Majoring & Minoring

Anthropology

The Anthropology major is designed to develop a critical awareness and understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures, and of the relevance and application of anthropological perspectives and methods to contemporary issues. The program specializes in the Caribbean and the African Diaspora in the U.S. and beyond. Courses cover issues central to our contemporary society: questions of race, class and gender; whiteness, cultural heritage, and environmental (in)justice. Additionally, contributing courses from Feminist Studies, Political Science and Religion address Latinx spiritualities, Chicana feminisms, politics and social change in Latin American and Caribbean societies, gender in/and religions, spiritual traditions in native America, pilgrimages and more. Anthropology majors acquire solid grounding in both the social and cultural theory employed and generated by anthropologists and the ethnographic methods that define our discipline. Majors also conduct their own independent research and present a paper based upon that research. 

Students seeking a major in Anthropology complete the requirements for the BA degree. Students are required to complete a period of in-depth ethnographic/historical anthropological research during which they collect data for their capstone. This research period must be completed by end of the fall semester of their senior year and must entail a minimum of four weeks of intensive research or its equivalent. Students are encouraged to conduct this research during a study abroad experience with an appropriate study abroad program (see approved list of study abroad providers). Students may also complete this research by taking the Southwestern University Racial History Project course in the Fall before capstone or otherwise developing their own project. 

Note on course numbering: 100 level courses are introductory. 200-300 level courses are upper level and may require prerequisites. 400 level courses are theory and method courses and require prerequisites. 500-level is the research focused SU Racial History Project, 900 level courses are capstone, tutorial, independent study, internship and honors.


Major in Anthropology

Eight courses (Majors consist of a minimum of 30 credits.)

  • ANT35-104 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • SOC34-114 Introduction to Sociology, or SOC34-124 Social Problems
  • ANT35-424 Theory and Method in Cultural Anthropology (offered every fall, recommended for sophomore or junior year)
  • ANT35-964 Senior Seminar (Capstone, to be taken in the spring of the senior year)
  • Four additional upper-level courses in or contributing to Anthropology, one of which may be an upper level Sociology course.

Minor in Anthropology

Five courses (Minors consist of a minimum of 18 credits.)

  • ANT35-104 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • Four additional courses that are either in or contribute to Anthropology

Courses outside of Anthropology that Contribute to the Major and Minor

Feminist Studies

  • FST04-254 Latinx Spiritualities
  • FST04-364 Chicana Feminisms

Political Science

  • PSC32-184 Politics of Latin America and the Caribbean

Religion

  • REL19-214 Native American Traditions
  • REL19-354 Gender and Sexuality in Native America
  • REL19-384 Rastas, Saints and Virgins
  • REL19-364 Pilgrimage
  • REL19-324 Women, Goddesses and Religion