Anthropology Courses
Courses
Introduction to Physical Anthropology and Archaeology: (3-0) [TCCN ANTH 2346] Introduction to the evolution of the human adaptive system with particular attention to the somatic and technological components. The biological development of humans, from 3.5 million year old Lucy to modern Homo sapiens, is discussed and correlated with developments in stone and bronze tools, dwelling types, social groupings, political organizations, etc. It emphasizes the genetic unity of humankind in ways that critically inform discussions of race. The course is not a prerequisite to ANTH 1302.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology (3-0): [TCCN ANTH 2351] This course will introduce students to basic concepts, theories, and methods in cultural anthropology. It covers concepts used by anthropologists to understand human diversity and different ways of life throughout the world. The course includes a critical focus on race, gender, sexuality, kinship and relatedness, inequality, migration, material culture, and religion.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Despite rising incomes, the Americas continues to be the most violent region in the world outside of active warzones. This course will focus on core principles in social science research that helps us understand how inequality and political conflicts have driven guerilla wars, cartel wars and rampant crime. From Central American Dirty Wars, Colombia's FARC and Paramilitaries, and Mexico's Drug war, this course takes a critical look at how theories of violence and economic distribution have shaped the region.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Cultural Geography (3-0) Introduction to cultural elements, their spatial distribution, and their interrelationship to the physical environment. This course is identical to GEOG 1310 and SOCI 1310.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This survey course introduces students to a range of important subjects in and approaches to indigenous studies. Keywords: Native Americans, interdisciplinary
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Introduction to Linguistics (3-0) Introduction to basic concepts and techniques of modern linguistics.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Ecological Anthropology (3-0) The study of human societies as part of ecological systems. The use of ecological principles and models in anthropological description and explanation is discussed. Folk models of ecology are also considered. Recommended background: ANTH 1301 and 1302. (ANTH 3303 is the same course as SOCI 3300.) .
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Biological Anthropology (3-0) This course focuses on human evolution and the biological basis for human behavior. Topics include human phylogeny, physical and behavioral adaptation, genetics, and human diversity. Prerequisite: ANTH 1301.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 1301 w/D or better)
This is a multidisciplinary and critical thinking course focused on the analysis of Puerto Rico's society. The course discusses the most important historical, political, economic, and cultural aspects of Puerto Rico.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Cultural Diversity (3-0) A cross-cultural comparison of human behavior addressing the areas of family life, marriage, kinship and ritual. The course will also deal with the potential for misunderstandings that arise in the context of cross-cultural interactions. (ANTH 3306 is the same course as SOCI 3306).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course will examine the multi-faceted role of sports in contemporary society. Through an anthropological perspective we will explore the socio-cultural dimensions of teams, athletes, fans, cheerleaders, and coaches. We will also learn about the business of sports and ethnic, gender, and class aspects of the sporting experience. This course is the same as SOCI 3307.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Mesoamerican Cultures (3-0) A survey of the precolumbian, through contemporary cultures of Mesoamerica, including (among others) Olmec, Maya, Toltec, colonial New Spain, Mexico, and Central America. Emphasis will be put on the historical continuities and transformations of Mesoamerica, connecting the past to the present. Recommended background: ANTH 1301 and ANTH 1302. (ANTH 3309 is the same course as SOCI 3309.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Southwestern Archeology (3-0) The development and characteristics of indigenous societies from the PaleoIndians to Apaches, is considered with particular attention to the Mogollon, Hohokam, Anasazi, and Casas Grandes areas. Ties of the area to nuclear Meso-America will be discussed. Recommended background: ANTH 1301.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Applied Cultural Anthropology (3-0) This course explores applications of cultural anthropological research methods and knowledge. Applications include business, health, non-profit organizations, social services and social justice, environmental management, and education. Students will explore personal and career interests, gaining practical training through class and individual projects, as well as mastering the fundamental literature of applied anthropology. Recommended background: ANTH 1302.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course studies, from a cultural perspective, the use, abuse, and trafficking of drugs. It examines cross-cultural uses and abuses of drugs in various contexts: private, public, ceremonial, medicinal, recreational, religious, etc. It explores taboos, laws, prohibitions, beliefs, and stereotypes about drugs as well as representations of drug use and abuse in popular culture. Additionally, the class will focus on the subject of drug trafficking and the public debates, crackdowns, and "cultural wars" associated with illegal drugs. Recommended background: ANTH 1302 or SOCI 1301. ANTH 3312 is the same course as SOCI 3312.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Urban Athropology (3-0) A consideration of the nature of cities, both non-Western and Western, pre-industrial and industrial. The impact of urbanization upon a region and individuals will be discussed. Recommended background: ANTH 1302. (SOCI 3315 is the same course as ANTH 3315.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Through an anthropological approach, the course discusses the political, economic, and cultural aspects of the Spanish Speaking Caribbean societies.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Indigenous Cultures of Latin America (3-0) A survey of the Native American cultures of Latin America, focusing on patterns of similarity among groups, and the distribution of different adaptations relative to environmental diversity. Attention will be paid to circumstances and actions of indigenous peoples in contemporary Latin America. Recommended background: ANTH 1302.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Indigenous Cultures of North America (3-0) A survey of the Native American cultures of the United States and Canada, with an emphasis on their development in various environmental settings and the regulatory and legal contexts in which they now exist. Recommended background: ANTH 1302. (ANTH 3320 is the same course as SOCI 3320.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Indians of the Southwest (3-0) Ethnographic and ehtnohistorical perspectives on the socio-politics, economics, belief systems and technologies of contemporary Native American groups such as the Apache, Hopi, Hualapai, Navajo, Pima, Tarahumara and Tohono O'odham. May include guest lectures by tribal representatives. Recommended background: ANTH 1302. (ANTH 3321 is the same course as SOCI 3321.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course presents a socio-anthropological view of human sexuality: Its prehistoric origins, cultural diversity, and current controversies. Readings offer a cross-cultural perspective on sexual relationships and identities, with particular attention to how sexuality articulates with other areas of culture such as class, education, and social control. This course is the same as SOCI 3322 and WS 3322. When offered it will be crosslisted with SOCI 3322 and WS 3322.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Chicanos and Mexicans in the United States (3-0) Major social and cultural aspects of the Mexican-origin experience in the United States, including immigrant and generationally-deep populations. Topics may include families, kin, and networks, communities, work, consumption, ethnic identity and racism, social and political movements, religion, gender, and cultural hybridity and change. (ANTH 3325 is the same course as SOCI 3325).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
Migration (3-0) Covers migration within and across borders. Considers major theories of migration, social and cultural dimensions of migration, and the experiences of migrants. Topics may include migrant/immigrant labor, social and cultural integration, gender, immigration lawas and policies, undocumented status, and new directions in migration research. (ANTH 3326 is the same course as SOCI 3326).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
Language and Power on the Border (3-0). An examination of language issues in our border region, focusing on bilingualism, bilingual education, immigration, the English-Only movement, family language socialization, and linguistic racism and classism. Knowledge of both English and Spanish is helpful but not required. (ANTH 3330 is the same course as SOCI 3330.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences (2-2) Provides an introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a tool for integrating and analyzing spatial data to visualize relationships, seek explanations, and develop solutions to pressing societal problems. The foundations of GIS will be emphasized in relation to its applicability in the social sciences. Students will demonstrate knowledge about the history of GIS, data quality and acquisition, interpretation and alalysis, and real-world GIS applications. Includes a lab component in which students perform a variety of problem-solving tasks to demonstrate concepts covered in lectures. (ANTH 3332 is the same course as ANTH 3332).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
4 Total Contact Hours
2 Lab Hours
2 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Popular Archeology: Exploring Mythis and Mysteries (3-0) Key concepts and approaches in archeology with an emphasis on what archeology means to the public. Empahsis is on developing students' abilities to identify and evaluate scientific and pseudoscientific treatments of the archeological record. Includes discussions of ancient astronauts, lost continents, the Moundbuilders, scientific creationism, and psychic archeology.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
Archeological Field Studies (0-0-3) Intensive field course on the recovery and analysis of archeological data. Includes archeological survey and/or excavation, and preliminary laboratory analysis. May be repeated when study area of research topic differs. Transportation and/or lodging fees vary according to project location. Prerequisite: ANTH 3359 or department approval.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
0 Lecture Hours
3 Other Hours
Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 3359 w/D or better)
Sociolinguistics (3-0) Language variables and sociological correlates, a review of current research, theories and applications. Recommended background: Linguistics 2320 (may be taken as SOCI 3357).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Ethnographic Methods (3-0) Theory and practice in the elicitation of ethnographic data. Participant observation, interviewing and the development of questionaires will be conducted in the laboratory and field settings. Prerequisite: ANTH 1302 with a grade of "C" or better or permission of instructor. (ANTH 3358 is the same course as SOCI 3358.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 1302 w/C or better)
Archeological Methods (3-0) Introduction to the analytical methods used to interpret archeological sites. Topics addressed include sampling, statistical analysis, formulation of hypothesis, and survey and excavation techniques.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Lab Methods in Archeology (0-3) Methods for, and practical experience in, the analysis and interpretation of acheological materials, including ceramics, stone tools, floral and fauna remains, archeological dating, and spatial data. Course will be taught as one 3-hour lecture lab, but individual or group lab projects involving additional time outside class will be required. Recommended for majors and minors.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
3 Lab Hours
0 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Major Restrictions:
Restricted to majors of ANTH
Contemporary Mexican Culture (3-0) A course about the social and regional diversity of modern Mexico with special emphasis on indigenous cultures. Recommended background: ANTH 1302. (ANTH 3361 is the same course as SOCI 3361).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Independent Study (0-0-3) Individual investigation of an area of anthropology that is not adequately covered by an organized class. Periodic meetings, reports and a major paper are required. Prerequisite: Department approval.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
0 Lecture Hours
3 Other Hours
Cultural and Environmental Resource Management (3-0) Provides in introduction to environmental laws and policies that affect the practice of archeology, history and ethnography in the context of development projects and land management. Among the topics discussed are environmental impact assessment, social impact assessment, historic preservation planning, and traditional cultural properties.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Archeological Fields Studies (0-0-6) Intensive field course on the recovery and analysis of archeological data. Includes archeological survey and/or excavation, and preliminary laboratory analysis. Variable credit. May be repeated when study area or research topic differs. Transportation and/or lodging fees vary according to project location. Prerequisite: ANTH 3359 or Department approval.
Department: Anthropology
6 Credit Hours
6 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
0 Lecture Hours
6 Other Hours
Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 3359 w/D or better)
Internship in Anthropology (0-0-3) A course in which students do internships relevant to applied cultural anthropology or archeology and cultural heritage management. Weekly reports, meetings with the internship supervisor, and substantial written assignments with academic content are also required or students. The internship gives students opportunities to apply academic training in practical settings, preparing them for careers and advanced study. Prerequisite: Department approval.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
0 Lecture Hours
3 Other Hours
Major Restrictions:
Restricted to majors of ANTH
Environmental Justice and Minority Communities in the U.S. (3-0); Cross listed with AFTS 4304; POLS 4304; SOCI 4304; and CHIC 4304. An examination of environmental justice issues in the U.S., with an emphasis on communities, agencies and efforts that address sustainable development in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The underpinnings of the environmental justice movement in the U.S. and the regional policy formulation and practice implications for these communities will be central to the course. The course may require field trips.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
U.S.-Mexico Border Society and Culture (3-0) An overview of major social and cultural features of the U.S.-Mexico border. Also includes in-depth examination of selected topics such as migration, border crossing and border restriction, global manufacturing and communities, and complex cultural formations. (ANTH 4308 is the same course as SOCI 4308).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
Thinking Spatially (3-0) Provides an appreciation of geographical perspectives on space and place. Students will become familiar with geographical theory and methods, which they will apply to the analysis of important social and natural phenomena, such as health and disease, crime, environmental hazards, urbanization and development, and long-term social and environmental change. (ANTH 4312 is the same course as SOCI 4312).
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Advanced Spatial Analysis (3-0) This course will be problem-based, and the centerpiece will be a semester GIS research project that each student will prepare. This will include definition of a problem amenable to spatial analysis, acquisition of appropriate data sources, organization of the data layers in a GIS, spatial analysis of the database, and a written and oral presentation of the results. In addition, a selection of advanced concepts and techniques in GIS analysis will be covered. Prerequisite: ANTH 3332 or SOCI 3332 or GEOG 3332 with a grade of "C" or better. (ANTH 4313 is the same course as SOCI 4313).
Global processes – such as migration, urbanization, environmental change, and economic interdependence – spread diseases and later health conditions. To deal with these challenges, new ways of thinking about health are demanded. This course explores health and disease in global terms, with special focus on the most vulnerable. It covers issues such as the causes and consequences of health disparities, how global processes play out in local communities, and how cross-cultural perspectives can help us understand and address disease. Recommended background: ANTH 1302 or SOCI 1301. (ANTH 4346 is the same course as SOCI 4346.)
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course examines foodways in the United States, the U.S. Southwest, and globally. Foodways are embedded in culture and reveal significant social relations, power structures, and meaning systems. They are especially embedded in women’s roles and relationships. We will examine the differences and consequences of food habits in the United States and in the U.S.-Mexico Southwest in particular; the role of food in constituting national, gender and ethnic identities; the political economic and symbolic significance of food; and the global hybridization and commodification of food.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Throughout this course, we will engage with key theoretical frameworks, concepts, and case studies in medical anthropology to examine the multiple forces that shape health conditions and the ways people think about and act upon their own health and illness. We will examine health and healing from a cross-cultural perspective. This will include a focus on some of the complicated political, economic, cultural, and social forces that shape disease patterns, illness experiences, and health outcomes. We will give special attention to the ethics of access to quality healthcare.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Explores theories of material culture and how they relate to the display and interpretation of objects in museums. The course combines readings, class discussions and a semester project in which students combine theory and practice.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Studies in Anthropology (3-0) Subject matter will be announced each semester. Among the material that may be covered are the following: Foraging bands; tribes, chiefdoms, states, peasant and plantation communities; the Navajos; the Tarahumaras; the archeology of missions, presidions, and haciendas; archeology theory; cultural resource management, lithic technology. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Department: Anthropology
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours