Anthropology (BA Program)
Richard Lazenby, Professor Emeritus
Michel Bouchard, Professor
Angèle Smith, Associate Professor and Chair
Shauna LaTosky, Assistant Professor
Farid Rahemtulla, Assistant Professor
Erin Gibson, Adjunct Professor
Brenda Guernsey, Adjunct Professor
Earl Henderson, Adjunct Professor
Tara Joly, Adjunct Professor
Alex Oehler, Adjunct Professor
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/anthropology
Anthropology is the integrated biological and sociocultural investigation of humankind, from the time of our pre-human ancestors to the present, including the study of both small- and large-scale societies. The program includes courses in archaeological, biological, linguistic and sociocultural anthropology. While a small number of mandatory courses will ensure that all students in the program share basic understanding of the range of anthropological approaches, students are able to select courses within the program and from other parts of the curriculum to focus on specific interests. The following suggestions illustrate the range of possibilities: a student with an interest in language could select courses within the programs in First Nations Studies, International Studies, English and Psychology; a student intending to enter a graduate program in archaeology might select courses from First Nations Studies, Geology, Geography, History and Environmental Studies programs; a student planning to work in the subfield of sociocultural anthropology could select courses from First Nations Studies, International Studies, Northern Studies, Women's Studies and Social Work; a student interested in biological (or medical) anthropology would include courses in Biology, Environmental Studies and Statistics; and a career in museology or cultural property management might benefit from a background in Resource Recreation and Tourism or administration as well as First Nations Studies, International Studies, History and Northern Studies.
Anthropology prepares students for entrance to a number of graduate programs (Archaeology, Biological and Sociocultural Anthropology, Museology); several types of professional programs (Law, Library and Information Science, Communicative Disorders, Social Work, Education, etc.); or employment in government or the private sector. Students aiming towards specific career goals should discuss their interests with advisors in the program at an early stage.
Major in Anthropology (BA)
Joint Major in Anthropology and Geography (BA)
Joint Major in Anthropology and Political Science (BA)
Minor in Anthropological Archaeology
Minor in Biological Anthropology
Minor in General Anthropology
Minor in Sociocultural Anthropology
Major in Anthropology
Students majoring in anthropology must take 54 credit hours in Anthropology courses (18 courses). Students may not take more than 60 credit hours of Anthropology without written permission of the Department Chair.
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Anthropology is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirements
ANTH 102-3 | Anthropology: A World of Discovery |
ANTH 200-3 | Biological Anthropology |
ANTH 205-3 | Introduction to Archaeology |
ANTH 213-3 | Peoples and Cultures |
ANTH 217-3 | Language and Culture |
Upper-Division Requirements
ANTH 460-3 Anthropology Capstone
One of the following:
ANTH 300-3 | Qualitative Methods |
ANTH 301-3 | Archaeological Lab Methods |
ANTH 310-3 | Practicing Anthropology |
ANTH 312-3 | Human Adaptability and Environmental Stress |
One of the following:
ANTH 315-3 | Anthropological Theory |
ANTH 325-3 | Archaeological Theory |
Ten additional 3 credit hour courses in Anthropology of which six courses must be upper-level.
Subject Requirement
Students wishing to pursue graduate degrees in anthropology or work in anthropology-related careers are encouraged to take field school courses and internships.
Elective and Academic Breadth Requirement
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation 15).
Joint Major in Anthropology and Geography (BA)
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a Joint Major in Anthropology and Geography is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirements
ANTH 102-3 | Anthropology: A World of Discovery |
ANTH 200-3 | Biological Anthropology |
ANTH 205-3 | Introduction to Anthropology |
ANTH 213-3 | Peoples and Cultures |
ANTH 217-3 | Language and Culture |
GEOG 101-3 | Planet Earth |
or GEOG 102-3 | Earth from Above |
Four of the following: | |
GEOG 200-3 | British Columbia: People and Places |
GEOG 202-3 | Resources, Economies, and Sustainability |
GEOG 203-3 | Canada: Places, Cultures and Identities |
GEOG 204-3 | Introduction to GIS |
GEOG 206-3 | Social Geography |
GEOG 209-3 | Migration and Development |
GEOG 211-3 | Natural Hazards: Human and Environmental Dimensions |
GEOG 220-3 | World Regions: Latin America and the Caribbean |
GEOG 224-3 | World Regions: Inuit Nunangat |
GEOG 225-3 | Global Environmental Change |
GEOG 298-3 | Special Topics |
Upper-Division Requirements
ANTH 315-3 | Anthropological Theory |
or ANTH 325-3 | Archaeological Theory |
ANTH 460-3 | Anthropology Capstone |
One of the following: | |
ANTH 300-3 | Qualitative Methods |
ANTH 301-3 | Archaeological Lab Methods |
ANTH 310-3 | Practicing Anthropology |
ANTH 312-3 | Human Adaptability and Environmental Stress |
Three upper-division Anthropology courses (9 credit hours) excluding ANTH 499-(3-6) Independent Study |
|
Four of the following: | |
GEOG 301-3 | Cultural Geography |
GEOG 305-3 | Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making |
GEOG 306-3 | Critical Development Geographies |
GEOG 307-3 | Changing Arctic: Human and Environmental Systems |
GEOG 308-3 | Health Geography |
GEOG 324-3 | Community-Based Research |
GEOG 333-3 | Geography Field School |
Two of the following: | |
GEOG 401-3 | Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography |
GEOG 403-3 | Indigenous Geographies of Climate Resilience |
GEOG 416-3 | Mountains |
GEOG 420-3 | Environmental Justice |
GEOG 424-3 | Northern Communities |
GEOG 426-3 | Geographies of Culture, Rights and Power |
21 additional credit hours of upper-division courses in any subject |
Elective and Academic Breadth Requirement
Elective course hours as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (See Academic Regulation 15).
Joint Major in Anthropology and Political Science (BA)
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a Joint Major in Anthropology and Political Science is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirements
ANTH 102-3 | Anthropology: A World of Discovery |
POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
POLS 202-3 | Canada in Comparative Perspective |
POLS 230-3 | International Relations |
POLS 270-3 | Political Philosophy: Antiquity to Early Modernity |
Two of the following: | |
ANTH 200-3 | Biological Anthropology |
ANTH 205-3 | Introduction to Archaeology |
ANTH 213-3 | Peoples and Cultures |
ANTH 217-3 | Language and Culture |
Two additional courses (6 credit hours) of Anthropology at the 200 level. |
Upper-Division Requirements
One of the following: | |
ANTH 300-3 | Qualitative Methods |
ANTH 301-3 | Archaeological Lab Methods |
ANTH 310-3 | Practicing Anthropology |
ANTH 312-3 | Human Adaptability and Environmental Stress |
One of the following: | |
ANTH 315-3 | Anthropological Theory |
ANTH 325-3 | Archaeological Theory |
ANTH 460-3 | Anthropology Capstone |
POLS 303-3 | Democracy and Democratization |
POLS 370-3 | Political Philosophy: Early Modernity to Post-Modernity |
Three additional courses (9 credit hours) in Anthropology at the 300 or 400 level. | |
Three additional courses (9 credit hours) in POLS at the 400 level. |
Elective and Academic Breadth Requirement
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation 15).
Minor in Anthropology: Anthropological Archaeology
The minor in Anthropological Archaeology requires completion of a minimum of seven courses (21 credit hours), consisting of three lower-division courses (9 credit hours) and four upper-division courses (12 credit hours). A minor in Anthropology cannot be taken in addition to a major in Anthropology.
Requirements
ANTH 102-3 | Anthropology: A World of Discovery |
Two of the following:
ANTH 203-3 | Archaeology of the Americas |
ANTH 205-3 | Introduction to Archaeology |
ANTH 212-3 | Archaeology of the Old World |
ANTH 250-3 | The Ancient Egyptians |
Twelve credit hours of the following:
ANTH 301-3 | Archaeological Lab Methods |
ANTH 325-3 | Archaeological Theory |
ANTH 335-3 | Archaeological Heritage Management |
ANTH 409-3 | British Columbia Archaeology |
ANTH 416-6 | Archaeological Survey and Mapping |
ANTH 417-(3-6) | Excavation and Field Interpretation in Archaeology |
ANTH 418-3 | Archaeology and First Nations |
ANTH 430-3 | Stone Tools in Archaeology |
ANTH 460-3 | Anthropology Capstone |
ANTH 499-(3-6) | Independent Study |
Minor in Anthropology: Biological Anthropology
The minor in Biological Anthropology requires completion of a minimum of seven courses (21 credit hours), consisting of three lower-division courses (9 credit hours) and four upper-division courses (12 credit hours). A minor in Anthropology cannot be taken in addition to a major in Anthropology.
Requirements
ANTH 102-3 |
Anthropology: A World of Discovery
|
Two of the following: | |
ANTH 200-3 | Biological Anthropology |
ANTH 201-3 | Medical Anthropology |
ANTH 312-3 | Human Adaptability and Environmental Stress |
Twelve credit hours of the following:
ANTH 311-3 | Anthropology of Food, Drink & Health |
ANTH 313-3 | Plagues and Peoples |
ANTH 411-(3-6) | Topics in Biological Anthropology |
ANTH 420-3 | Races, Racism, and Human Biology |
ANTH 460-3 | Anthropology Capstone |
ANTH 499-(3-6) | Independent Study |
Minor in Anthropology: General Anthropology
The minor in General Anthropology requires completion of a minimum of seven courses (21 credit hours), consisting of three lower-division courses (9 credit hours) and four upper-division Anthropology courses (12 credit hours) no more than two of which may be chosen from any single existing Anthropology Minor (Anthropological Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, General Anthropology, Sociocultural Anthropology). A minor in Anthropology cannot be taken in addition to a major in Anthropology.
Requirements
ANTH 102-3 | Anthropology: A World of Discovery |
Two of the following:
ANTH 200-3 | Biological Anthropology |
ANTH 205-3 | Introduction to Archaeology |
ANTH 213-3 | Peoples and Cultures |
ANTH 217-3 | Language and Culture |
Four additional upper-division courses.
Minor in Anthropology: Sociocultural Anthropology
The minor in Sociocultural Anthropology requires completion of a minimum of seven courses (21 credit hours), consisting of three lower-division courses (9 credit hours) and four upper-division courses (12 credit hours). A minor in Anthropology cannot be taken in addition to a major in Anthropology.
Requirements
ANTH 102-3 | Anthropology: A World of Discovery |
Two of the following:
ANTH 207-3 | Popular Culture |
ANTH 211-3 | Anthropology through Film |
ANTH 213-3 | Peoples and Cultures |
ANTH 214-3 | Anthropology of Europe |
ANTH 215-3 | Anthropology of Canada |
ANTH 217-3 | Language and Culture |
Twelve credit hours of the following:
ANTH 300-3 | Qualitative Methods |
ANTH 303-3 | Museums, Galleries, Archives |
ANTH 305-3 | Circumpolar Ethnography |
ANTH 310-3 | Practicing Anthropology |
ANTH 315-3 | Anthropological Theory |
ANTH 400-3 | Thinking Through Anthropology: Ideas for a Better World |
ANTH 401-3 | Anthropological Perspectives on Inequality |
ANTH 404-3 | Comparative Study of Indigenous Peoples of the World |
ANTH 405-3 | Topics in Landscape and Place |
ANTH 406-3 | Feminist Perspectives in Anthropology |
ANTH 410-3 | Theory of Nation and State |
ANTH 413-3 | Environmental Anthropology |
ANTH 414-3 | Religion, Ideology, and Belief Systems |
ANTH 421-(3-6) | Ethnographic Field Methods |
ANTH 422-(3-6) | Ethnographic Research Project |
ANTH 423-3 | Urban Anthropology |
ANTH 460-3 | Anthropology Capstone |
Updated: May 30, 2023