Anthropology Major
Students complete a 13-course program (12 courses in anthropology and 1 in formal studies) for a major in anthropology. At the 200 level, courses provide background in the four major subfields of anthropology. At the 300 level, students expand both the breadth and depth of their studies, examining the philosophical and historical roots of the discipline. A research class (ANTHRO 322-0 Introduction to Archaeology Research Design & Methods, ANTHRO 361-0 Talk as Social Action, ANTHRO 386-0 Methods in Human Biology Research, or ANTHRO 389-0 Ethnographic Methods and Analysis) provides an opportunity to learn research skills and gain valuable analytical, critical thinking, and writing skills. ANTHRO 370-0 Anthropology in Historical Perspective provides an overview of the history of the field. Six additional 300-level courses include concentration courses from a subfield and from across the department.
Students must also complete the Undergraduate Registration Requirement and the degree requirements of their home school.
NOTE: This Catalog describes Weinberg College BA requirements that pertain to students who matriculated at Northwestern after spring quarter 2023. Refer to the Archives if you are following BA requirements described in the 2018-2019 through 2022-2023 editions.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Department Courses (12 units) | |
| 5 core courses: | |
| Culture & Society | |
| Human Origins | |
| Archaeology: Unearthing History | |
| The Study of Culture through Language | |
| Anthropology in Historical Perspective | |
| 1 research course selected from the following: | |
| Introduction to Archaeology Research Design & Methods | |
| Talk as Social Action | |
| Methods in Human Biology Research | |
| Ethnographic Methods and Analysis | |
| 3 300-level courses selected from a subfield: | |
| 3 additional 300-level courses selected from any concentration or research course 1 | |
| Related Course (1 unit) | |
| 1 formal studies course 2,3,4 | |
- 1
For the joint Anthropology/MMSS major, MMSS 300-0 double-counts as a 300-level anthropology course (for triple major limitations see MMSS Adjunct Major).
- 2
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.
- 3
For the archaeology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology concentrations, statistics or another formal studies course can fulfill this requirement; a course designated for Distribution Area II and/or Foundational Discipline Empirical and Deductive Reasoning (FD-EDR).
- 4
For the joint Anthropology/MMSS major, MATH 385-0 counts as the formal methods related course requirement for anthropology.
Subfields
Archaeology
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 318-0 | Material Worlds of the Middle Ages |
| ANTHRO 319-0 | Material Life & Culture in Europe, 1500-1800 |
| ANTHRO 321-0 | Archaeological Field Methods |
| ANTHRO 324-0 | Archaeological Survey Methods |
| ANTHRO 325-0 | Archaeological Methods Laboratory |
| ANTHRO 327-0 | Historical Archaeology |
| ANTHRO 328-0 | The Maya |
| ANTHRO 343-0 | Anthropology of Race |
| ANTHRO 383-0 | Environmental Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 390-0 | Topics In Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 398-0 | Senior Seminar |
Biological Anthropology
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 306-0 | Evolution of Life Histories |
| ANTHRO 309-0 | Human Osteology |
| ANTHRO 312-0 | Human Population Biology |
| ANTHRO 313-0 | Evolutionary Medicine |
| ANTHRO 314-0 | Human Growth & Development |
| ANTHRO 317-0 | Human Evolution |
| ANTHRO 359-0 | The Human Microbiome and Health |
| ANTHRO 362-0 | Advanced Methods in Quantitative Analysis |
| ANTHRO 375-0 | Advanced Methods in Forensic Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 390-0 | Topics In Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 398-0 | Senior Seminar |
Cultural Anthropology
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 307-0 | Anthropology of Peace |
| ANTHRO 315-0 | Medical Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 320-0 | Peoples of Africa |
| ANTHRO 330-0 | Peoples of the World |
| ANTHRO 332-0 | The Anthropology of Reproduction |
| ANTHRO 334-0 | The Anthropology of HIV/AIDS: Ethnographies |
| ANTHRO 339-0 | Material Culture |
| ANTHRO 340-0 | Visual Anthropology of Africa |
| ANTHRO 341-0 | Economic Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 350-0 | Anthropology of Religion |
| ANTHRO 351-0 | Hope and Futurity |
| ANTHRO 353-0 | Shady Business: Informal Economies in Contemporary Capitalism |
| ANTHRO 354-0 | Gender and Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 355-0 | Sexualities |
| ANTHRO 368-0 | Latina and Latino Ethnography |
| ANTHRO 369-0 | Contemporary Immigration to the U.S. |
| ANTHRO 373-0 | Power and Culture in American Cities |
| ANTHRO 377-0 | Psychological Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 378-0 | Law and Culture |
| ANTHRO 384-0 | Traveling While Muslim: Islam, Mobility, and Security after 9/11 |
| ANTHRO 390-0 | Topics In Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 398-0 | Senior Seminar |
Human Biology
See Concentration in Human Biology for requirements.
Linguistic Anthropology
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 360-0 | Language and Culture |
| ANTHRO 365-0 | Language, Race, & Ethnicity in the U.S. |
| ANTHRO 378-0 | Law and Culture |
| ANTHRO 390-0 | Topics In Anthropology |
| ANTHRO 398-0 | Senior Seminar |
Concentration in Human Biology
The human biology concentration is a good option for students interested in pursuing careers in the health sciences or graduate work in the biological sciences. The concentration combines a core foundation in basic science with an integrative perspective on the human organism, drawing on both the biological and the social sciences. Coursework emphasizes the study of human biology and health from a comparative and evolutionary perspective.
In their first and second years students complete the introductory (200-level) anthropology requirements as well as foundational courses (which are also premedical school requirements). Junior- and senior-year coursework includes 300-level courses in biological anthropology/human biology and related courses from other departments.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Department Courses (12 units) | |
| 5 core courses: | |
| Culture & Society | |
| Human Origins | |
| Archaeology: Unearthing History | |
| The Study of Culture through Language | |
| Anthropology in Historical Perspective | |
| 1 research course: | |
| Methods in Human Biology Research | |
| 3 concentration courses chosen from: | |
| Evolution of Life Histories | |
| Human Osteology | |
| Human Population Biology | |
| Evolutionary Medicine | |
| Human Growth & Development | |
| Human Evolution | |
| The Human Microbiome and Health | |
| Advanced Methods in Quantitative Analysis | |
| Advanced Methods in Forensic Anthropology | |
| Topics In Anthropology | |
| Senior Seminar | |
| 3 additional 300-level courses selected from any concentration or research course | |
| Related Courses 1 | |
| Molecular Biology | |
| Cell Biology | |
| Genetics and Evolution | |
| Molecular and Cellular Processes Laboratory (0.34 units) | |
| Genetics and Molecular Processes Laboratory (0.34 units) | |
| Investigative Laboratory (0.34 units) | |
| Principles of Biochemistry | |
| Quantitative Problem Solving in Chemistry and Fundamentals of Chemistry I and Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory I and Fundamentals of Chemistry II and Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory II | |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I and General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | |
| Advanced General Inorganic Chemistry and Advanced General Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory and Advanced General Physical Chemistry and Advanced General Physical Chemistry Laboratory | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Lab I and Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Lab II | |
Students completing the chemistry major organic sequence CHEM 212-1,2,3 (old numbers) CHEM 217-1, CHEM 217-2, and CHEM 217-3 (new numbers) with labs may use these courses instead of CHEM 215-1, 215-2 with labs. | |
| Single-Variable Differential Calculus and Single-Variable Integral Calculus | |
| Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus and Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus and Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus | |
| College Physics and College Physics and College Physics and General Physics Laboratory and General Physics Laboratory and General Physics Laboratory | |
| General Physics and General Physics and General Physics and General Physics Laboratory and General Physics Laboratory and General Physics Laboratory | |
| Fundamentals of Physics and Fundamentals of Physics and Fundamentals of Physics and General Physics Laboratory and General Physics Laboratory and General Physics Laboratory | |
| 1 course chosen from: | |
| Introduction to Statistics and Data Science | |
| Introduction to Probability and Statistics | |
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | |
| Introduction to Applied Econometrics | |
or ECON 381-1 | Econometrics |
| Introduction to Statistics and Research Methodology | |
or equivalent statistical methods course approved by the department | |
- 1
Units depend on chemistry and mathematics sequences taken. Most are also premedical school requirements.
Relevant Courses in the Bienen School of Music
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MUSICOL 323-0 | Topics in Ethnomusicology |
Summer Field Schools
Archaeology Field School: Courses may include the following, some of which are also offered on the Evanston campus.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 321-0 | Archaeological Field Methods |
| ANTHRO 322-0 | Introduction to Archaeology Research Design & Methods |
| ANTHRO 325-0 | Archaeological Methods Laboratory |
For additional information, contact the Department of Anthropology.
Honors in Anthropology
Majors with strong academic records and an interest in pursuing original research in anthropology during their senior year are encouraged to submit an application to the honors coordinator by spring of junior year to write a senior honors thesis. The thesis requires completing ANTHRO 399-0 Independent Study in the fall quarter and ANTHRO 398-0 Senior Seminar in the winter quarter of senior year. ANTHRO 398-0 Senior Seminar (but not ANTHRO 399-0 Independent Study) may be counted toward the 300-level requirements for the major.
Students whose theses and grades meet department criteria are recommended to the college for graduation with honors. For additional information review the department website, consult the honors coordinator, and see Honors in the Major.