Undergraduate Major in Anthropology

All students who major in anthropology receive an Applied Baccalaureate degree.

Students wishing to major in anthropology must complete the following:

  • Introduction to Anthropology, ANTH 1102 or ANTH 2120H (honors intro to anthropology); this introductory course is a prerequisite for many anthropology courses.
  • Two 2000-level ANTH courses.
  • One upper-division (3000 or above) three-hour course in each of the three main subfields: biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and archaeology (9 hours).
  • Six additional three-hour elective courses in anthropology (or anthropology electives totaling 18 credit hours).
  • Majors must take ANTH 3900 (Professional Development).
  • The total major coursework includes 28 semester hours of upper-division courses in anthropology. See Degree Requirements in the UGA Bulletin.

Please see the UGA Bulletin to see the range of available courses. Please note that not all courses are taught in all years. Courses being offered in the current or following semester can be found on the departmental website and through Athena.

See UGA Bulletin for details on the major. If you have any questions or to apply for the major, stop by room 250 in Baldwin Hall or email the Undergraduate Advisor.

 

Undergraduate Minor in Anthropology

Students wishing to minor in anthropology must complete the following:

  • Introduction to Anthropology, ANTH 1102, 1102E, or ANTH 2120H (honors intro to anthropology); this introductory course is a prerequisite for many anthropology courses.
  • Four additional courses in anthropology (12 hours), three must be 3000-level or above.
  • The total minor coursework includes 15 semester hours. See Degree Requirements in the UGA Bulletin.
  • Additional information: Courses used in areas 1-5, or in the student’s major, cannot count as credit towards a minor. Area 6 and General elective courses will be counted.

See UGA Bulletin for details on the minor and for course information. Upcoming courses are posted on the departmental website. If you have any questions or to apply for the minor, stop by room 250 in Baldwin Hall or email the Undergraduate Advisor.

More Information About our Program

Advising Process

The University of Georgia’s mandatory undergraduate academic advisement programs are an essential part of the undergraduate educational experience which empowers students to attain their academic goals. Faculty and professional academic advisors of the University of Georgia will help undergraduate students understand the options and opportunities for academic programs of study, degree requirements, and course selection. Academic advisors will engage students in meaningful relationships designed to support and encourage a challenging and successful undergraduate education. Students will prepare for and participate fully in their advising experience. Ultimately each undergraduate student is responsible for his/her academic progress at the University of Georgia; advisors cannot provide a guarantee of graduation and/or certification within a specified period of time. The Academic Advising Coordinating Council will provide leadership and support to faculty and professional academic advisors through best practices in training, mentoring, research, and evaluation.

Advising for anthropology majors is conducted before registration begins each semester. Dates for the advising period will be announced each semester by the undergraduate advisor. Majors are informed that the advising period is open through our undergraduate majors email list. You may also email Clark Harwell with any questions regarding the advising process.

The advising process proceeds as follows:

  1. Log into the SAGE advising portal to set an advising appointment with the undergraduate advisor for the department, Clark Harwell. If this is the first time you will be advised in the Department of Anthropology, you will meet with the undergraduate coordinator, Jennifer Birch.
  2. Plan your schedule and make a list of the courses you wish to take and their call numbers, ensuring that there are no time conflicts. For a complete listing and basic descriptions of anthropology courses, please go to the Undergraduate Bulletin. A list of anthropology courses to be offered in the coming semester are posted on the bulletin board in the hallway outside the main anthropology office and are available on the departmental website.
  3. During your advising appointment, you will go over your degree requirements and finalize your course selections for the upcoming semester. Register online through Athena. Senior majors needing a particular course to graduate — one that might already be full — can contact the professor teaching that course to request being added. Whenever possible the professor will accommodate the student. However, sometimes classroom space or the nature of the particular course makes this accommodation impossible. Students are therefore urged to satisfy all their core areas before taking their anthropology electives. If you encounter any problems during registration and need assistance, please see Clark Harwell in room 251B of Baldwin Hall.

Note: Advising and registration are two separate processes. The department does the advising; the Registrar's Office, through Athena, handles registration. All students must be advised before they are allowed to register. Anyone not advised prior to the beginning of registration will have to wait until Late Registration to be advised and to register.

 

Special Programs

The Department of Anthropology strongly encourages qualified students to enroll in the UGA Honors Program. Students in the Honors Program may elect to participate in the UGA Interdisciplinary Field Program, a two month, coast-to-coast field program providing two introductory Geology course credits and one introductory Anthropology course credit. The department also offers a summer field school in archaeology and study abroad programs. Students conduct archaeological research under the supervision of a professor.

For students with an interest in archaeology, the Center for Archaeological Sciences (CAS) has been formed to facilitate interaction between archaeology and other related fields with scientific disciplines and among geographical areas involved with studies of the past. Research in all geographical areas or realistic combinations of subject matter is strongly encouraged, in keeping with the resources of the CAS. Reasonable flexibility is also maintained in defining those problems and the time span that can be regarded as of archaeological interest.

 

Get Involved

A good way to bolster your resume and find out more about anthropology is to get involved in professors' research in the field or in their laboratories. Many professors are willing to have undergraduates volunteer or participate in work-study in their research, and some even hire undergraduate workers. The best thing to do is just ask! Each semester the department will have talks and other scheduled activities that you are welcome to join. See flyers posted in Baldwin Hall for details.

 

Student Organizations

Anyone interested in anthropology is invited to join Students for Anthropological and Archaeological Sciences (SAAS). The bimonthly meetings alternate between serious discussions about anthropology, such as graduate study opportunities or careers in anthropology, and more light-hearted social events. Watch for meeting announcements posted in Baldwin Hall. Also, you may join Lambda Alpha National Honors Society for Anthropology, which encourages and stimulates scholarship and research in Anthropology by recognizing and honoring superior achievement in the discipline among students, faculty and other persons engaged in the study of Anthropology.

 

Careers in Anthropology

Want to find a job in educational, corporate, government, or non-profit organizations? Want an internship, a summer fieldwork experience, or locate a mentor? Check out the American Anthropological Association's career website.

 

ANTH 3900 (Professional Development)

All anthropology majors are required to take this one-hour professional development seminar after they have 60 credit hours and ideally in their junior year. This course will empower 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.

If a student has a conflict in scheduling junior-year courses, that student is responsible for making plans to take the course during senior year. Currently, the course is offered during the Fall semester.

 

There are no exemptions for this course. Students must take the course when it is offered. This requirement cannot be waived, and, if not met, the student's graduation will be delayed.

 

Grade requirements

I made a D on one of my anthropology courses. Does this count? 
 
Students in the Franklin College must earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or better in major-required courses.  
 
I received an “Incomplete” on a course, but the instructor wants me to enroll in the course again. What should I do? 
 
Come see Clark Harwell right away. You should not re-enroll in any course in which you have received an "Incomplete." Most of these courses are non‐repeatable courses and the course will be deleted from your record.