DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

Anthropology Major

HOW TO DECLARE A MAJOR 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 Waxenbaum, 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 email Erin Waxenbaum (e-waxenbaum@northwestern.edu) to set up an appointment. 

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS 

Students must complete a 13-course program comprised of: 

• 12 departmental courses 
• 1 course in Formal studies/Foundational Discipline: Empirical & Deductive Reasoning * (see explanation below)

CONCENTRATIONS

Students must choose a concentration of focus for the major. Concentrations are determined when the major is declared and can be amended prior to the petition to graduate being completed. A concentration constitutes your intended focus within anthropology. Concentration options include: 

• CULTURAL
  • Cultural anthropology shares interest in all forms of inequality, especially those based on race/ethnicity, class, age, gender/sexuality, religion, and nationality. We focus on examining the political economy of these inequalities as they are historically produced, globally connected and locally contingent. We also investigate the myriad of ways that different groups construct, reproduce, and contest these inequalities through engagement with material and expressive culture, language, media and the public sphere, state institutions, organizations, migration processes, and religious practice.

• LINGUISTICS

  • Linguistic anthropology emphasizes qualitative approaches to the study of language in society, with particular attention to the roles of verbal and written expression in social inequality, political economy, language ideology, immigration, law, colonialism, race, ethnicity, gender, generation, and class. 

• ARCHAEOLOGY

  • Archaeology is the field of study that allows us to look into the past to understand past peoples and cultures. Archaeologist study humanity, what we are, who we are, and how we believe and act on the world, through the things people left behind. We dig up and study the pieces of pottery, the foundations of houses, the fragments of bones, and translate these into an understanding of the past.

• BIOLOGICAL

  • Biological anthropologists endeavor to understand the evolutionary origins and consequences of human biological variation. Human biologists investigate the effects of culture and ecology on human adaptation, development, and health. Primatologists use non-human primates as models for understanding human ecology and evolution and also draw from non-human primate data comparatively to identify human traits that are shared or unique with other primates. Forensic anthropologists apply biological method, theory, and practice to questions of medicolegal significance.

• HUMAN BIOLOGY

  • The Human Biology concentration draws on both the biological and social sciences to combine a foundation in basic science with an integrative perspective on the human organism and provides a unique opportunity for those interested in pursuing a pre-health concentration or hard science companion major in addition to a major in Anthropology. Many of the pre-health and hard science major pre-requisites are included as components of this concentration. Students will study human biology and health from a comparative and evolutionary perspective. It is a good option for students pursuing careers in the health sciences or graduate work in the biological sciences. 

• ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE

  • In response to the growing urgency of global environmental challenges, the field of anthropology is poised to embark on a transformative journey. This interdisciplinary program will equip students with a deepened understanding of cultural, social, and ecological dimensions, fostering a holistic approach to environmental issues by integrating principles from anthropology, ecology, geography, and environmental studies, this major seeks to explore diverse perspectives on sustainability, climate change resilience, indigenous knowledge systems, and conservation practices.

• MEDICINE, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY

  • In an era marked by unprecedented health crises, the intersection of culture, society, and health has never been more critical. This interdisciplinary concentration delves into the cultural, social, political, and economic factors that influence health outcomes, offering students a nuanced understanding of how diverse societies conceptualize and experience illness, wellness, and healing. By bridging insights from anthropology, public health, sociology, and biology, this concentration explores a broad spectrum of issues such as medical pluralism, health disparities, biotechnologies, and the social determinants of health.

• RACE AND RACISM

  • Amid global reckonings with systemic injustice and inequality, Race and Racism is an interdisciplinary concentration which seeks to critically examine the historical, social, and cultural constructions of race and racism, offering students a profound understanding of how these dynamics shape identities, communities, and institutions worldwide. Rooted in the principles of anthropology and cultural studies, this concentration endeavors explore diverse perspectives on racialization, colonial legacies, resistance movements, and the intersections of race with gender, class, and sexuality.

REQUIRED COURSEWORK

• 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. Students are required to take the relevant core 200 level course as a pre-requisite to the research course (211/389, 213/386, 214/322, 215/361). Students concentrating in Human Biology must take the Human Biology Methods Course (Anth 386) – all other concentrations may take any 1 anthropology methods course. 
• 3 300-level courses selected from a subfield develop intellectual maturity in a subfield 

• 3 additional 300-level courses selected from any subfield course or research course develop intellectual maturity across the discipline. One non-core 200 level course (not 211, 213, 214, 215) may count toward your 3 additional 300-level courses. Please speak to the DUS for approval.

• 1 Formal Studies/Foundational Discipline: Empirical & Deductive Reasoning (FD-EDR) Course
• For Biological Anthropology and Human Biology concentrators, the formal studies course must be fulfilled by STAT 202 or 210, or a statistics classes for particular majors, such as PSYCH 201, ECON 381, or SESP 201.
• For all other concentrations, statistics or another formal studies/FD-EDR course can fulfill this requirement 
• A student with an AP score of 4 or 5 in Statistics places out of this requirement. 

For the joint Anthropology/MMSS major, MATH 385-0 counts as the formal studies/FD-EDR requirement for anthropology and MMSS 300-0 counts as a 300-level anthropology course. 

Human Biology Concentration requirements

• All above major requirements. 
• Core premedical requirements: 
  • BIOL_SCI 201-0 Molecular Biology
    BIOL_SCI 202-0 Cell Biology & co-requisite BIOL_SCI 232-0 Molecular and Cellular Processes Laboratory
    BIOL_SCI 203-0 Genetics and Evolution & co-requisite BIOL_SCI 233-0 Genetics and Molecular Processes Laboratory
    BIOL_SCI 301-0 Principles of Biochemistry & BIOL_SCI 234-0 Investigative Laboratory
    CHEM 110, 131/141, 132/142 or 151/161, 152/162 or 171/181, 172/182  
  • CHEM 215-1, 2 with labs (235-1, 2)  or CHEM 212-1,2,3 and concurrent labs (which for 212-1 is 232-1, for 212-2 is 232-2, and for 212-3 is 235-3) 
  • PHYSICS 130-1, 2, 3/136-1, 2, 3 or 135-1, 2, 3/136-1, 2, 3 

Note: Courses are subject to the approval of the department adviser.