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The Department of Anthropology

Undergraduate Degrees, Options, and Minors

At the Department of Anthropology we offer the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Anthropology. We also offer a minor in Anthropology.

Within the B.A. degree we offer several options. Selecting an option is not required in the major, and many students graduate with a "general" degree, working with their advisor to tailor the anthropology major to their needs and interests.

An option provides a way to focus your degree by taking a set of classes that will give you the essential knowledge and related experience relevant to a subfield of Anthropology. Successful completion of an option is noted on transcripts and the diploma. Options require the same amount and type of coursework that the general major requires; however, they are more rigid in what courses are taken to satisfy those requirements and often require a suite of relevant courses be taken in allied disciplines.

The Anthropology undergraduate program, including model courses of study and course descriptions, can be found at The University of Montana - Missoula Course Catalog 2008-2009. Need to understand how a major or minor fits into the overall undergraduate requirements? See The University’s catalog on General Education Requirements.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

There are no prerequisites to the undergraduate major. The major requires 36 credits in Anthropology or Linguistics, 12 of which must be the core offerings. In addition to the core courses, students are required to have a course in quantitative methods. Students must complete the core courses and the quantitative course with a letter grade of “C” (2.00) or better.

Of the remaining 24 credits, two upper-division courses (6 credits) must be selected from Subarea I with 3 credits from the theory section and 3 credits from the methods section. Six additional credits must be selected from Subareas II, III, or IV. Students must complete the undergraduate anthropology degree requirements by choosing 12 other elective credits in anthropology or approved cognate courses.

The 36 credits must include:

Lower-Division Core Courses, 12 Credits

  • ANTH 210N Introduction to Physical Anthropology, 3 cr.
  • ANTH 220S Comparative Social Organization, 3 cr.
  • ANTH 250S Introduction to Archaeology, 3 cr.
  • LING 173 Introduction to Language, 3 cr. or
  • LING 270 Introduction to Linguistics, 3cr.

Subarea I: Theory and Methods, 6 Credits

  • Anthropological Theory:
  • ANTH 359 Seminars in Archaeology
  • ANTH 400 History of Anthropology
  • ANTH 404 Anthropological Museology
  • ANTH 410 Human Evolution
  • ANTH 415 The Emergence of Modern Humans
  • ANTH 430 Social Anthropology
  • ANTH 450 Archaeological Theory
  • Anthropological Methods:
  • ANTH 314 Principles of Forensic Anthropology
  • ANTH 401 Anthropological Data Analysis
  • ANTH 402 Advanced Anthropological Statistics
  • ANTH 412 Osteology
  • ANTH 413 Forensic and Mortuary Archaeology
  • ANTH 414 Human Identification
  • ANTH 416 Dental Anthropology
  • ANTH 431 Ethnographic Field Methods
  • ANTH 451 Cultural Resource Management
  • ANTH 452 Architecture of the Frontier West
  • ANTH 453 Cultural Resource Research Methods
  • ANTH 454 Lithic Technology
  • ANTH 455 Artifact Analysis
  • ANTH 456 Historic Sites Archaeology
  • ANTH 466 Archaeological Survey
  • ANTH 487 Anthropological Field Experience
  • LING 475 Linguistic Field Methods

Subarea II, III, IV, 6 Credits

  • Subarea II: Human Adaptation and Diversity
  • ANTH 101H Introduction to Anthropology
  • ANTH 102S Race and Minorities
  • ANTH 201 Human Sexuality
  • ANTH 211N Human Genetics
  • ANTH 310N Human Variation
  • ANTH 343S Culture and Population
  • ANTH 388 Native American Health and Healing
  • ANTH 417 Adaptation and Nutritional Anthropology
  • ANTH 418 Ecology and Genetic Variation in Human Populations
  • ANTH 420S Human Behavioral Ecology
  • ANTH 444 Culture, Health, and Healing
  • Subarea III: World Societies and Cultures
  • ANTH 251S Foundations of Civilization
  • ANTH 252H Archaeological Wonders of the World
  • ANTH 323H Native Peoples of Montana
  • ANTH 330H Peoples and Cultures of the World
  • ANTH 351H Archaeology of North America
  • ANTH 352 Archaeology of Montana
  • ANTH 354H Mesoamerican Prehistory
  • ANTH 357H Archaeology of the Southwest
  • ANTH 457 Archaeology of the Pacific Northwest
  • ANTH 458 Archaeology of Hunter-Gatherers
  • Subarea IV: Concepts and Issues
  • ANTH 286N Survey of Forensic Science
  • ANTH 311 Visual Anthropology of Primates
  • ANTH 326 Religious Belief Systems
  • ANTH 327 Anthropology of Gender
  • ANTH 328S Culture and Identity
  • ANTH 329S Social Change in Non-Western Societies
  • ANTH 340H Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asia
  • ANTH 341S Contemporary Issues of Native Peoples
  • ANTH 385S Indigenous Peoples and Global Development
  • ANTH 411 Primatology
  • ANTH 422 Psychological Anthropology
  • LING 470 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis
  • LING 473S Language and Culture
  • LING 474 Language History, Variety, and Change
  • LING 476 Child Language Acquisition
  • LING 477 Bilingualism
  • LING 479 Pragmatics
  • LING 484 North American Indian Linguistics
  • LING 489 Language of the World

Anthropology or cognate electives, 12 Credits

Upper-Division Writing Expectation

The upper-division writing expectation must be met either by taking an upper-division writing course from the approved list in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog (see index), or by taking one of the following courses: ANTH 314, 402, 404, 413, 420, 431, 450, 451, 453, 454, 455, or LING 475.

Requirements for a Minor

To earn a minor in anthropology the student must complete the core courses. Afterward, the student must complete one upperdivision course in Subarea I and one upper-division course from Subareas II, III, or IV.

Lower-Division Core Courses, 12 Credits

ANTH 210N Introduction to Physical Anthropology

ANTH 220S Comparative Social Organization

ANTH 250S Introduction to Archaeology

LING 270 Introduction to Linguistics or LING 173, Introduction to Language

Subarea I, 3 Upper-Division Credits

Subareas II, III, or IV, 3 Upper-Division Credits

 

Archaeology Option

For a degree in anthropology with an option in archaeology, the student must meet all the general requirements for the major and at least nine credits (9CR) from these archaeological core courses, with at least three credits (3CR) from each subarea:

  • AREA:  ANTH 351,  ANTH 352,  ANTH 354, ANTH 357, ANTH 451, ANTH 457, or ANTH 459
  • THEORY:  ANTH 450, ANTH 456, ANTH 458
  • METHODS: Any archaeological field school, ANTH 455, ANTH 455, ANTH 466  
  • complete 6 credits in one of the following allied disciplines: biology, geography, or geology
  • complete 6 credits in one of the following allied disciplines: computer science, environmental studies, forestry, history, mathematical sciences, or native american studies.

Cultural and Ethnic Diversity Option

For a degree in anthropology with an option in cultural and ethnic diversity the student must meet all the general requirements for the major and the following courses:

  • ANTH 102S Race and Minorities
  • ANTH 310N Human Variation
  • ANTH 330H  Peoples and Cultures of the World
  • ANTH 328S Culture and Identity
  • complete 6 credits, with advisor approval, in one of the following disciplines: anthropology, history, or sociology
  • complete 6 upper-division credits, with advisor approval, in one of the following allied disciplines: African-American Studies, Asian Studies, Native American Studies or Women’s Studies.

Forensic Anthropology Option

For a degree in anthropology with an option in forensic anthropology, the student must meet all the general requirements for the major and the following courses:

  • ANTH 286N Survey of the Forensic Sciences
  • ANTH 310N Human Variation
  • ANTH 312 Principles of Forensic Anthropology
  • ANTH 413 Forensic and Mortuary Archaeology
  • SOC 230S Criminology or 235 Criminal Justice System
  • complete 12 credits in additional courses in subjects relevant to the forensic sciences chosen in consultation with the advisor, such as (but not limited to) archaeology, physical anthropology, biology, chemistry, criminology, drawing, geology, pharmacy, photography, public speaking, or psychology.

Linguistic Option

For a degree in anthropology with an option in linguistics, the student must meet all the general requirements for the major and complete an additional 12 credits from the following courses:

  • LING 471 Phonology and Morphology
  • LING 472 Generative Syntax and Semantics
  • LING 474 Language History, Variety, and Change
  • LING 475 Linguistics Field Methods
  • LING 473S Language and Culture
  • ANTH 484 North American Indian Linguistics

 

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