CSU East Bay Department of Anthropology

Anthropology is the multifaceted study of humans and their ways of life from a global and evolutionary perspective. Students in anthropology learn about the self as well as other ethnic nationalities as they are shaped by biological evolution, ecological constraints, political history, and sociological conditioning. The Department of Anthropology offers theoretical and methodological courses in the five sub-disciplines: biological anthropology, prehistory and archaeology, anthropological linguistics, sociocultural anthropology, and applied anthropology. Regional courses on major populations of the world, especially the heritage cultures of North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East, form an important component of the curriculum.

At the undergraduate level, students in the B.A. degree program may choose to focus on special interests in two combined sub-disciplines:

• Archaeology and Biological Anthropology emphasize the study of human biology, variation, evolution, and the reconstruction of past ways of life and cultural systems from material remains.
• Socio-Cultural and Applied Anthropology emphasize the study of social and cultural systems of more recent historical and contemporary populations, and the application of anthropological insights into present-day problems.

Other combinations are possible upon consultation with, and approval by, the faculty.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. in Anthropology from Cal State East Bay will: (1) be familiar with the origins of anthropological theory in all four sub-fields of the discipline; (2) be familiar with the basic schools of anthropological thought in the twentieth century; (3) be familiar with the evidence for human biological and cultural evolution; (4) gain experience with basic research methods in anthropology (either socio-cultural or archaeological research methods); (5) be familiar with the culture of a particular region of the world.

• Anthropologist
• Archaeologist
• Artifacts Conservator
• Curator
• Ethnologist
• Foreign Service Officer
• Immigration Service Official
• International Aid Agencies Official
• International Business Employee
• Multicultural Education Instructor
• Museum Curator
• Park Ranger
• Park Service Official
• Professor/Teacher
• Refugee Worker
• Researcher
• Social Science Teacher
• Social Worker
• Travel Consultant
• Urban Planner

The Department administers the Clarence E. Smith Museum of Anthropology, located on the fourth floor of Meiklejohn Hall. The museum houses a sizable collection of archaeological artifacts recovered in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, as well as ethnographic specimens from cultural groups throughout the world. The museum is an instructional facility for museum curating, research, design, and exhibits. Museum exhibits and special events are open to the public free of charge. For information, call (510) 885-7414 or (510) 885-3104.

Please consult an advisor in your major department for clarification and interpretation.

The major consists of 60-61 units; the B.A. requires a total of 180 units.

Required Courses in Anthropology (60-61 units)

1. Lower Division (12 units)
   ANTH 1100, 1200, 1300 (ANTH 3000 may be substituted for ANTH 1300 on approval of an advisor and the department chair)
2. Upper Division (48-49 units)
   1. ANTH 3100, 3200, 3400, 3710, 3785, and 3800 (24 units)
   2. One regional studies course from the following: ANTH 3500, 3540, 3545, 3550, 3580 (4 units)
   3. ANTH 4910 Pro-Seminar in Anthropology (4 units)
   4. Four additional courses from either one of the two options: 
      1) Archaeology/Biological Anthropology, or 2) Socio-Cultural Anthropology (16-17 units)
      1. Archaeology/Biological Anthropology option:
         • ANTH 4240 (4)
         • ANTH 4250 (5)
         • ANTH 4260 (3)
         • Any one of the following: ANTH 3101, 3110, 3250, 3260 (4 units)
      2. Socio-Cultural Anthropology option:
         • ANTH 4310 (5)
         • One additional regional course from the 3500 series (4 units)
         • Any two of the following: ANTH 3110, 3410, 3720, 3730, 3740, 3745, 3750, 3840 (8 units)

Highly Recommended Courses in Supporting Fields

It is highly recommended that majors refine their skills in one or more supporting disciplines depending on their academic interests and long-term career/educational goals. When possible, they should satisfy their G.E. requirements from the courses listed below. In addition, students intending to pursue graduate work and who cannot yet demonstrate competence in a foreign language through testing are urged to elect or add modern language courses. A faculty advisor will assist students in making choices from the following list:

• BIOL 1001 (or 1005), 1002
• GEOL 2101 and 3030
• HIST 3017
• SOC 3411
• STAT 1000 and STAT 3010
• Three consecutive quarters of a single modern language

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University requirements for graduation which are described in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements chapter in the front of this catalog. These include the General Education-Breadth requirements; the second composition (ENGL 1002) requirement; the cultural groups/women requirement; the performing arts/activities requirement; the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement; the University Writing Skills Requirement; and the residence, unit, and grade point average requirements.

The minor requires twenty-eight (28) units in Anthropology to be taken in approximately the following order:

1. ANTH 1000 (4)
2. One of the following (4):
   ANTH 1100, 1200, 1300 (3000 may be substituted)
3. Two of the following (8):
   ANTH 3100 (or 3101), 3200, 3400, 3800
4. One course in the 3500 series (regional ethnography) (4)
5. Two additional 3000- and/or 4000-level courses (excluding 3500 series) (8)