DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

Majors and Minors

The department offers a variety of options for undergraduates interested in focusing on anthropology as a field of study. In addition to the anthropology major listed below, we offer an anthropology minor and a concentration in human biology.

Major requirements

Students must complete a 13-course program comprised of:

• 12 departmental courses
• 1 course in related fields

Departmental courses

• 4 core 200-level courses (211, 213, 214, and 215) provide a background in the four major subfields of anthropology (archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology) 
• 370 examines the philosophical and historical roots of the discipline
• 1 research course (322, 361, 386, or 389) teaches research, analytical, critical thinking, and writing skills within a subfield of anthropology
• 3 300-level courses selected from a subfield develop intellectual maturity in a subfield
  Archaeology: 318, 319, 321, 324, 325, 327, 328, 343, 382, 383, 384, 390, 391, 396, 398
  Biological Anthropology: 306, 308, 309, 310, 312, 313, 314, 316, 317, 362, 390, 398
  Cultural Anthropology:  310, 311, 315, 320, 330, 332, 334, 339, 340, 341, 350, 354, 355, 368, 369, 372, 373, 374, 376, 377, 378, 390, 395, 398
  Human Biology:  See Concentration in Human Biology for requirements.
  Linguistic Anthropology:  360, 365, 378, 390, 398
• 3 additional 300-level courses selected from any subfield course or research course develop intellectual maturity across the discipline

Courses in Related Field (1 unit)

• 1 formal studies course
• For Biological Anthropology and Human Biology the formal studies course must be fulfilled by STAT 202 or 210, or a statistics classes for particularly majors, such as PSYCH 201, ECON 381, or SESP 201.
• For the Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology subfields statistics or another formal studies course can fulfill this requirement
• A student with an AP score of 4 or 5 in Statistics places out of this requirement.
• For the biological anthropology and human biology concentrations, the formal studies course must be fulfilled by STAT 202-0, STAT 210-0, PSYCH 201-0, ECON 281-0,SESP 210-0, or equivalent.
• For the joint Anthropology/MMSS major, MATH 385-0 double-counts as the formal methods requirement for anthropology.
• For the joint Anthropology/MMSS major, MMSS 300-0 double-counts as a 300-level anthropology course.

How to declare your Major/Minor

How do I declare a major or minor in anthropology? Which courses count toward the major or minor? What are the different subfields or concentration areas in anthropology? How do I get involved in research? The Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Erin Waxanbaum, will be able to answer these and other questions about the anthropology undergraduate program. The DUS is responsible for approving and signing all Declaration of Major and Minor forms, all transfer credits, study abroad approvals and credit evaluation/transfer and, most importantly, all petitions to graduate. All Northwestern undergraduates who are interested in the major, the minor, or who want to talk about anthropology at the undergraduate level at Northwestern are encouraged to make an appointment with the department’s DUS.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FALL QUARTER 2020

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, Weinberg College is providing updated undergraduate advising information and new major/minor declaration forms at the following site:  

https://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/documents/weinberg-major-declaration-form.pdf

https://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/documents/weinberg-minor-declaration-form.pdf

To make an appointment with Prof. Waxenbaum during fall quarter, please email the department.