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This archived information is dated to the 2009-10 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

Undergraduate training in the department of Anthropology is designed for students who seek the bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree only. Students may declare a major in Anthropology and earn the B.A. degree by following the requirements below. The department also offers a minor in Anthropology. The B.A. degree program usually requires at least five quarters of enrollment. Students interested in majoring in Anthropology are encouraged to declare by the beginning of their junior year and to work closely with an adviser to develop a coherent program of study. For more complete information about the major see the department web site at http://anthropology.stanford.edu.

To declare a major in Anthropology, contact the department's student peer adviser(s) or the undergraduate student program coordinator to prepare the checklist for the major and the major planning form. These forms are available at http://anthropology.stanford.edu. Apply in Axess for the B.A. in Anthropology, submit the required forms to the undergraduate student program coordinator requesting a faculty adviser assignment, and meet with the assigned faculty adviser to receive approval of the checklist and major planning form. Students must apply in Axess for the B.A. Major in Anthropology by the time junior status is achieved (85 units).

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The B.A. degree in Anthropology may be earned by fulfilling the following requirements:

  1. A faculty adviser appointed in the department of Anthropology. Quarterly meetings with the faculty adviser are required.
  2. A program of 65 units, passed with an overall minimum grade of 'C' or higher:
    1. of the 65 units, 15 units may be approved from related areas of study, overseas studies, and/or transfer units.
    2. of the 65 units, at least 15 units must be in courses with the ANTHRO subject code numbered 100 or above.
    3. no more than 10 units of directed reading-style course work may be counted towards the major. These units may only be included among the 15 related units permitted for the major.
    4. no more than 10 units may be taken for a satisfactory/no credit grade: 5 units in ANTHRO courses, and 5 in related or transfer units.
  3. A grade of 'B-' or higher in an ANTHRO Writing in the Major (WIM) course. This should be taken within a year of declaring the major or before the end of the junior year.
  4. A grade of 'B-' or higher in an ANTHRO theory course. This should be taken within a year of declaring the major or before the end of the junior year.
  5. A self-designed course of study, approved by the faculty adviser, chosen from an Anthropology emphasis listed below:
    1. Archaeology and Heritage
    2. Culture and Society
    3. Ecology, Environment and Evolution
    4. Medical Anthropology
  6. A grade of 'B-' or higher in an ANTHRO methods course. This should be taken within a year of declaring the major or before the end of the junior year.
  7. A grade of 'C' or higher in a minimum of four ANTHRO essential courses listed at the 100 level or higher and taught by Anthropology faculty.
  8. Competence in a foreign language beyond the first-year level. Such competence is usually demonstrated by completing a 5 unit course at the second-year level with a grade of 'B-' or better. The requirement may be met by special examination administered through the Language Center, or demonstration of superior placement scores. Note: Students whose programs require non-English language study as part of a geographical or linguistics focus may ask their faculty adviser to approve up to 5 units from language courses toward the degree if such courses are at the second-year level and above, or are in a second non-English language.
  9. At least five quarters of enrollment in the major. Each candidate for the B.A. in Anthropology should declare a major by the first quarter of the third year of study.

Advising is an important component of the Anthropology major. Students are encouraged to work closely with their major adviser throughout their pursuit of the degree. Advising milestones for the major include the following:

  1. In the quarter in which the major is declared, students must meet with their assigned adviser, create a rigorous course of study based on topical breadth, and obtain adviser approval of an Anthropology emphasis as a course of study.
  2. Each quarter, students are required to meet with their adviser before the Final Study List deadline. Any revisions to the initial checklist must be approved by the faculty adviser.
  3. An updated major checklist and planning form must be submitted to the undergraduate student program coordinator before the student graduates.

Required Courses—

  1. Writing in the Major courses:
    1. The Anthropology theory courses listed below as required for the corresponding Anthropology emphasis fulfill the Writing in the Major requirement for the B.A. in Anthropology.
  2. Theory courses: Enroll in one of the following according to the student's chosen emphasis:
    1. Archaeology and Heritage: ANTHRO 90A. History of Archaeological Thought
    2. Culture and Society/Medical Anthropology: ANTHRO 90B. Theory in Cultural and Social Anthropology
    3. Ecology, Environment, and Evolution: ANTHRO 90C. Theory of Ecological and Environmental Anthropology
  3. Methods courses: Enroll in one of the following according to the student's chosen emphasis:
    1. Archaeology and Heritage: ANTHRO 91A. Archaeological Methods
    2. Culture and Society/Medical Anthropology: ANTHRO 91B. Evidence and Methods in Cultural and Social Anthropology
    3. Ecology, Environment, and Evolution: ANTHRO 91C. Anthropological Methods in Ecology, Environment and Evolution
  4. Essential courses: Choose from the following according to the student's chosen emphasis:
    1. For the Archaeology and Heritage emphasis, most essential courses are numbered ANTHRO 100 through ANTHRO 113.
    2. For the Culture and Society emphasis, most essential courses are numbered ANTHRO 120 through ANTHRO 150.
    3. For the Ecology, Environment, and Evolution emphasis, most essential courses are numbered ANTHRO 160 through ANTHRO 178.
    4. For the Medical Anthropology emphasis, most essential courses are numbered ANTHRO 179 through ANTHRO 185.

    Note: These courses may fulfill the essential course requirements for more than one emphasis. See department web site at http://anthropology.stanford.edu for details.

  5. Research courses: Courses listed below are recommended for students writing a research paper in the major:

    ANTHRO 92. Undergraduate Research Proposal Writing Workshop

    ANTHRO 93. Prefield Research Seminar

    ANTHRO 94. Postfield Research Seminar

    ANTHRO 95A. Research in Anthropology

  6. Senior courses: ANTHRO 95B. Senior Paper.

SENIOR PAPER AND HONORS PROGRAM

The senior paper program in Anthropology provides majors the opportunity to conduct original research under the guidance of an Anthropology faculty member. All Anthropology majors are encouraged to write a senior paper. Interested Anthropology majors of junior standing may apply to the senior paper program by submitting a senior paper application form, including a research topic/title of the proposed senior paper project, a two page abstract/proposal, and a letter of reference from their faculty adviser to the undergraduate student program coordinator on or by the third Monday of February in the junior year. Enrollment in ANTHRO 95A, Research in Anthropology, is recommended during Autumn and Winter quarters. Students must enroll in ANTHRO 95B, Senior Paper, in the final quarter of the undergraduate degree program before graduating. The senior paper is submitted in the final quarter before graduation. For more information, see the undergraduate student program coordinator.

The honors program in Anthropology provides eligible Anthropology majors with an opportunity to conduct original ethnographic, field, laboratory, or library-based research under the guidance of an Anthropology faculty member. All Anthropology majors are urged to consider applying to the departmental honors program in Anthropology. Interested Anthropology majors of junior standing may apply for admission to the honors program by submitting an honors application form, including a research topic/title of the proposed honors project, a two page abstract/proposal, a transcript, and a letter of reference from their faculty or honors adviser to the undergraduate student program coordinator on or by the third Monday of February in the junior year. Department majors are eligible to apply for honors candidacy with a 3.4 GPA in the department major, a 3.0 GPA in overall course work, and with no more than one incomplete listed on the transcript at the time of application. Students interested in the honors program are encouraged to apply for summer research funding through the Department of Anthropology, Undergraduate Advising and Research, and area studies centers. This process requires planning as the Spring Quarter research deadline falls before the honors application due date. In most case, honors students apply for such funding early in the junior year.

  1. Required Courses—
    1. The theory and methods course appropriate to the student's chosen emphasis of study.
    2. ANTHRO 95B, Senior Paper is required in the final quarter of the student's B.A. degree program. Senior papers with a letter grade of 'A-' or higher may be awarded departmental honors. Honors students may enroll for a minimum of 5 units and up to a maximum of 10 units.
  2. Optional Courses—
    1. ANTHRO 92, Undergraduate Research Proposal Writing Workshop, is recommended during Autumn and Winter quarters of the junior year.
    2. ANTHRO 93. Prefield Research Seminar
    3. ANTHRO 94, Postfield Seminar, is given in Autumn Quarter only. Student researchers may choose to enroll in ANTHRO 94 or to attend Summer Honors College in the summer following their junior year.
    4. ANTHRO 95A, Research in Anthropology, is recommended during Autumn and Winter quarters of the senior year.

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