About

Anthropology is the study of human cultures, societies, and behavior in all parts of the world throughout all periods of history. There are four sub-disciplines: archaeology, the study of historic and prehistoric cultures and civilizations; socio-cultural anthropology, which is concerned with current cultures of all degrees of complexity; physical anthropology, the biological aspects of the human species; and anthropological linguistics, which is concerned with the scientific study of language and its relationship to thought and society. In the past, anthropologists tended to study people in small, tribal societies. In recent decades more attention has been given to peasantry and industrialized, urban societies and to the application of anthropology to understanding problems of these societies.
The Department of Anthropology focuses on archaeology and socio-cultural anthropology. Courses in biological/physical anthropology also are offered. In addition, the Department offers courses in folklore, oral history, and geography, which are closely related to anthropology.