Undergraduate Studies Catalog

MAJOR IN ANTHROPOLOGY

www.luc.edu/depts/anthropology

Anthropology contributes a distinctive and integrated perspective on humankind. The hallmarks of this perspective are evolution, comparison, and holism. Anthropology investigates humans throughout time and in all regions of the world, and considers both biological and cultural factors that have shaped and are shaping our species. The department offers a major that develops this perspective within the four fields of anthropology: sociocultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and anthropological linguistics. Anthropology equips its students with a framework upon which to build a comprehensive understanding of our complex and often fragmented world.

Requirements for Majors: Twelve courses in anthropology, totaling 36 credit hours. These courses must include: ANTH 101, 102, 231, 241, and 304. In addition students must select one course from the culture area menu, one course from the menu, and one course from the bio-anthropology menu. Finally, students must take four elective courses (at the 200 and/or 300- level) with approval of the departmental advisor. Up to two of these courses may be from outside the department, with advisor approval. ANTH 397 and 398 may be taken more than once, but normally only one of these courses will count toward the major. ANTH 399 may be taken only once for anthropology elective credit.

• Foundation Courses

(all must be completed)

101 Human Origins

102 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

231 Language and Culture

241 Introduction to Archaeology

304 History of Anthropological Thought

• Culture Area Requirement

(select 1 course)

212 Peoples of Native North America

213 Culture in Contemporary Africa

214 African-American Anthropology

215 Contemporary Japanese Culture

218 Cultures of Southeast Asia

219 Contemporary Pacific Island Societies

• Theory Requirement

(select 1 course)

308 Media and Culture

310 Social Anthropology

311 Evolution of Culture

313 Interpretive Anthropology

• Bio-Anthropology Requirement

(select 1 course)

324 Human Evolution

325 Primatology

326 Human Osteology

• Electives

(4 courses)

Must be at 200 or 300 level.

Two electives may come from outside the department with advisor’s approval.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR MAJOR IN ANTHROPOLOGY (B.S.)

Minor in Anthropology: A minor in anthropology requires the completion of five courses within the department: two courses from the 100-level series and any three from among the 200 and 300-level series. Please consult the undergraduate anthropology advisor if you are interested in structuring a minor in anthropology that complements your major.

Honors in Anthropology: Anthropology majors may graduate with "distinction" in anthropology by fulfilling the requirements of the departmental honors program. This program is not connected to the university honors program. The requirements for the departmental honors program are: 1) at least a 3.4 grade point average overall and in the major; and 2) an honor’s thesis written under faculty supervision and approved by the department.

The thesis represents at least a full three-credit hour load of work. It can be done as a substantial addition to a normal classroom course or courses, or by the appropriate use of the directed readings, independent study or fieldwork courses. Thesis work is usually done during the summer following the junior year or during the senior year. The student is responsible for obtaining the consent of a department faculty member to guide the work. The thesis must be approved by the advisor plus a second reader chosen by the department undergraduate committee. A copy of the thesis remains with the department.

Anthropology in Core Curriculum: ANTH 101, 103, 104, 105, and 106 are natural science core courses. ANTH 102 and 271 fulfill the core curriculum requirements in social science.

ANTHROPOLOGY (ANTH) COURSES OF INSTRUCTION

101. Human Origins.
Introduction to biological anthropology and anthropological archaeology, those portions of the discipline concerned with human prehistory and our continuing development. Reconstruction of the human career based on fossil and artifactual evidence of human biological and cultural change over time, as well as primate behavior and human genetics. Consideration of alternative theories of human biological evolution and the emergence of culture, humanity’s unique ecological niche. Application of the scientific method to excavated data.

102. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology.
An introduction to some of the anthropological insights into human life-ways arrived at by study in a fieldwork context of living peoples. Special emphasis is given to the nature of human language and its relationship to culture. Goals of this course are to give a basic appreciation for the fact that a comparative approach reveals fundamental similarities in all cultural traditions, and to provide an explanation for cultural variation.

103. Biological Background for Human Social Behavior.
Draws from the biological sciences, ethology, and anthropological primatology in order to introduce a modern set of perspectives to which the elaborate patterns of human behavior may be compared, contrasted, and analyzed. Emphasis on the study of animal behavior in the context of its applicability to the understanding of human behavior.

104. Humans and Natural Environment: Past and Present. (ESP 104) (PAX 104)
Study of human/land interactions in past and contemporary cultures. Processes of landscape formation and the study of people’s impact on these processes. How the development of culture and technology affects land use patterns. Archaeological and geographical methods of environmental analysis.

105. Modern Human Biology and Variation.
Study of the relationships between human biological diversity and adaptation throughout the world. Scientific approaches to the concept of human variation, how genetic differences may have evolved, and the effects of genetics and different environments on the human body will be examined. Topics include adaptation to stressors (e.g., high altitude, nutritional, heat, cold, overcrowding, and infectious disease), polymorphisms and genetic disorders, blood groups and evolution, and the concept of races and alternative approaches to the understanding of human variation. Analysis of the dynamic interactions between biology and culture for understanding the adaptations of present populations in order to survive in less than ideal conditions.

106. Sex, Science, and Anthropological Inquiry.
An introduction to the study of sex and gender in physical anthropology. Students will study: recent anthropological theories concerning the role of sex in human adaptation/b>Prerequisites: ANTH 101 or 103; NTSC 104 or BIOL 125.

Introduction to skeletal anatomy, along with various methods and techniques currently being employed by physical anthropologists to determine age at death, sex, and diseases of past human populations.

334. Introduction to Classical Archaeology. (CLST 334)
Problems and procedures of archaeological investigation of Graeco-Roman antiquities. Main explorations and achievements in the recovery of classical monuments and brief history of classical archaeology’s development; extensive bibliographic background; detailed study of several key sites and their excavations and reconstruction, including Mycenae, Delphi, Olympia, Pompeii, Rome. Offered only at Rome Center.

340. Classical Archaeology: Greek Temple. (CLST 340)
Mediterranean cult places; Dark Ages of Greece; Archaic Greece. Socio-political role and ritual function of Greek sanctuaries. Offered only at Rome Center.

342. The Rise and Fall of Civilizations: An Archaeological Perspective.
Prerequisite: 101or 104.
Archaeological evidence from around the world examined in an attempt to answer the question of why civilizations rise and fall. Focus on ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, Shang China, Inca and Maya. Topics include the environmental setting, economics, politics, social structure, religion and art of the major ancient civilizations. Examples from different areas are compared and contrasted. Modern anthropological theories of cultural evolution and the rise of the state are evaluated against the archaeological evidence.

344. Pre-Columbian Art of Middle and South America. (FNAR 351) (INTS 385) (LASP 357)
A survey of the art and architecture from the pre-Classic period to the Aztecs and the Maya in Mesoamerica and to the Incas of South America.

345. Art of Africa and Oceania. (BWS 355) (FNAR 355) (INTS 355)
A study of the native art forms of Africa and the Pacific and consideration of their significance as visual expressions of tribal culture prior to the intrusion of foreign influences.

360. Issues in Archaeology.
Prerequisite: 101 or 104.
Specific theoretical, methodological, and research problems will be examined. Focus will be on current research. Topics include but are not restricted to: environmental archaeology, prehistoric trade, scientific techniques, prehistoric demography, prehistoric urbanism, North American archaeology.

361. Issues in Cultural Anthropology.
Prerequisite: 102.
A specific topic pertinent to theoretical and research problems will be examined. The course may center on one of the following topics depending on instructor’s preference: medical anthropology, rituals and symbols, kinship, cultural ecology, comparative economic systems, urban anthropology.

362. Issues in Biological Anthropology.
Prerequisite: ANTH 101, or BIOL 102, or NTSC 104, or equivalent. A specific theoretical, methodological, or research problem will be examined, focusing upon current work. Topics might include anthropological genetics, osteology and forensic medicine, and paleoanthropology.

363. Issues in Linguistic Anthropology.
Prerequisite: 231.
Examination of a current research question or area within linguistic anthropology. Topics will vary and may include: language and gender, linguistic diversity, language and cognition, language and identity, linguistic contact and change, conversation analysis, and the ethnography of communication.

375. Archaeology of Early Greece. (CLST 375)
A survey of archaeological research in Greece covering the period from the Paleolithic through the early Iron Ages (to c. 700 B.C.E.).

397. Directed Readings in Anthropology.
Prerequisites: permission of chairperson and faculty member.
Each student will have an individualized program of instruction that has been worked out with the faculty member supervising the student’s study. Topics, readings, and written assignments will vary.

398. Independent Study in Anthropology.
Prerequisites: permission of chairperson and faculty member.
Each student will have an individualized program of instruction that has been worked out with the faculty member supervising the student’s study. Topics, readings, and written assignments will vary.

399. Fieldwork in Anthropology.
Prerequisites: permission of chairperson and faculty member.
Application of anthropological concepts and methods to a specific field situation under the supervision of a faculty member. Fieldwork may be undertaken in any of the four subfields of anthropology. Arrangements for individual fieldwork projects must be worked out in advance by the student and a faculty member.

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