Department

Department of Anthropology

James J. Mullooly, Chair
Peters Business Building, Room 385
559.278.7574
FAX: 559.278.7234
www.fresnostate.edu/anthropology/

Degrees and Programs Offered

BA in Anthropology, B.A.
MN in American Indian Studies, Minor
MN in Anthropology, Minor
MN in Asian American Studies, Minor
MN in Southeast Asian Studies, Minor

Courses Offered

Anthropology is concerned with everything that is human, in all parts of the world, both present and past. It is unique among the social sciences in its scope. Most disciplines focus only on modern civilization or concentrate on single aspects of life, such as government or the economy. Anthropology is interested in all human societies and views life as a complexly integrated whole that is more than the sum of its parts. It is the human experience as a whole that anthropology seeks to understand.

The breadth of anthropology is reflected in its four subfields. Physical anthropology studies biological evolution and how heredity conditions the ways we conduct life. Cultural anthropology, by studying the enormous diversity of lifeways in contemporary cultures throughout the world, attempts to explain both differences and similarities in the way different peoples carry out the process of living. Archaeology explores the human past far beyond the range of written records, using specialized techniques to probe human prehistory. Linguistic anthropology investigates the nature of language and the critical role it has played in developing our unique intellectual capabilities and behavior. The central concept in anthropology is "culture," and it is this vital idea which binds the subfields into an integrated discipline.

Our program has three goals:

• to provide students with a clear conception of human variability and its implications, enabling them to understand and deal with lifestyles other than those of "mainstream America;"
• to provide students with the broad intellectual skills that are essential to the widest range of professional careers;and
• to prepare students to use anthropological concepts in both applied and research careers.

Both the anthropology major and minor offer a varied but well-structured exposure to all four subfields of the discipline. The major consists of two parts. The core curriculum introduces both data and theory in a logical sequence of courses from basic to advanced and includes an introduction to anthropological fieldwork. The four degree tracks are intended to prepare students for specific careers in the following areas: education, cultural resources management, social services, or post-secondary teaching. The minor is a briefer but balanced survey of the discipline, designed to complement any major whose graduates need to understand and deal with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Special Resources and Facilities

The Anthropology Department provides student training in both archaeological and ethnographic studies. Advanced students may also pursue specialized training in our archaeological and ethnographic field schools, as well as our archaeology laboratory. We encourage internships as an important aspect of student development and help place advanced students as interns with a large variety of organizations.

Requirements

Anthropology Major Requirements

1. Major requirements (36 units)
(see Advising Note 1)

A. CORE CURRICULUM (21 units)
(required of all majors)
ANTH 2 (3 units)
ANTH 3 (3 units)
ANTH 100 (3 units)
ANTH 101 and ANTH 145 or ANTH 111 and ANTH 111B (see Advising Note 2) (6 units)
ANTH 104 (3 units)
ANTH 195 (1 unit)
ANTH 196 (2 units)

In addition to the core curriculum, each student, in consultation with an advisor, will select the following:

Elective curriculum
(15 units minimum.) Three upper-division classes within the student's area of concentration (e.g. cultural, physical, or archaeology) (9 units) (see Advising Note 3)
Two upper-division classes, one in each remaining subdiscipline (e.g., an archaeology student would take one cultural and one physical course) (6 units) (see Advising Note 3)

B. ADDITIONAL ELECTIVES
Students may benefit from additional courses to supplement their area of interest; please consult an advisor.

2. General Education requirements (49 units)

3. Other requirements (6 units)
Upper-division writing and Multicultural and International (MI)

4. Sufficient elective units to meet required total units (varies)
(See Degree Requirements); may be used toward a double major or minor.
(See Advising Notes 3 and 4.)

5. Total (120 units)*

* G.E. and MI courses can be double counted with major requirements. The writing requirement may be met by taking the upper-division writing exam.  This total indicates that ANTH 2 or 3 in G. E. Breadth D3 may be applied to the anthropology major. Consult the department chair or faculty advisor for additional details.

Advising Notes

1. CR/NC grading is not permitted in the anthropology major or minor unless the grading method for the course is CR/NC only.
2. ANTH 101 and ANTH 145 or ANTH 111 and ANTH 111B must be taken for at least 6 units.
3. ANTH 161 may not be taken to satisfy the main area of concentration. It may, however, be used to satisfy the physical anthropology subdiscipline requirement for the archaeology or cultural student.
4. Units in this category as well as in General Education, may also be applied toward a double major or minor, as appropriate. (See Double Major or departmental minor.)
5. ANTH 30 does not satisfy elective requirements in the major.
6. ANTH 117 and 118 can satisfy either the cultural or physical elective requirement.
7. ANTH 130 can satisfy either the cultural or archaeology elective requirement.

*This total indicates that ANTH 2 or 3 in G. E. Breadth D3 also may be applied to the anthropology major. Consult the department chair or faculty advisor for additional details.

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Faculty

For faculty phone numbers and e-mail, see the campus directory.

For more on the faculty, see the faculty pages.
The faculty pages are updated by the department or program.

Roadmap

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

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Careers

Anthropology is concerned with everything that is human, in all parts of the world, both present and past. It is unique among the social sciences in its holistic scope.

The Department of Anthropology provides undergraduate training (major or minor) in anthropology with emphases in Archeology, Cultural and Physical Anthropology. Fieldwork opportunities through the Institute of Public Anthropology and our Archeology field school provide multiple opportunities for students to gain hands on research in ongoing investigations.

What You Can Earn

Employment Opportunities posted on the Society for Applied Anthropology website

Interesting Classes You Might Take

• Introductory Fieldwork in Archeology
• World Cultures
• Anthropology of Health, Illness, and Healing
• Peoples and Cultures of East Asia

What You Can Learn

• How culture has made possible the range of different societies
• Basic methods and strategies for archeological excavation
• How to think critically and use reasoning when considering topics of race/ingelligence, region/values, and social policy.

About the College

The College of Social Sciences studies the human experience, including the depth of the past and the breadth of the entire planet.

We place emphasis on learning practical skills to aid you in your career. Our students do internships, participate in archaeological digs, or do service-learning projects with a non-profit agency. Students can assist on research projects or organize a social change project.

Whatever a student's major, they enjoy our witty and talented faculty and our caring staff as they discover our social world.

College Contact Information

email
Phone: (559) 278-3013
FAX: (559) 278-7664

Address:
5340 N. Campus Drive MS/SS91
Fresno CA 93740-8019

Department Contact Information

Department of Anthropology
College of Social Sciences
Peters Business Building, Room 385
5245 North Backer Ave. M/S 16
Fresno, CA 93740-8001

Where We're Located

The Department of Anthropology is located on the third floor of the Peters Business Building (room 385).
Drive to Woodrow Avenue from either Barstow or Shaw Avenues. Campus map

Phone: (559) 278-3002 FAX: (559) 278-7234