Major in Anthropology
Students are encouraged to design a program to suit their interests. Many students focus more heavily on sociocultural and linguistic anthropology, others on archaeology or biological anthropology. An anthropology major is interdisciplinary. Where appropriate, courses from other departments can apply toward a major.
Through off-campus programs the department encourages majors to become involved in overseas and urban studies programs that provide experience in other cultural settings. Many students work as interns in organizations and government agencies concerned with public policy issues and in Twin Cities museums. Students regularly serve as research apprentices and apprentice teachers under the supervision of department faculty and conduct collaborative research and present the results of this research at local and national meetings.
Hamline University offers study-abroad and urban studies courses and programs that range in length from a month-long January or May term to a full semester or year experience. Department of Anthropology faculty members offer study-abroad courses in Mexico, Peru, Thailand, Bangladesh, China, and Ghana. We regularly offer a Hamline-sponsored field school in archaeological methods and assist students with archaeological interests in locating field schools in other parts of the country and world. On-going contracts with state and federal agencies, such as the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs give students experience in cultural resource management and applied research. The department assists students in attending professional meetings, public lectures, and exhibitions. Anthropology majors have organized an Anthropological Society, which sponsors bag lunch speakers, films, and social events.
Anthropology Major Requirements
A major in anthropology consists of 13 courses as follows.
Note
The department encourages majors to develop a geographical regional expertise and a proficiency in a foreign language. Students are strongly encouraged to take courses in all departmental subfields. A course in quantitative methods or statistics is also recommended. Students interested in becoming majors should consult a faculty member to determine which courses will best fit their needs.