Academics

Major and Minor Requirements

Major Requirements

Fall 2024: This program is being discontinued pending SACSCOC approval and is not accepting applications for admission. The University is still authorized to offer the program and issue the associated credential for students who are currently enrolled in the program.

For students who declared their major on or after Fall 2022:

Students wishing to major in Anthropology must complete a minimum of 37 credit hours in Anthropology at the 100 level and above, with a minimum overall GPA for all Anthropology classes of 2.0. Student must complete a minimum 120 credit hours for graduation with at least 36 credits at or above the 300-level. Although not a requirement beyond the 37 credit minimum, majors may choose to take additional courses in any of the subdisciplines: Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, or Biological Anthropology. Students may select appropriate courses in consultation with a faculty member in one of the subdisciplines. 

https://catalog.uncg.edu/arts-sciences/#additionalundergraduaterequirementstext In addition to the MAC Written Communication competency, students must complete a second 200 level or above College Writing (CW) course in anthropology.

  • Introduction Classes (3 credits for ATY 113 and ATY 158 and 4 credits for ATY 153 and ATY 153L )
    • ATY 113 – Engaging Culture
    • ATY 153 – The Human Species and ATY 153L The Human Species Lab
    • ATY 158 – Adventure in Time Travel Through Archaeology
  • One Methods Class is Required (3 credits)
    • ATY360 – Methods in Archaeology (offered every Spring)
    • ATY 361 – Methods in Biological Anthropology (offered every Fall) 
    • ATY 362 – Methods in Cultural Anthropology (offered every Fall) CW
  • One Data Interpretation Class is Required (3 credits)
    • ATY 321 – Qualitative Data and Anthropological Knowledge
    • ATY 369 – Statistics for Anthropology
  • ATY 363 – History of Anthropological Theory (3 credits) (offered every Fall)
  • ATY 495 – Contemporary Issues in Anthropology (3 credits) (offered every Spring)
  • Two Seminar classes are required (6 credits)
    • ATY 420 – Economic Anthropology
    • ATY 423 – Applied Archaeology
    • ATY 424 – Applied Anthropology
    • ATY 426 – Food and Culture in a Global Context CW
    • ATY 440 – Colliding Worlds: Forming America
    • ATY 444 – Archaeology of Power/Politics CW
    • ATY 449 – Gender Archaeology CW
    • ATY 450 – Environmental Anthropology
    • ATY 457 – Primate Behavior
    • ATY 459 – Anthropology of Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
    • ATY 462 – Archaeology of the Southeastern United States CW
    • ATY 465 – Medical Anthropology
    • ATY 469 – Anthropology of Infectious Disease
  • Three electives (9 credit hours) (only one can be at the 200-level and only one can be ATY 497, ATY 498, or ATY 499)
    • ATY 204 – Anthropology of Film
    • ATY 205 – World of Neandertals
    • ATY 208 – Lost Tribes and Sunken Lands
    • ATY 212 – Introduction to Anthropology
    • ATY 230 – Cultures of Native North America
    • ATY 231 – Race and Human Diversity
    • ATY 235 – Cultures of Africa
    • ATY 240 – Indigenous Towns and Temple Mounds: North American Archaeology
    • ATY 259 – Pandemics, Plagues, and Outbreaks
    • ATY 312 – The Anthropology of Children
    • ATY 315 – World Ethnographies
    • ATY 321 – Qualitative Data and Anthropological Knowledge
    • ATY 333 – Latin American Societies and Cultures
    • ATY 334 – Latin American Art and Archaeology
    • ATY 341 – Paleolithic Archaeology
    • ATY 350 – Human Origins and Evolution
    • ATY 353 – Music, Sound, and Power
    • ATY 354 – Modern Asia through its Music
    • ATY 357 – Monkeys, Apes, and Humans CW
    • ATY 359 – Forensic Anthropology
    • ATY 370 – Historical Archaeology of the Modern Worlds
    • ATY 377 – Disaster, Self, and Society CW
    • ATY 385 – Language and Culture
    • ATY 400 – Cults and Conspiracy Theories
    • ATY 453 – Human Osteology and ATY 453L Human Osteology Lab
    • ATY 475 – Research Methods in Historical Archaeology
    • ATY 477 – Zooarchaeology
    • ATY 478 – Field Methods in Archaeology
    • ATY 479 – Analysis of Archaeological Data
    • ATY 493 – Honors Work
    • ATY 497 – Special Problems in Anthropology
    • ATY 498 – Special Problems in Anthropology
    • ATY 499 – Internship in Anthropology

 

For students who declared their major prior to Fall 2022:

Students wishing to major in Anthropology must complete a minimum of 34 semester hours in Anthropology at the 100 level and above, with a minimum overall GPA for all Anthropology classes of 2.0.  Students must complete at a minimum 120 credit hours for graduation with at least 36 credits at or above the 300-level. Although not a requirement beyond the 34 credit minimum, majors may choose to take additional courses in any of the subdisciplines: Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, or Biological Anthropology. Students may select appropriate courses in consultation with a faculty member in one of the subdisciplines. 

  • Five Required Core Classes offered every Fall and Spring  (16 credits)
    • ATY 113 – Engaging Culture
    • ATY 153  and ATY 153L -The Human Species and Lab
    • ATY 158 – Time Travel-Archaeology
    • ATY 363 – History of Anthropological Theory 
    • ATY 495 – Contemporary Issues in Anthropology 
  • One Methods Class is Required (3 credits)
    • ATY360 – Methods in Archaeology (offered every Spring)
    • ATY 361 – Methods in Biological Anthropology (offered every Fall)
    • ATY 362 – Methods in Cultural Anthropology (offered every Fall)
  • Three ATY Electives At or Above the 400 level are Required (9 credits)
  • Two additional ATY Electives are Required (6 credits)
  • One Writing Intensive (WI) Class in Anthropology is Required
  • One Speaking Intensive (SI) Class in Anthropology is Required

Course Sequence

Many students wonder what sequence of Anthropology courses makes sense for majors?  One of the goals of our program is to allow students the flexibility of creating their own individual sequence of courses tailored to their individual interests.  However, there are a few simple rules to keep in mind as you proceed along your own, individual path towards completion of your degree requirements.

  • Take the three introductory courses (ATY 113, 153 + 153L, and 158) as soon as possible: these courses provide the necessary background for most of our advanced classes in each of the three sub disciplines (Cultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, and Archaeology).
  • Students should take their Methods course during their sophomore or junior year.  Note that Bio Methods (361) and Cultural Methods (362) are offered during Fall semester, while Archaeological Methods (360) is offered every Spring.
  • ATY 363 must be taken before ATY 495.  
  • ATY 495 must be taken during your senior year. ATY 495 is offered every Fall and Spring.

Minor Requirements

Students wishing to earn a minor in Anthropology must complete 15 semester hours in Anthropology from any course with an ATY prefix.

 

University Catalog

Visit the University Catalog to find an overview about the Anthropology program, Faculty listing, Anthropology programs offered at UNCG, and all Anthropology and Archaeology courses with descriptions and MAC requirements.

University Catalog for the Anthropology Program

 

Additional Requirements

Undergraduate Policies and University Requirements

General Education Requirements (MAC)

College of Arts and Sciences Additional Requirements (CIC)

Connect with us!