Courses
ANTH 108. Latin American Cultures (3)
Study of major social institutions and lifestyles in Central and South America focusing on contemporary peoples, their traditional cultural base and current cultural changes. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
ANTH 150. The Human Adventure: Introduction to Anthropology (3)
Overview of human physical and cultural origins and the development and distribution of diverse populations, languages, social institutions and beliefs; introduction to the methods and insights of cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics and physical anthropology. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 151. Physical Anthropology (3)
Anthropological perspective on biological variation in human and non-human primates in the past and the present; examines the interaction between biology and culture in the evolution of human society. Evolution and behavior of non-human primates are examined for what they reveal about the human condition. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 152. Culture and Human Behavior (3)
Study of the variety of cultural patterns that human societies use to adapt to the environment, guide social interaction and understand the human condition. Emphasizes the ideas and methods anthropologists use to develop a scientific and humanistic understanding of the world’s cultures. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 153. Temples, Tombs and Treasures? An Introduction to Archaeology (3)
Although we are often captivated by the ancient past, many of the reconstructions of this past found in popular culture are not based on the premises of scientific archaeological practice. This course introduces students to the methods, theories and results of scientific archaeological study. Students learn how archaeologists collect and analyze data in order to reconstruct the lifeways and culture histories of our prehistoric ancestors from the Pleistocene to the first civilizations. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 212. Anthropology of Sex (3)
This course will examine human sexuality from a holistic anthropological perspective. Subjects such as sexual anatomy and physiology, sexual intercourse, prostitution, sexual coercion, homosexuality and masturbation will be examined from a biological perspective looking to the non-human primates for comparison, and a cultural perspective using ethnographic and archeological data. Additionally, the course will examine the role of sex in language and folklore. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 222. Visions of the Sacred (3)
Study of the varieties of religious beliefs, rituals and experiences showing the relationship between people and their society, culture, environment and universe. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.)
ANTH 300. Anthropology and the Modern World (3)
Prerequisites: Lower Division G.E. course in Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science or Cultural Geography; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Examination of contemporary global issues and problems and their effects on western and nonwestern cultures. Topics include anthropological perspectives on colonialism, modernization, acculturation, poverty, racism, sexism, energy, pollution and applied anthropology.
ANTH 302. Introduction to Applied Anthropology (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of Lower Division G.E. credit in Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, or Cultural Geography and completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. This practical, hands-on course introduces students to the ways in which anthropologists apply our field’s skills, knowledge, and perspectives towards the resolution of social problems in today’s world. Students are introduced to a variety of applications anthropology has for other disciplines and professions, including education, health, environmental issues, and business. (Available for General Education, Social Science Subject Matter Explorations.)
ANTH 303. Anthropological Thought (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152. Study of the conceptual foundations of contemporary anthropological thought. Topics include evolutionary theory, functionalism, historicalism, structuralism and interpretative anthropology.
ANTH 305. Individual and Culture (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; PSY 150 or SOC 150 ; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Not to be taken for credit in addition to SOC 305. Comparative study of the relationship between the individuals and their culture. Child-rearing in nonwestern cultures. Exploration of individual identity and group character. Regular written assignments required. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 306. Native Peoples of North America (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152. North American Indians in prehistoric, historic and present time.
ANTH 307. Native Peoples of California and the Southwest (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152. Origins, modes of subsistence, social organization and geographic and historical relationships. European conquest and the present condition of several tribes.
ANTH 308. Women, Sex Roles and Culture (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Discussion of women and sex roles in tribal, modernizing and industrial societies; traditional sex roles and the impact of cultural change. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
ANTH 310. Language in Culture: Anthropological Linguistics (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Study of basic linguistic concepts in cultural contexts; an examination of language diversity and sociocultural factors of language use. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies and for Section C of the Multicultural Requirement for Credential Candidates.)
ANTH 311. Human Variation (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 151. Morphological, genetic and physiological aspects of human biological variability; the concept and description of race; the interaction of cultural and environmental factors in human biological adaptation.
ANTH 315. Third World Cultures (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Compares and contrasts nonwestern, kin-organized societies with class-oriented Western societies. Examines the historic relationship between Western societies and those of indigenous peoples in the Third World. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
ANTH 319. World Prehistory (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Encompasses the origin and development of prehistoric human culture from hunting and gathering to the origin of urban societies. Surveys the archaeological evidence from both the New and Old World. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 326. Introduction to Folklore (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Introduction to the study of folklore from a cross-cultural perspective, including major forms such as folktale, legend, ballad, joke, riddle, proverb and festival, and the theories used to interpret them. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.)
ANTH 338. Peoples of Africa (3)
This course introduces students to the diversity of African cultures in North Africa, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. Students will learn about the history and ethnography of colonial and postcolonial African societies and develop a more balanced understanding of Africa’s diversity, complexity and relationship to contemporary globalization.
ANTH 339. Peoples of South Asia (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Survey of the cultures of South Asia reviewing the culture, history, language distribution and principal culture types. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
ANTH 341. Bones: An Introduction to the Study of Human Remains (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 151, or BIOL 100 or 101 or 106; Completion of Lower Division writing requirement. Forensic Anthropology has been popularized in recent years by a range of popular media. But what can human remains really tell us? In this class, we will review the methods used by physical anthropologists to study the human skeleton and critically examine the array of information that can actually be scientifically extracted from human skeletal remains. Based on this knowledge, we will analyze the biological and cultural information bones may yield about past human populations. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
ANTH 345. Diversity in the United States (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Examination of individual and group ethnic identity. Interaction of mainstream culture, ethnic groups and social classes in U.S. society. Illustrations drawn from particular groups. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
ANTH 346. Urban Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Cross-cultural urbanism, urbanization and migration, both with macro and micro focus. Regular written assignments required.
ANTH 351. Peoples of Middle America (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152 or CAS 100. Survey of the cultures from Mexico to Panama, tracing their characteristics and changes from the 16th century to the present.
ANTH 352. Peoples of South America (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152. Survey of the cultures of South America, including peasant and tribal societies, emphasizing their historical background, emergent characteristics and present changes.
ANTH 353. The Maya: Ancient and Modern (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 319. The Maya form one of the largest indigenous linguistic groups in the Americas. This course is an introductory survey of their culture and society from prehistoric times to the present. The course addresses the cultural history, social organization and political history of the Maya, as well as their artistic and intellectual achievements. Discussions include examination of ancient Maya sites, architecture, art and writing, as well as examining the state of the Maya in the modern world.
ANTH 356. Peoples and Cultures of the Mediterranean (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152. Examines people and cultures of the Mediterranean region, including Spain, southern France, Italy, Greece, the Middle East and North Africa, through contemporary ethnography and film.
ANTH 360. Immigration and Ethnicity (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Counts as credit toward the Anthropology minor but not toward the Anthropology major. Examines the basic concepts that inform our understanding of immigration and ethnicity: race, class, gender; the politics of multiculturalism and cultural diversity; and the conflicts and problems inherent in the immigrant experience.
ANTH 385A-O. Site Visits California and Southwest (1-3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 306 or 307. Prehistoric and modern cultures of Native Americans in the Southwest and California. Emphasis on understanding their technologies, cultures and ecology through direct field observation. Examines the impact of Spanish and American people on Native American culture. (No more than 3 units may be counted toward the major.)
ANTH 404. Comparative Social Organization (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 150 or 152. Comparative study of social divisions in human societies.
ANTH 421. Primatology: Morphology, Behavior and Social Organization (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 151 and 150 or 152. Detailed examination of that part of physical anthropology which seeks to add to understanding of human behavior and evolution by elucidating the social organizations and behavioral adaptation of the primates.
ANTH 423. Human Behavior: Evolutionary Perspectives (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 151; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Introduction to the various methods and approaches anthropologists use to understand human behavior from a biocultural perspective. Examines the determinants of human behavior, past and present. Regular written assignments required.
ANTH 424. The Supernatural in the Modern World (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 152. Ethnographic approach to supernatural belief in the post-Enlightenment Western world through religions, narratives, folk healing, folk drama, ritual and media accounts. Analyzes scholarly approaches to these topics.
ANTH 425. Culture, Health and Healing (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 151 or ANTH 152. Introduction to medical anthropology, the study of the interaction of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors in human promotion of health and adaptation to disease.
ANTH 426. Old World Archaeology (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 153. Survey of the culture history of the Old World from Paleolithic times to the rise of the major Old World civilizations, with an emphasis on the prehistory of the Southwestern Asian, Mediterranean and European regions. Regular written assignments are required.
ANTH 427. Archaeology of North America (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 153; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Examination of the origins and adaptations of Native American Cultures. Regular written assignments are required.
ANTH 428. Archaeology of Mesoamerica (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 153; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Overview of the cultural achievements and developments in Mesoamerica prior to the Spanish Conquest.
ANTH 429. Archaeology of South America (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 153; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Overview of the cultural achievements and developments in South America prior to the colonialization by the European countries.
ANTH 430. Ecological Anthropology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Ecological anthropology attempts to understand the structure, distribution and evolution of human societies on the basis of ecological principles. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 432. Environmental Justice and Health (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152, completion of Lower Division writing requirement. Students in this course will explore issues of global development and social justice, particularly looking at the issues of environmental degradation and human health in the context of global and local inequality. Students will explore such topics as agricultural and natural resource development, the effects of war and conflict, health and environmental pollution, and food security, all in a global-to-local ethnographic context. Some sections of this course may offer a community service opportunity with activities relating to concepts and theories presented. Check the schedule of classes for a CS designation. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 445/L. Human Osteology and Lab (3/1)
Prerequisites: ANTH 341; Completion of Lower Division writing requirement. Corequisites: ANTH 445L. Human Osteology is the study of the human skeleton. In this class, students will learn to recognize all of the human skeletal elements and appreciate the range of skeletal variation in individuals and populations. Osteological methods used on human remains discovered in an archeological, forensic or paleoanthropological context will also be covered. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 450. Historical Anthropology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Introduction to the anthropological study of cultures within a historical context. Examines the importance of a diachronic approach to the study of contemporary societies and introduces anthropological methods for a study of the past. Teaches critical analysis of documentary materials relevant for anthropological research. Regular written assignments required.
ANTH 451. Economic Anthropology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 152 plus one regional area course. Comparative study of the economic component of human cultures. Emphasizes the problems of theoretical conceptualization.
ANTH 453. Human Paleontology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 151, 153. Origin of humanity and the history of physical evolution beginning in Miocene times and continuing through to the present.
ANTH 460. The Archaeological Study of Women in the Ancient World (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 152 or 153; Upper Division standing; completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Examines the data which deal with the status and roles of women in prehistoric societies. Discussion of fundamental issues such as the origins of the gendered division of labor, the origins of gender hierarchy, the universality of female subordination and variability in women’s activities, status and power in human societies. Taught from a cross-cultural perspective and combines insights provided by cultural anthropology, archaeology, art history, physical anthropology and history.
ANTH 462. Anthropology of the Arts (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150, 152 or 153; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Anthropological approaches to the study of artistic expression in diverse sociocultural settings from the prehistoric to the present. Regular written assignments are required.
ANTH 465. Museum Anthropology: Principles and Practices (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 152 or equivalent; Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam. This course introduces students to the theoretical and technical aspects of museum work as it relates to ethnographic and archaeological materials, as well as to the political and ethical ramifications of these practices. The course explores museum practices, skills and resources as they relate to the collection, curation, exhibition and administration of ethnographic and archaeological materials. Practices, principles and resources are considered not only for the United States but also as they pertain to museums and collections worldwide. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 468. Cultural Heritage (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 152 and 153; Completion of Lower-Division writing requirement. Introduction to cultural heritage studies that focuses on the politics of the representation and conservation of tangible and intangible remains of the past. An examination of the issues at stake in the interpretation, management, and portrayal of the past that contribute to the complexity of contemporary identity politics. The course also explores the uses (and abuses) of the past in the present for social, political, and economic purposes. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 470. Anthropological Film Study (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; One Upper Division cultural Anthropology course. Study of ethnological experiences, especially in non-literate societies, that lend themselves best to translation into films.
ANTH 473. Theory and Method in Archaeology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 153; Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam. Recommended preparatory: ANTH 303. This course provides students with the basic theoretical and methodological skills and background needed to become practicing archaeologists. By the end of this course, students will be able to analyze and evaluate archaeological arguments on a range of key topics in terms of their theoretical approach, research design and logic. Students will master the key concepts that provide the underpinnings to successful research design and allow them to intelligently engage with other scholars at the national and international level. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 475. Ethnographic Research Methods (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or 152; Upper Division standing; Completion of Lower Division writing requirement. Introduction to the integration of anthropological perspectives with other social scientific research, including quantitative and advanced qualitative methods.
ANTH 476A-Z. Topics in Anthropological Methods (3)
Fieldwork in any branch of anthropology, taken either in conjunction with or subsequent to an Upper Division course in that particular branch. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 486. Interrogating Globalization: the Ethnography of Global Problems (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 152 or equivalent; Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam. Preparatory: ANTH 300 or ANTH 315 or completion of regional distribution requirement. This course studies globalization using ethnography. It examines both the debates related to characterizing globalization and ethnographies that analyze some of its aspects, such as the rise of high-tech societies, the decentralization and feminization of labor, the dynamics and consequences of international migration and the causes and impacts of international commodity trade. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 490A-E. Seminar in Anthropology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTH 303; Past or concurrent enrollment in ANTH 473 or 475 (after Fall 2006); One Upper Division course in appropriate subdiscipline. Faculty-directed research on primary data in the major subdisciplines of anthropology. Selected subjects in the same subdiscipline may be repeated up to 3 times. (A) Archaeology; (B) Biological Anthropology; (C) Cultural Anthropology; (D) Linguistics; (E) Applied Anthropology. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 494AA-ZZ. Anthropological Field Studies (8)
Recommended Preparatory: ANTH 153 or equivalent. Enrolled students will participate as working field associates on anthropological field projects. Students will practice field methodologies appropriate to the different subdisciplines of anthropology. Participation requires that students live full time at the field site. Students must be at least 18 years of age to participate. Field fee required. Available for graduate credit.
ANTH 496A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Appropriate introductory course. Selected topics in Anthropology with course content to be determined.
ANTH 498H. Honors Tutorial in Anthropology (4)
Prerequisite: Admission to Honors Program in Anthropology. Writing an honors thesis, based on primary research, under the supervision of a member of the faculty.
ANTH 499A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
Independent Study
ANTH 516. Seminar on Ethnography As Narrative (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 303 and/or instructor consent. Critical examination of ethnographic writing from a historical perspective. Ethnography is more than just a factual account about a cultural group; it reflects the perspectives and prejudices of its author and her/his culture and the unique set of factors he/she encountered in the field. Ethnography is studied as a narrative created by anthropologists. Discusses different types of ethnographies to understand the underlying narratives they construct about the culture under examination and how these narratives have changed in response to social and political changes.
ANTH 518/L. Lab Methods in Archaeology (2/1)
Prerequisite: ANTH 473. Corequisite: ANTH 518L. Participation in description, analysis and interpretation of archaeological collections. Classification, measurement and description, cataloging and recording of pottery, lithic and other materials are discussed. 2 hours lecture; one 2-hour lab per week.
ANTH 521. California Archaeology (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 473. Study of the archaeology of California from the earliest times through the Mission Period, with particular attention to the ecology of foraging and the causes of the cultural changes exhibited in the sequence.
ANTH 560. Social Evolution (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 404. Study of the ethnological evidence for human social evolution from primate troops to tributary states. Particular attention paid to the application of ethnological perspectives to the archaeological record for social evolution.
ANTH 601. Seminar in Anthropological Theory (3)
Prerequisite: Classified status or instructor consent. Survey of the development of anthropological theory across the subdisciplines of anthropology, with particular emphasis on cultural anthropology.
ANTH 602. Problems in Cultural Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Classified status or instructor consent. Survey of current issues and debates in cultural anthropology.
ANTH 603. Problems in Physical Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Classified status or instructor consent. Advanced study of theories, methods, problems and data pertinent to contemporary physical anthropology.
ANTH 606. Problems in Archaeology (3)
Prerequisite: Classified status or instructor consent. Intensive review of current issues and concepts critical to general understanding of archaeology.
ANTH 607. Seminar in Management of Archaeological Resources (3)
Prerequisite: Classified status or instructor consent. Covers the practical, scientific and ethical aspects of conducting archaeological research for public and private agencies.
ANTH 694. Practicum in Cultural Resource Management (3)
Prerequisite: ANTH 607 or instructor consent. Internship involving the student directly in a work experience in cultural resource management.
ANTH 696A. Anthropological Research Design (2)
Prerequisites: Classified status. This seminar will focus on how anthropological research is conceived and planned, with consideration of differing theoretical viewpoints and their usefulness. Students will discuss the unique position of anthropology among the sciences and humanities and resulting issues for research design. Students will review typical anthropological research problems, discuss appropriate methods and critique completed research projects with an emphasis on identifying how their design fostered successful execution. Students will conduct preliminary research on a specific topic of interest and are expected to complete an annotated bibliography of theoretical, methodological and substantive works related to that topic.
ANTH 696B. Proposal and Grant-Writing (2)
Prerequisites: Classified status; Successful completion of 696A. This seminar instructs students on developing and implementing research design, preparing them to write research and grant proposals. Students will analyze successful research and grant proposals, study how research is conceptualized within each genre and subfield and practice writing effective proposals. Topics addressed include identifying researchable questions, the relationship between theory and method, designing an effective fieldwork plan, assembling a thesis committee, research ethics, IRB protocols, sources for research funding, budgeting, research proposal evaluation criteria, the peer-review process, strategies for writing and presenting research findings and methodological topics of interest to seminar participants. Students are expected to complete a proposal for their MA research.
ANTH 697. Directed Comprehensive Studies (2)
Prerequisite: Completion of all courses required in the program. Intended for students taking the comprehensive exam. Grading is CR/NC only.
ANTH 698. Thesis or Graduate Project (2)
Thesis or Graduate Project
ANTH 699A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
Prerequisite: Classified graduate status.