The Major in Anthropology

Anthropology major Lauren McDonough spent a summer researching the relationship between modern humans and neadertals by looking at a physical and childhood developmental comparison based on the dental record. Learn more about Lauren.

Major Requirements (for students admitted to UNH Fall 2009-present)

Majors must complete a minimum of 40 credits with grades of C or better in each course, and must also maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0. Students who declare a major in anthropology are expected to make steady progress towards fulfillment of major requirements. Normally, this means taking at least one anthropology course a semester until all of the requirements have been met. A student who has fulfilled most of the major requirements may request an exception to this policy from their advisor. The program, and the approximate order of progress, is outlined below.

• ♦ ANTH 511, Core Concepts in Anthropology
  
• ♦ANTH 411, Global Perspectives: Introduction to Anthropology
   ~OR~
•   ANTH 412, Broken Pots and Buried Cities: Adventures in Archaeology
    ~OR~
  ANTH 415, The Human Story: Evolution, Fossils and DNA
  
• ♦ ANTH 701, History of Anthropological Theory
  

  Majors are required to take this course and are encouraged to do so immediately after completing the introductory couplet. These courses, together with ANTH 702, act as a capstone for the major. The 701/702 sequence may be taken no earlier than the junior year. ANTH 701 focuses on the history of the field of anthropology and gives students background skills needed for more specialized upper level courses. This course is offered once a year, usually in the Fall Semester.

• ♦ ANTH 702, Issues in Contemporary Anthropological Theory
  

  Majors are required to take this course and are encouraged to do so following the successful completion of ANTH 701. ANTH 702 explores recent directions in the discipline such as cognitive and symbolic anthropology, cultural materialism, evolutionary theory, gender studies, structuralism, interpretivism, and postmodernism.

• ♦ 2 additional courses numbered 599 or below (one of these must focus on a specific geographic area: ANTH 500 or ANTH 501)

1. ♦ 4 additional courses numbered 600 or above (two of these must be in designated seminar format, one seminar at the 700-level. Seminar courses are ANTH 610, 610W, 614, 616, 685, 690, 697, 698, 705, 720, 760, 770, 780, 785, 797.)
   
   Anthropology majors may use up to two major courses to satisfy General Education requirements.
   
   American sign language may not be applied toward the foreign language requirement.
   
   Click here for Major Requirements for students admitted to UNH from Fall 2005 - Spring 2008