Anthropology, Bachelor of Arts College of Letters & Science
The A.B. Major
Anthropology is the systematic study of humans. The student of anthropology learns about human biology, ecology, and social life—past and present—and gains a broad understanding of humans and societies. It is a diverse field, and the courses, faculty, and degree programs at UC Davis are subdivided into two wings—Evolutionary and Sociocultural.
Evolutionary A.B.
Evolutionary anthropologists are united by their common application of science and evolutionary theory to understand the behavior, ecology, history, and evolution of humans & non-human primates, as individuals and as societies. These topics may be approached through archaeology, human behavioral ecology, paleoanthropology, primatology, genetics, and conservation biology. Archaeology is the study of history or prehistory by analysis of a people's artifacts, or their material culture, with the goal of reconstructing culture history and human behavior. Human behavioral ecology is the study of how variation in ecology and social organization can help us understand variation in human behavior. Paleoanthropology is the study of human evolution through the fossil and archaeological records, drawing on relevant studies in biological anthropology, Paleolithic archaeology, genetics, and geology. Primatology is the study of the behavior, ecology, and morphology of primates to address questions about the evolution and function of behavioral and morphological patterns in nonhuman primates and to test models of the origins of human morphology and behavior. Genetic anthropology uses DNA to address anthropological questions about population histories, migrations, mixing, and adaptations to local contexts. Conservation biology explores the causes of loss of biological diversity—in this department, it focuses on threatened non-human primates and the conservation of natural resources by our rapidly growing human population. A Bachelor of Arts degree provides broad training that includes all subfields of Anthropology.
Sociocultural A.B.
Sociocultural anthropologists study the varied ways in which people around the world organize their lives and interpret the circumstances in which they operate. Their main method is extended field research, which combines attention to global issues with the close study of human relations and culture. Among the themes addressed in the department's undergraduate courses are globalization and transnationalism; human ecology and environmental change; cultures of healing, health & medicine, the anthropology of law & global legal processes, the study of resistance, rebellion, & social control, the global spread of media & technology; migration, multiculturalism and urban life; colonialism and neocolonialism development and post-development; race, class & gender; politics & the political; cultures of everyday life; language use & discourse; and self, identity and family. Sociocultural anthropology thus offers a rich set of resources for understanding and engaging pressing issues in a globalizing world characterized by new forms of international culture and community as well as by increasing material inequality and political volatility.
General A.B.
The General emphasis in the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology provides an interdisciplinary approach that integrates elements of both evolutionary and sociocultural anthropology into one curriculum. This emphasis allows students to take courses covering the spectrum of anthropological subdisciplines. This emphasis will develop students’ abilities to apply both evolutionary and cultural concepts within anthropology as well as providing a solid theoretical foundation for both approaches. Based on the broad anthropological education covered in this emphasis, students will be gain transferable skills to be better equipped for a variety of careers; e.g., international development, cultural resource management, primate conservation, etc.
The Program
The Bachelor of Arts program is divided into three emphasis areas: the Evolutionary, Sociocultural, and General emphases. The Evolutionary and Sociocultural emphases parallel the two wings described above while the General emphasis allows students to select courses from both wings. Students interested in the study of recent and contemporary human societies should follow the Sociocultural emphasis. To obtain an A.B. degree in sociocultural anthropology, each student is required to complete courses that provide: (1) foundational skills, (2) language & cultural skills, (3) comprehensive skills, and (4) specialized skills. Students interested in the study of archaeology, primate studies, or human biology, ecology or origins should follow the Evolutionary Track. The A.B. degree offered by the Evolutionary emphasis provides general training in anthropology from an evolutionary perspective. The A.B. degree offered by the General emphasis provides interdisciplinary training in anthropology from both an evolutionary and sociocultural perspective. The Evolutionary Track also offers a B.S. degree that requires lower division coursework in math and science and upper division coursework in biological anthropology and closely related disciplines. Students planning on pursuing jobs in medical and other health-related fields after graduation may be especially interested in the B.S. degree.
Students in both tracks are encouraged to gain practical experience through courses taken while studying abroad (under the administration of the Global Learning Hub) and through undergraduate research or internships performed for credit (under ANT 192, ANT 198, or ANT 199 units provided by the advising office). Students showing exceptional ability are welcome to seek permission from instructors to participate in graduate seminars offered by the department.
Career Opportunities
A Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology is suited for students seeking a solid liberal arts education. With its broad goal to facilitate understanding across lines of cultural difference, sociocultural anthropology prepares students for lives that are influenced by increasingly pervasive cultural exchange, as well as cultural conflict, around the world. The program serves as excellent preparation for careers in which inter-cultural skills are increasingly needed, including social & environmental activism, business, diplomacy & social administration, journalism, law, education & international relations. Students who focus on evolutionary processes will be well prepared to enter fields such as medical or health anthropology, museum studies, cultural resource management, and wildlife conservation. A degree in anthropology with appropriate courses in education is good preparation for high school teaching in social, biological, and physical sciences. It also provides the foundation for advanced study leading to careers in college-level teaching and research.
Major Advisor
Connect with our advising office.
Honors Program
Candidates for high or highest honors in Anthropology must write a senior thesis under the direction of a faculty member. The thesis project will have a minimum duration of two quarters. Honors candidates must take at least 6 units of Anthropology ANT 194H. Only students who, at the end of their junior year (135 units), have attained a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 in Anthropology courses will be eligible for the honors program. The quality of the thesis work will be the primary determinant for designating high or highest honors at graduation. To learn more about participating in the ANT honors program, see Honors Program.
Teaching Credential Subject Representative
See the Teaching Credential/M.A. Program.
Graduate Study
The Department offers a program of study leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Anthropology. Further information regarding graduate study may be obtained at the Department website and at Graduate Studies.
A.B. Anthropology―Evolutionary Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
| ANT 001 | Human Evolutionary Biology | 4 |
| or ANT 001Y | Human Evolutionary Biology (Hybrid Version) | |
| ANT 002 | Cultural Anthropology | 5 |
| ANT 003 | Introduction to Archaeology | 4 |
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| From Birth to Death: The Evolution of the Human Life Cycle | ||
| Introduction to World Prehistory | ||
| Ancient Crops & People | ||
| Introduction to Primatology | ||
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| Scientific Method in Physical Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Social Statistics | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
or STA 013Y | Elementary Statistics | |
| Gateway to Statistical Data Science | ||
| Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences | ||
| Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 21-23 | |
| Depth Subject Matter | ||
| Choose one: | 2-5 | |
| Ecology, Nature, & Society | ||
| Indigenous Peoples & Natural Resource Conservation | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Kinship & Social Organization: From Clans to Countries | ||
| The Evolution of Primate Behavior | ||
| Primate Evolutionary Ecology | ||
| Primate Behavior: Methods & Experimental Design 1 | ||
| Laboratory in Primate Behavior 2 | ||
| Primate Conservation Biology | ||
| The Evolution of Sex: A Biological Perspective | ||
| Hunter-Gatherers | ||
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| Primate Evolution | ||
| Human Evolution | ||
| Human Genetics: Mutation & Migration | ||
| Neandertals & Modern Human Origins | ||
| Archaeology | ||
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Archeological Theory & Method | ||
| New World Prehistory: The First Arrivals | ||
| European Prehistory | ||
| Andean Prehistory: Archaeology of the Incas & Their Ancestors | ||
| Prehistory of California & the Great Basin | ||
| African Prehistory | ||
| Asian Prehistory | ||
| Zooarchaeology | ||
| Archaeological Field Methods | ||
| Field Course in Archeological Methods | ||
| Archaeometry | ||
| Laboratory in Archeological Analysis | ||
| Prehistoric Technology: The Material Aspects of Prehistoric Adaptation | ||
| Lithic Analysis | ||
| Cultural Resource Management in Archaeology | ||
| Sociocultural | ||
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Theory in Social-Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Cultural Politics of the Environment | ||
| Law, Power, Violence | ||
| Visualization in Science: A Critical Introduction | ||
| Language & Culture | ||
| Special Topics in Medical Anthropology | ||
| Capitalism & Power | ||
| Resistance, Rebellion, & Popular Movements | ||
| Religion in Society & Culture | ||
| Structuralism & Symbolism | ||
| Postmodernism(s) & Culture | ||
| Anthropology of Development | ||
| Women & Development | ||
| Urban Anthropology | ||
| Self, Identity, & Family | ||
| Health & Medicine in a Global Context | ||
| Cultural Dimensions of Globalization | ||
| Ecology & Politics | ||
| Psychological Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Ocean Worlds | ||
| Buddhism in Global Culture | ||
| Media Anthropology | ||
| Ethnographic Film | ||
| Meditation & Culture | ||
| Ethnographic Research Methods in Anthropology | ||
| Race, Class, Gender Systems | ||
| Gender & Sexuality | ||
| Cultures & Societies of West & Central Africa | ||
| Cultures & Societies of East & South Africa | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Peoples of the Middle East | ||
| Ethnology of Southeast Asia | ||
| Contemporary Societies & Cultures of Latin America | ||
| Performance, Embodiment, & Space in South Asia | ||
| Topics in the Anthropology of Europe | ||
| Modern South Asia Cinema | ||
| Culture & Political Economy in Contemporary China | ||
| Museum Studies: Analysis of Native American Basketry | ||
| Choose 28 additional units from any upper division Evolutionary track ANT courses: | 28 | |
| Ecology, Nature, & Society | ||
| Indigenous Peoples & Natural Resource Conservation | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Kinship & Social Organization: From Clans to Countries | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Primate Evolution | ||
| Human Evolution | ||
| Human Genetics: Mutation & Migration | ||
| The Evolution of Primate Behavior | ||
| Primate Evolutionary Ecology | ||
| Primate Behavior: Methods & Experimental Design | ||
| Laboratory in Primate Behavior | ||
| Primate Conservation Biology | ||
| Human Osteology | ||
| Advanced Human Osteology | ||
| Advanced Human Genetics | ||
| Advanced Human Genetics Lab | ||
| The Evolution of Sex: A Biological Perspective | ||
| Disease Outbreaks in Humans and Other Primates | ||
| Neandertals & Modern Human Origins | ||
| Archeological Theory & Method | ||
| New World Prehistory: The First Arrivals | ||
| European Prehistory | ||
| Andean Prehistory: Archaeology of the Incas & Their Ancestors | ||
| Prehistory of California & the Great Basin | ||
| African Prehistory | ||
| Hunter-Gatherers | ||
| Asian Prehistory | ||
| Zooarchaeology | ||
| Archaeological Field Methods | ||
| Field Course in Archeological Methods | ||
| Archaeometry | ||
| Laboratory in Archeological Analysis | ||
| Prehistoric Technology: The Material Aspects of Prehistoric Adaptation | ||
| Lithic Analysis | ||
| Museum Studies: Analysis of Native American Basketry | ||
| Cultural Resource Management in Archaeology | ||
| Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 42-46 | |
| Total Units | 63-69 | |
A.B. Anthropology―Sociocultural Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
| ANT 002 | Cultural Anthropology | 5 |
| Choose two: | 8 | |
| Human Evolutionary Biology | ||
or ANT 001Y | Human Evolutionary Biology (Hybrid Version) | |
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
| Introduction to Anthropological Linguistics | ||
| Choose one of the following two options: | 0-10 | |
(1) Complete the equivalent to five quarters of course work in foreign language or provide proof of proficiency. | ||
(2) Choose two lower division sociocultural courses: | ||
| Comparative Cultures | ||
| Sexualities | ||
| Drugs, Science & Culture | ||
| Cultures of Consumerism | ||
| Star Trek as Social Theory | ||
| Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 13-23 | |
| Depth Subject Matter | ||
| ANT 100 | Theory in Social-Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| Choose two upper division area-focus sociocultural track courses: | 8 | |
| Anthropology of Ocean Worlds | ||
| Cultures & Societies of West & Central Africa | ||
| Cultures & Societies of East & South Africa | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Peoples of the Middle East | ||
| Ethnology of Southeast Asia | ||
| Contemporary Societies & Cultures of Latin America | ||
| Performance, Embodiment, & Space in South Asia | ||
| Topics in the Anthropology of Europe | ||
| Modern South Asia Cinema | ||
| Culture & Political Economy in Contemporary China | ||
| Choose one of the following two options; see list below identifying upper division sociocultural courses; see list above identifying evolutionary track courses: | 32 | |
(1) Eight additional upper division anthropology courses 1 | ||
(2) Eight additional upper division courses that may combine six sociocultural track courses and either 8 units of Study Abroad credit or two related courses in a single academic discipline; including but not limited to: AAS, AMS, ART, AHI, AAS, CHI, CMN, CRD, DES, ECN, EAS, HIS, LIN, MSA, MUS, NAS, NAC, PHI, POL, PSC, RST, STS, SOC, TXC, WMS. | ||
| Sociocultural Track Upper Division Courses | ||
| Note: Sociocultural track courses at the upper division level are those with numbers from 100 to 148A, with the exception of 101, 103, and 128A. Area-focus sociocultural track courses are those that refer in their titles to one or more peoples or regions of the world. | ||
| Theory in Social-Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Cultural Politics of the Environment | ||
| Law, Power, Violence | ||
| Visualization in Science: A Critical Introduction | ||
| Language & Culture | ||
| Special Topics in Medical Anthropology | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Capitalism & Power | ||
| Resistance, Rebellion, & Popular Movements | ||
| Religion in Society & Culture | ||
| Structuralism & Symbolism | ||
| Postmodernism(s) & Culture | ||
| Anthropology of Development | ||
| Women & Development | ||
| Urban Anthropology | ||
| Self, Identity, & Family | ||
| Health & Medicine in a Global Context | ||
| Cultural Dimensions of Globalization | ||
| Migration & the Politics of Place & Identity | ||
| Ecology & Politics | ||
| Psychological Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Ocean Worlds | ||
| Buddhism in Global Culture | ||
| Media Anthropology | ||
| Ethnographic Film | ||
| Meditation & Culture | ||
| Ethnographic Research Methods in Anthropology | ||
| Race, Class, Gender Systems | ||
| Gender & Sexuality | ||
| Cultures & Societies of West & Central Africa | ||
| Cultures & Societies of East & South Africa | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Peoples of the Middle East | ||
| Ethnology of Southeast Asia | ||
| Contemporary Societies & Cultures of Latin America | ||
| Performance, Embodiment, & Space in South Asia | ||
| Topics in the Anthropology of Europe | ||
| Modern South Asia Cinema | ||
| Culture & Political Economy in Contemporary China | ||
| Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 44 | |
| Total Units | 57-67 | |
- 1
Two courses may be in the evolutionary track; and up to 4 units can be ANT 192, ANT 194H, ANT 198, or ANT 199 units.
A.B. Anthropology―General Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
| ANT 001 | Human Evolutionary Biology | 4 |
| or ANT 001Y | Human Evolutionary Biology (Hybrid Version) | |
| ANT 002 | Cultural Anthropology | 5 |
| ANT 003 | Introduction to Archaeology | 4 |
| Choose one lower division sociocultural course: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Anthropological Linguistics | ||
| Comparative Cultures | ||
| Sexualities | ||
| Drugs, Science & Culture | ||
| Cultures of Consumerism | ||
| Star Trek as Social Theory | ||
| Choose one lower division evolutionary course: | 4-5 | |
| From Birth to Death: The Evolution of the Human Life Cycle | ||
| Introduction to World Prehistory | ||
| Ancient Crops & People | ||
| Introduction to Primatology | ||
| Choose one methods course: | 4-5 | |
| Scientific Method in Physical Anthropology | ||
| Data Visualization in the Social Sciences | ||
| Introduction to Social Research Methods | ||
| Introduction to Social Statistics | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
or STA 013Y | Elementary Statistics | |
| Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 25-27 | |
| Depth Subject Matter | ||
| Choose one of the sociocultural core courses: | 4 | |
| Theory in Social-Cultural Anthropology | ||
or ANT 138 | Ethnographic Research Methods in Anthropology | |
| Choose one of the evolutionary core courses: | 4-5 | |
| Ecology, Nature, & Society | ||
or ANT 152 | Human Evolution | |
| Choose a minimum of 16 units from any upper division Evolutionary ANT courses: | 16 | |
| Ecology, Nature, & Society | ||
| Indigenous Peoples & Natural Resource Conservation | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Kinship & Social Organization: From Clans to Countries | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Primate Evolution | ||
| Human Evolution | ||
| Human Genetics: Mutation & Migration | ||
| The Evolution of Primate Behavior | ||
| Primate Evolutionary Ecology | ||
| Primate Behavior: Methods & Experimental Design | ||
| Laboratory in Primate Behavior | ||
| Primate Conservation Biology | ||
| Human Osteology | ||
| Advanced Human Osteology | ||
| Advanced Human Genetics | ||
| Advanced Human Genetics Lab | ||
| The Evolution of Sex: A Biological Perspective | ||
| Disease Outbreaks in Humans and Other Primates | ||
| Neandertals & Modern Human Origins | ||
| Archeological Theory & Method | ||
| New World Prehistory: The First Arrivals | ||
| European Prehistory | ||
| Andean Prehistory: Archaeology of the Incas & Their Ancestors | ||
| Prehistory of California & the Great Basin | ||
| African Prehistory | ||
| Hunter-Gatherers | ||
| Asian Prehistory | ||
| Zooarchaeology | ||
| Archaeological Field Methods | ||
| Field Course in Archeological Methods | ||
| Archaeometry | ||
| Laboratory in Archeological Analysis | ||
| Prehistoric Technology: The Material Aspects of Prehistoric Adaptation | ||
| Lithic Analysis | ||
| Museum Studies: Analysis of Native American Basketry | ||
| Cultural Resource Management in Archaeology | ||
| Choose a minimum of 16 units from any upper division Sociocultural ANT courses | 16 | |
| Theory in Social-Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Cultural Politics of the Environment | ||
| Law, Power, Violence | ||
| Visualization in Science: A Critical Introduction | ||
| Language & Culture | ||
| Special Topics in Medical Anthropology | ||
| Capitalism & Power | ||
| Resistance, Rebellion, & Popular Movements | ||
| Religion in Society & Culture | ||
| Structuralism & Symbolism | ||
| Postmodernism(s) & Culture | ||
| Anthropology of Development | ||
| Women & Development | ||
| Urban Anthropology | ||
| Self, Identity, & Family | ||
| Health & Medicine in a Global Context | ||
| Cultural Dimensions of Globalization | ||
| Ecology & Politics | ||
| Psychological Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Ocean Worlds | ||
| Buddhism in Global Culture | ||
| Media Anthropology | ||
| Ethnographic Film | ||
| Meditation & Culture | ||
| Ethnographic Research Methods in Anthropology | ||
| Race, Class, Gender Systems | ||
| Gender & Sexuality | ||
| Cultures & Societies of West & Central Africa | ||
| Cultures & Societies of East & South Africa | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Peoples of the Middle East | ||
| Ethnology of Southeast Asia | ||
| Contemporary Societies & Cultures of Latin America | ||
| Performance, Embodiment, & Space in South Asia | ||
| Topics in the Anthropology of Europe | ||
| Modern South Asia Cinema | ||
| Culture & Political Economy in Contemporary China | ||
| Museum Studies: Analysis of Native American Basketry | ||
| Choose one course from the Regional Focus electives below: | 4 | |
| Anthropology of Ocean Worlds | ||
| Cultures & Societies of West & Central Africa | ||
| Cultures & Societies of East & South Africa | ||
| People of the Arctic: Contemporary & Historic Cultures of the Circumpolar Region | ||
| Peoples of the Middle East | ||
| Ethnology of Southeast Asia | ||
| Contemporary Societies & Cultures of Latin America | ||
| Performance, Embodiment, & Space in South Asia | ||
| Topics in the Anthropology of Europe | ||
| Modern South Asia Cinema | ||
| Culture & Political Economy in Contemporary China | ||
| New World Prehistory: The First Arrivals | ||
| European Prehistory | ||
| Andean Prehistory: Archaeology of the Incas & Their Ancestors | ||
| Prehistory of California & the Great Basin | ||
| African Prehistory | ||
| Hunter-Gatherers | ||
| Asian Prehistory | ||
| Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 44-45 | |
| Total Units | 69-72 | |