific data);
- research, write, and present effectively;
- use anthropological ideas and knowledge to analyze real-world problems;
- understand ethical principles and professionalism in anthropology.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
The program, leading to a B.A. in anthropology, requires 33 credits in anthropology courses. Of these, 18 credits are taken in required courses and 15 are electives.
Required Courses (18 credits)
Introductory Courses: Three courses (9 credits)
Cultural Anthropology
ANT 111 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Physical/Biological Anthropology
ANT 131 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Archaeology - either
ANT 141 Introduction to Archaeology
or
ANT/HST 145 Introduction to Historical Archaeology
Area Focus and Regional Perspectives on Culture: One course (3 credits):
Completion of at least one course from the following list:
ANT 318,
322,
323,
324,
325,
326,
429,
440,
446,
447
Anthropological Methods: One of the following courses (3 credits):
| ANT 433 |
Human Skeletal Anatomy |
| ANT 442 |
Method and Theory in Archaeology |
| ANT 443 |
Field Methods in Archaeology |
| ANT 444 |
Laboratory Analysis in Archaeology |
| ANT 453 |
Poverty, Policy, and Human Services |
| ANT 481 |
Ethnographic Techniques |
| ANT 482 |
Life Histories and Narratives |
| ANT 484 |
Social Movement Research Methods |
Anthropological Theory: One course (3 credits):
ANT 311 Anthropological Theory
Total Required Credits: 33
Electives (15 credits)
The student majoring in anthropology is free to enroll in any course offered by the Department of Anthropology as long as the prerequisites for that course are satisfied. All students are encouraged to enroll in elective courses that are of interest to them.
At least 12 of the 15 elective credits required must be at the 300 level and above.
Minor in Anthropology
The minor in anthropology is designed to encourage students to pursue breadth in areas which complement their major. With the assistance of their faculty advisors, students can design a minor reflecting their interest in any of the subfields of anthropology: socio/cultural, biological/physical, archaeological, applied, and policy-related studies.
To complete the minor in anthropology, students take 18 credits. No more than 6 credits at the 100-200 level can count toward the minor.
Examples of possible courses leading to a minor in anthropology could include (but are in no way limited to) the following:
Applied and Policy Related: ANT111,317, 356,414,453.
Archaeology: ANT 141,
145,
348,
440,
443,
445.
Social/Cultural: ANT 111,
185,
325,
373,
376,
472.
Biological/Physical: ANT 131,
331,
431,
432,
433,
465.