Anthropology
Department Office: 109 Davenport Hall, 607 South Mathews, Urbana, (217) 333-3616
The Department of Anthropology offers two major concentrations and a minor. Anthropology, which views human biology, behavior, and society (both past and present) in a cross-cultural perspective, combines scientific and humanistic interests in a modern social sciences framework. The General Anthropology Concentration includes the four fields of biological anthropology (biological diversity and evolutionary history of human and nonhuman primates), archaeology (human prehistory and the organization and growth of technology and society), sociocultural anthropology (comparative study of identity and power in social contexts from hunter-gatherer to complex urban settings, with attention to contemporary global movements of peoples and diasporic social formations), and linguistic anthropology (comparative study of languages and communication). Although the student should strive for a topical and geographical balance, an undergraduate may specialize in one of these four branches and may also study some world cultural area intensively through an area studies program.
The Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology Concentration offers students a program of more focused coursework in sociocultural and linguistic anthropology. Sociocultural anthropology is the study of the daily lives of people around the world, both at home and abroad. Sociocultural anthropologists conduct field research to get a hands-on feel for people’s lives and passions. They examine everything from beauty pageants to political protest marches, from Disney films to nuclear scientists' lab practices. Sociocultural anthropology distinguishes itself from other disciplines by its conviction that these local and personal details offer a wonderful window on the largest processes and problems of our time, from globalization to race relations and violence. Linguistic anthropology complements sociocultural anthropology with detailed attention to spoken and signed languages—their structure and use in the daily lives of people around the world, both at home and abroad. Linguistic anthropologists examine such things as the “English Only“ movement in the United States, the persuasive language of advertising and politics, racism and hate speech, oral/gestural storytelling traditions around the world, communication in the classroom or at the United Nations, as well as how the way we talk creates our sense of self and reality. Because the field of anthropology presents a wide range of disciplinary perspectives on the human condition, students electing this major concentration are encouraged to select from among relevant course offerings in archaeology or biological anthropology to fulfill General Education requirements.
Anthropology is an appropriate major for those seeking a general liberal education; for those preparing for professional study and careers in law, medicine, bioscience and technology, business, or international relations, and for those planning further graduate study in anthropology. These majors prepare college graduates to enter into a broad range of jobs and professions by providing them with research, writing and analytical skills that will enable them to confront problems, issues and situations that require cultural sensitivity. College graduates with a background in anthropology thrive in social services, teaching, law, medicine, government, NGOs, business, and many more lines of work. Professional anthropologists work as research scientists and teachers in museums, universities, and archaeological surveys; as staff members in government agencies, social service programs, and business firms in which international understanding of human and social concerns is important; or as independent consultants to such agencies, programs, and firms.
Major in Sciences and Letters Curriculum
E-mail:anthro@illinois.edu
Degree title: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minimum required major and supporting course work equates to 48 hours including 33 hours of Anthropology courses.
General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours
Departmental distinction: To be eligible for distinction, a student must complete 33 hours of anthropology courses (including at least 2 hours of both ANTH 391-Honors Individual Study and ANTH 495- Honors Senior Thesis), maintain a 3.6 average in those hours and a 3.5 overall average. All candidates for distinction must submit a thesis for judgment by at least two members of the anthropology department.
Select one concentration in consultation with an adviser.
General Anthropology Concentration
All students must discuss their selection of anthropology courses and supporting course work with a departmental adviser.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 12 | Four fields courses (student may make one substitution for 1 of the 4 required courses, choosing from the options listed in parentheses to the right of the course) ANTH 220-Introduction to Archaeology (ANTH 105, 175, 221, 225) ANTH 230-Sociocultural Anthropology (ANTH 103, 160, 165, 188, 209, 280) ANTH 240-Biological Anthropology (ANTH 102, 241, 143, 249, 279) ANTH 270/271-Linguistic Anthropology (ANTH 104) |
| 12 | Minimum of 12 hours of Anthropology courses at the 300- or 400-level; only one of these four courses may be ANTH 499- Topics in Anthropology. |
| 6 | Electives in Anthropology (at any level) |
| 3 | Senior Capstone in Anthropology1 |
| 15 | Courses in related fields2 |
Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology Concentration
All students must discuss their selection of anthropology courses and supporting coursework with a faculty advisor in sociocultural and linguistic anthropology. When a course is listed under two or more categories, the student may decide which of the requirements the course should fulfill; however, it may not be used to fulfill more than one of those requirements
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6 | Gateway Courses ANTH 230 Sociocultural Anthropology ANTH 270 Linguistic Anthropology or ANTH 271 Linguistic ANTH-ACP |
| 3 | ANTH 411- Methods of Cultural Anth |
| 12 | Ethnographic Themes and Modes of Thinking. Four courses selected from the list maintained in the advisor’s office. At least one of these courses must be at the 300-level and at least one of these courses must be at the 400-level. One of these courses may be a topically oriented archaeology or biological anthropology course3, or ANTH 499- Topics in Anthropology, chosen in consultation with your advisor |
| 12 | Ethnographic Places Four courses selected from the list maintained in the advisor’s office. At least one of these courses must be at the 300 or 400 level. One of these courses may be a topically oriented archaeology or biological anthropology course4, or ANTH 499- Topics in Anthropology, chosen in consultation with your advisor. |
| 3 | Capstone Course in Sociocultural/Linguistic Anthropology5 |
| 12 | Supporting coursework. Consulting closely with your anthropology faculty advisor, you should plan to take supporting course work from other departments and/or subdisciplines6 in anthropology that relates to your anthropological work and interests. At least three of these supporting courses must be taken in other departments. Of these four supporting courses, two should be at the 300- or 400-level. |
Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level Anthropology courses must be taken on this campus.
All foreign language requirements must be satisfied.
A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60- 75 hours). Please see your adviser.
1. Senior Capstone requirement: Either ANTH 495- Honors Senior Thesis or ANTH 497- Individual Field Data Analysis; or any existing 400-level course, or ANTH 399- Special Topics as an independent study, if the student works closely with the instructor to adapt it to fulfill this requirement by beginning and completing a new research/writing project relevant to the course. Can be repeated for up to 6 hours.
2. Courses in related fields. Of these courses, at least 9 hours must be at the 300- or 400-level. Students may substitute an official minor offered by another department as long as the supporting course work, hours, and level requirements are met.
3. Relevant archaeology and biological anthropology courses include ANTH 180, 221, 241, 249, 277, 447, 452, 474.
4. Relevant archaeology and biological anthropology courses include ANTH 107, 157, 223, 376, 450, 475, 476.
5. Either ANTH 495-Honors Senior Thesis or ANTH 497-Individual Field Data Analysis; or any existing 400-level course, or ANTH 399-Special Topics as an independent study, if the student works closely with the instructor to adapt it to fulfill this requirement by beginning and completing a new research/writing project relevant to the course. Can be repeated for up to 6 hours.
6. If you have not selected a course from another subdiscipline of anthropology as part of your “Ethnographic Themes/Modes of Thinking” or “Ethnographic Places” courses, or have not taken such a course in fulfillment of General Education requirements, one of these supporting courses must be selected from course offerings in archeology or biological anthropology.
Minor in Anthropology
The minor in anthropology may be tailored to each student's individual needs, thus accommodating students with interests as diverse as premedicine, prelaw, geography, and art history.
E-mail: anthro@illinois.edu
Web address for department: http://www.anthro.illinois.edu
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6 | Select at least two of the following courses: |
ANTH 220 - Introduction to Archaeology |
|
ANTH 230 - Sociocultural Anthropology |
|
ANTH 240 - Biological Anthropology |
|
ANTH 270 - Linguistic Anthropology |
|
| 6 | Minimum of six hours 300- or 400-level courses. Only 3 hours of ANTH 499 may be used to fulfill this requirement. |
| 6 | Anthropology courses at any level |
| 18 | Total required hours |