Academic Catalog

Anthropology

Program Description

Literally meaning "the study of humankind," anthropology sits on the boundaries between the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, and ponders basic questions about what it means to be human. Anthropology focuses on the diverse ways people around the world and through time have interacted with their environments, communicated with each other, organized their social lives, made sense of their world, and responded to emerging conflicts and challenges. In this program we introduce students to the importance of cultural awareness in our globally-interconnected lives, and we challenge colonial frameworks in academia and beyond. Our program prioritizes experiential learning and research both locally and internationally, through archaeological and ethnographic field programs run by our faculty. Our broad course offerings give students the opportunity to study in all fields of anthropology, including archaeology, biological and medical anthropology, forensics, cultural anthropology, linguistics, religion and belief systems, social constructs of race and ethnicity; and the capacity to build narratives of understanding and connection among people.

Learn more about the program on the Anthropology website.

Associate Degree for Transfer

This program also offers an Associate Degree for Transfer. Learn more and review the degree requirements on the Anthropology AA-T listing.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to understand and apply cultural relativism; they will be able to convey an understanding of multiple cultural perspectives.
  • Students will demonstrate a core knowledge base in anthropology, appreciating and reflecting on human diversity in the past and present.
  • Students will integrate their knowledge and understanding of anthropological concepts and methods to creatively and ethically solve real-world human problems at the local, regional, and global scales.
  • Students will be able to articulate key concepts and events in the process of human evolution and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities toward that end.
  • Students will be able to critically assess the important role that the past plays on the present, and, conversely, the important role that the present has on the past from both local, regional, national, and worldwide perspectives.

Career Opportunities

Anthropology serves as a basic springboard for understanding and working within the global arena. Anthropology graduates find opportunities in colleges, universities, and museums as teachers and researchers, and in federal and state governments as community planners, social science and public health analysts, archaeologists, and education officers. There are also employment possibilities with the United Nations, UNESCO, and World Health organizations. International corporations with offices and plants overseas need anthropologists, as do consulting firms that deal with both private corporations and governments. With the basic anthropology courses, the student can transfer to most of the universities in the country. The student may want to add statistics and business principles to enhance employment possibilities. Please visit the Anthropology website for further information.

Award Type(s)

  • AA = Associate in Arts Degree
  • CA = Certificate of Achievement
  • CP = Certificate of Proficiency [Non-Transcriptable]

Units Required

  • Major: 36
  • Certificate(s): 4-17

Additional Information

Note: Students having difficulty attaining an associate degree because of timing or availability of classes should consult with a counselor to submit a petition for course substitution.

Associate Degree Requirements

English Proficiency
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1ACOMPOSITION & READING5
ENGL 1AHHONORS COMPOSITION & READING5
ESLL 26ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING5
or equivalent
Ethnic Studies
Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC
Mathematics Proficiency
College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra


A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:

  • Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • Core courses (12 units)
  • Support courses (24 units)
1

Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate.

Core and Support Courses

Core Courses
ANTH 1INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 1H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 2ACULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 2AH HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 8INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY4
or ANTH 8H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY
Support Courses
Select 12 units from the following:12
PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY
HONORS PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY
PATTERNS OF CULTURE
WORLD PREHISTORY: THE RISE & FALL OF EARLY CIVILIZATIONS
FIRST PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
HONORS MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
PERSPECTIVES FROM AFRICA
APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY
LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: METHODS & PRACTICE
BASIC ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY
INTERMEDIATE ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY
NATIVE PEOPLES OF CALIFORNIA
THE AZTEC, MAYA, INCA & THEIR PREDECESSORS: CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES
GLOBAL ISSUES
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
And 12 units from the following: 112
ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD METHODS
APPLIED CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD METHODS
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: ECUADOR
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: BELIZE
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: BRITISH ISLES
INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY
INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY
INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY
INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY
EVOLUTION, SYSTEMATICS & ECOLOGY
GENERAL BIOLOGY: BASIC PRINCIPLES
INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO LATINX STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO MAPPING & SPATIAL REASONING
INTRODUCTION TO MAPPING & SPATIAL REASONING
INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY
HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION TO 800 CE
HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA
INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLE EASTERN CIVILIZATION
CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: THE ANCIENT WORLD
HONORS CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: THE ANCIENT WORLD
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
ASPECTS OF MARRIAGE & FAMILY
INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES
Total Units36
1

Students may also use courses listed in the first section of support courses to fulfill the requirement for the second section of support courses.

Certificate Requirements

Certificate of Achievement in Archaeological Field Work

  • Units: 14
ANTH 8INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY4
or ANTH 8H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY
ANTH 52ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD METHODS4
And two or more units from the following:2
BASIC ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY
INTERMEDIATE ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY
ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY
APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD METHODS
And four or more units from the following (or any course(s) not used above):4
WORLD PREHISTORY: THE RISE & FALL OF EARLY CIVILIZATIONS
FIRST PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
NATIVE PEOPLES OF CALIFORNIA
THE AZTEC, MAYA, INCA & THEIR PREDECESSORS: CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: ECUADOR
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: BELIZE
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: BRITISH ISLES
Total Units14

Medical Anthropology Certificate of Proficiency

  • Units: 16-17 [Non-Transcriptable]

There are no English or mathematics proficiency requirements for this certificate.

ANTH 1INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 1H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 2ACULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 2AH HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 15MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: METHODS & PRACTICE4
And one course from the following:4-5
MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
HONORS MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Total Units16-17

Applied Anthropology Certificate of Proficiency

  • Units: 17 [Non-Transcriptable]

There are no English or mathematics proficiency requirements for this certificate.

ANTH 1INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 1H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 2ACULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 2AH HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 12APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY4
And one course from the following:1
APPLIED CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD METHODS
And four units from the following:4
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: METHODS & PRACTICE
Total Units17

Cultural Anthropology Certificate of Proficiency

  • Units: 16 [Non-Transcriptable]
Select 12 units from the following:12
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
PATTERNS OF CULTURE
FIRST PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
HONORS MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
PERSPECTIVES FROM AFRICA
APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
And four units from the following:4
Any course not used above
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES
GLOBAL ISSUES
CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: THE ANCIENT WORLD
HONORS CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: THE ANCIENT WORLD
CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: OF EMPIRES & CONFLICT
MUSIC OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HONORS MUSIC OF AMERICAN CULTURES
CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES FOR A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Total Units16

Forensic Anthropology Certificate of Proficiency

  • Units: 14 [Non-Transcriptable]

There are no English or mathematics proficiency requirements for this certificate.

ANTH 1INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 1H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 1LPHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY1
or ANTH 1HL HONORS PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY
ANTH 13INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY4
ANTH 13LFORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY1
ANTH 15MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: METHODS & PRACTICE4
Total Units14

Physical Anthropology Certificate of Proficiency

  • Units: 13 [Non-Transcriptable]
ANTH 1INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
or ANTH 1H HONORS INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 1LPHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY1
or ANTH 1HL HONORS PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY
And eight units from the following:8
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY
MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: METHODS & PRACTICE
APPLIED CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD METHODS
EVOLUTION, SYSTEMATICS & ECOLOGY
GENERAL BIOLOGY: BASIC PRINCIPLES
HUMAN GENETICS
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
ASPECTS OF MARRIAGE & FAMILY
INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES
Total Units13

Archaeological Field School Certificate of Proficiency

  • Units: 4-12 [Non-Transcriptable]
ANTH 51ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY2-4
or ANTH 52 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD METHODS
And select 2-8 units from any combination of the following courses:2-8
APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
BASIC ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY
INTERMEDIATE ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY
APPLIED CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD METHODS
APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD METHODS
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: BELIZE
CULTURES OF THE WORLD: BRITISH ISLES
Total Units4-12