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Undergraduate Courses

Exploration of the scientific principles governing natural systems and their contribution to understanding the emergence and biological evolution of humans, the role of environment in shaping human behavioral and cultural variation, and the consequences of human activity on local, regional, and…

Exploration of the scientific principles governing natural systems and their contribution to understanding the emergence and biological evolution of humans, the role of environment in shaping human behavioral and cultural variation, and the consequences of human activity on local, regional, and…

Exploration of the scientific principles governing natural systems and their contribution to understanding the emergence and biological evolution of humans, the role of environment in shaping human behavioral and cultural variation, and the consequences of human activity on local, regional…

Students are introduced to the most famous archaeological sites in the world, with themes centered around the following: evidence of early humans, first cities, death and burial, art and architecture, ritual and religion, warfare, sacrifice and conflict, and great inventions. Non traditional…

Students are introduced to the most famous archaeological sites in the world, with themes centered around the following: evidence of early humans, first cities, death and burial, art and architecture, ritual and religion, warfare, sacrifice, conflict, and great inventions.

Students are introduced to the most famous archaeological sites in the world, with themes centered around the following: evidence of early humans, first cities, death and burial, art and architecture, ritual and religion, warfare, sacrifice, conflict, and great inventions.

An introduction to forensic anthropology, focusing on human identification through analysis of bone and teeth. Students learn the basic information used by forensic anthropologists to recognize and evaluate sex, age, stature, genetic origin, disease, and trauma. Human skeletal anatomy, forensic…

An introduction to forensic anthropology, focusing on human identification through analysis of bone and teeth. Students learn the basic information used by forensic anthropologists to recognize and evaluate sex, age, stature, genetic origin, disease, and trauma. Human skeletal anatomy,…

Students will learn the art and science of asking and answering quantitative questions about the human condition, within and between cultures. In this class, we will turn numbers into meaningful data through the application of rational and critical thinking and basic mathematical skills. We will…

Biological anthropology is the study of human biological evolution and biocultural variation. In this course, students will learn about the interdependent relationships between the environment, human adaptation, health, and culture, including human-induced effects on the environment, as well as…

Biological anthropology is the study of human biological evolution and biocultural variation. In this course, students will learn about the interdependent relationships between the environment, human adaptation, health, and culture, including human-induced effects on the environment, as…

Introduction to anthropological study of the biology and behavior of humans and the primates. Concepts of macro and microevolution, adaptation, cell and genetics, paleontology, human and primate origins, bioarchaeology and biomedical anthropology. Observational and hands-on activities are…

Introduction to anthropological study of the biology and behavior of humans and the primates. Concepts of macro and microevolution, adaptation, cell and genetics, paleontology, human and primate origins, bioarchaeology and biomedical anthropology. Observational and hands-on activities are…

Exploration of the scientific principles governing natural systems and their contribution to understanding the emergence and biological evolution of humans, the role of environment in shaping human behavioral and cultural variation, and the consequences of human activity on local, regional…

Course introduces cultural anthropology as a profoundly useful way of thinking about the contemporary world. Students will develop skills to study beliefs, institutions, and diversity revealing things taken for granted that matter a great deal. They will identify, interpret, and evaluate sources…

Provides the basic foundations for conducting ethnographic fieldwork. Students will explore the unique strengths and utility of an ethnographic approach; learn how to conduct ethnographic techniques through hands-on, experiential learning activities; and apply these skills to a research…

Supernatural belief systems the world over range from shamanism, witchcraft, and sorcery to world religions. Course focuses on the cultural relevance and contradictions of contemporary religious beliefs and practices to modern life, especially healthcare. The goal is to understand religious…

Contemporary assessment of the multiple ways in which societies understand, value, regulate, and engage with water. Provides an international perspective on the relationship between water and culture, with a focus towards global sustainability. Non traditional format: This course will be taught…

Introduces students to the field of archaeology. Students will gain a basic understanding of the history of archaeology as a discipline, the nature of archaeological data, the core concepts and various methodologies used by archaeologists, and how archaeologists use anthropological…

Introduction to the processing, classification, and analysis of archaeological artifacts common to Georgia and the southeastern United States. Non traditional format: Lecture will be presented within laboratory format to allow strong hands-on component to the course.

Exploration of Old World prehistory from the Paleolithic until the Iron Age. Students will learn about developments that occurred throughout Europe, including hominin relations, agriculture and sedentism, and emerging urbanism. Developments in theories and methods in regard to Old World…

Exploration and examination of the archaeological evidence for mankind's prehistoric experience in Central and Western Europe and the development of Celtic culture based on the archaeological support for these ideas. Paleoecological, climatological, and geo-biological models will also be…

Focusing on forced human displacements, this course explores the underlying causes of displacement, like conflict, persecution, political turmoil, and consequences of climate change, and organizations that provide essential services to asylum seekers in the U.S., Thailand, Austria, and…

This course explores the historical and contemporary circumstances that have shaped Native American and First Nations peoples from the sixteenth century to the present. This includes legacies of settler colonialism, displacement, and structural violence, processes of revitalization, activism,…

How health is shaped by beliefs, behaviors, and conditions in the United States. What is health and what does it mean to be healthy for different groups in the United States? In our examination of U.S. healthcare, we will begin with a discussion of how culture shapes health. We will then examine…

This course empowers students by teaching them how to turn their degree in anthropology into a career. Themes explored include professional qualifications, standards, ethics, job searches, CV and resume building, and communication skills. Academic and applied pathways are explored. Students will…

History of ships, harbors, and human-sea interaction, particularly in the Mediterranean and Near East, until the Industrial Revolution. Covers archaeological methods for identifying and analyzing maritime sites; the evolution of shipbuilding technology and seafaring; and contemporary issues of…

Introduction and training in dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) methods and overview of the tree-ring record's interdisciplinary applications in archaeology, art history, climate, and ecology. Includes lecture and hands-on activities using ancient to modern wood samples from UGA Tree-Ring and…

Practical training in tree-ring research methods, including field collection, sample preparation, tree-ring measurement, dating, and analysis, using both modern forest and archaeological and heritage wood samples in the UGA Tree-Ring and Wood Analysis Lab collections. Includes potential field…

Provides a broad overview of the history of cultural anthropology, from its beginnings in the Enlightenment to the present. We combine two approaches in this course: (1) an intellectual history approach, and (2) an approach that examines particular ethnographic accounts as exemplars of various…

Anthropology is the study of human diversity. Economics is the study of how people make decisions about resources. Economic anthropology examines the diversity of peoples' preferences, choices, behaviors, habits, activities, customs, and institutions relating to resources. When this course is…

Exploration of different theoretical approaches to the evolutionary study of human behavior, from Darwin through the development of ethology, sociobiology, human behavioral ecology, dual inheritance theory, and behavioral economics. Examination of topics such as influence of genes versus…

Provides a solid academic basis for the practice of cultural resource management (CRM) in North America and in a broader global context. The course will cover CRM from a conceptual standpoint; how current legislation affects CRM; and will integrate theoretical, practical, and ethical…

Supervised work experience with a natural history collection. Students will learn techniques and other procedures for curating materials in a collection of their choice under the direction of collection personnel. Non traditional format: Students will maintain regular, weekly work…

Supervised work experience with a natural history collection. Students will learn techniques and other procedures for curating materials in a collection of their choice under the direction of collection personnel. Non traditional format: Students will maintain regular, weekly work schedules…

A survey of archaeological evidence for the transition from foraging to farming and herding throughout the world, its causes, and its consequences. Emphasis is on evidence obtained from archaeological studies of human, plant, and non-human animal remains from archaeological sites in Africa, Asia…

Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains in archaeological contexts. The skeleton is a dynamic structure that responds to stressors in the natural and built environments, offering insights on health, human-environment interactions, and social processes in the past. This course covers…

Students will become informed users of the historical record of human resource use and of environmental change and stasis that is available from archaeological sites with emphasis on biological data from archaeological sites, the dynamic relationships between humans and their environments…

Methods of archaeometric analysis including chronometric and instrumental techniques. Absolute age dating and characterization of archaeological materials by physico-chemical analysis. When this course is taught as a split level, additional requirements for graduate students: More extensive term…

Two indigenous urban societies of the Americas, from farming village beginnings to the Spanish conquest, and their lasting impact on modern middle American culture. Topics include ecology, economy, political organization, urbanism, militarism, beliefs, art, architecture, and literature.…

An introduction to methods of biomolecular analysis in archaeology, including ancient DNA, stable isotopes, organic residues (proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates), and amino acids. The course will also cover applications such as dating, dietary and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and…

The role of disease in the human experience. Students will draw on information from medical anthropology, epidemiology, human adaptation, disease ecology, and evolutionary biology to examine how diseases have been shaped by human-environmental interactions, culture, individual behavior,…

Through hands-on experience, students will be trained in different methods and techniques for conducting all phases of archaeological field and laboratory work, including surface survey, remote sensing, excavation, data and material recovery, recording, processing, and analysis. Students…

Students will gain an understanding of different approaches to studying the evolution of monumental architecture and sculpted monuments. Students will utilize archaeological and historical data to recognize patterns and interpret trajectories in monumentality across time and space. Students will…

Archaeological geology examines the use of earth science methods and theories in the study of archaeological sites and their contents. The four major areas covered include: (1) the archaeological site and geology; (2) age determination techniques; (3) exploration techniques; (4) artifact…

Human osteology is the study of our bones. Osteology is relevant to disciplines that depend on detailed knowledge of the human body, e.g., forensic anthropology and paleoanthropology. Students will learn to identify and describe bones and use a comparative approach to understand their function…

The evolutionary history of the order Primates, a group of mammals that includes humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians. Through the study of the fossil record, illuminated by the principles of modern evolutionary and ecological theory, we can reconstruct a broad outline of how primates…

Introduction of the theoretical framework of Conservation Biology using primates as examples, including population demographics, life-history strategies, primate ecological services, human activities affecting primate populations (e.g., habitat loss, hunting, climate change), and conservation…

Examination of the scientific principles of human adaptation through intersection impacts of physical, social, and cultural stressors on human variation.

When this course is taught as a split level, additional requirements for graduate students: Written paper developed after submission of…

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