Anthropology is the scientific study of human beings and their cultures across time and space. In the broadest sense, anthropology is about how the human species came to be, how it developed myriad ways of living in the world, and how those ways may change in the future. It is the major most closely associated with archaeology.
Anthropology is a unique field that combines elements of social science and natural science. Students will find themselves in all types of settings - out in the field collecting physical samples, in a lab analyzing fossils and specimens, interviewing individuals and groups to collect oral histories, in the library and community researching, and in the classroom learning how to fit all of the pieces of evidence into a cohesive theory.
Students at UWM will be exposed to all types of anthropological work. Some may find themselves more drawn to the "people" side of things and gravitate more towards electives that focus on culture and societal structures. Social anthropologists may examine issues such as workplace behavior, religious rituals, art, family structures or gender relations. Others may find linguistic anthropology - the study of the development of languages - more interesting. Students who have always envisioned themselves digging up artifacts will find archaeology or biological anthropology of most interest.
Regardless of specialization, hands-on experience is critical. UWM offers all types of field experience and research opportunities, locally and at spots around the globe.
Requirements
The anthropology minor requires 18 credits within the department, including the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 101 | Introduction to Anthropology: Human Origins | 3 |
| ANTHRO 102 | Introduction to Anthropology: Culture and Society | 3 |
| ANTHRO 103 | Digging Up the Past: Approaches to Archaeology | 3 |
| 9 credits at the 300-level or above | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Students must earn 9 credits in advanced-level courses (numbered 300 or above) taken in residence at UWM. The College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. If the student is interested in transitioning from a minor to a major, courses that satisfy the methods and/or research requirements in the major have been marked in the subfield tables below.
Three Anthropology Subfields
Biological Anthropology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 301 | Human Evolution and Variation | 3 |
| ANTHRO 401 | Primate Populations 1 | 3 |
| ANTHRO 402 | Primate Evolution | 3 |
| ANTHRO 403 | The Human Skeleton | 3 |
| ANTHRO 404 | Human Biological Variation | 3 |
| ANTHRO 405 | Forensic Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 406 | Evolutionary Biology & Human Diseases | 3 |
| ANTHRO 407 | Neuroanthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 408 | Hormones and Behavior | 3 |
- 1
This course may also satisfy a methods and/or research requirement in the Anthropology major; however, no single course may count for more than two requirements.
Archaeology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 304 | Violence and Warfare in Prehistory | 3 |
| ANTHRO 305 | The Celtic World | 3 |
| ANTHRO 306 | European Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 307 | World Archaeology: Foundations of Civilization | 3 |
| ANTHRO 308 | Archaeology of North America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 309 | Archaeology of Central and South America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 310 | Archaeology of Middle America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 311 | The World of the Ancient Maya | 3 |
| ANTHRO 313 | Archaeology of the American Southwest | 3 |
| ANTHRO 420 | Power and Ideology in Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 421 | Cities in the Ancient World | 3 |
| ANTHRO 424 | Ethnoarchaeology and Experimental Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 425 | Hunter-Gatherer Lifeways: Past and Present | 3 |
| ANTHRO 426 | Who Owns the Past? | 3 |
| ANTHRO 465 | Historic Preservation in Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 466 | Historical Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 501 | Archaeology of Death | 3 |
| ANTHRO 502 | Lithic Analysis: Stone Tools and Human Behavior | 3 |
| ANTHRO 525 | Zooarchaeology: Analysis of Faunal Remains 1 | 3 |
| ANTHRO 535 | Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics 1 | 3 |
| ANTHRO 565 | Seminar in Regional Archaeology: | 3 |
- 1
This course may also satisfy a methods and/or research requirement in the Anthropology major; however, no single course may count for more than two requirements.
Sociocultural Anthropology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 302 | Anthropology and Popular Culture | 3 |
| ANTHRO 314 | American Indian Societies and Cultures | 3 |
| ANTHRO 320 | Peoples and Cultures of Africa | 3 |
| ANTHRO 322 | Europe in Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| ANTHRO 325 | Japanese Culture and Society | 3 |
| ANTHRO 326 | Peoples and Cultures of South Asia | 3 |
| ANTHRO 328 | Comparative Studies of Music, Race, and Gender in Nationalism | 3 |
| ANTHRO 335 | American Indians of the Southeast | 3 |
| ANTHRO 340 | Cultures of Online Games and Virtual Worlds | 3 |
| ANTHRO 349 | Seminar in Ethnography and Cultural Processes | 3 |
| ANTHRO 351 | Anthropological Theories of Religion | 3 |
| ANTHRO 354 | Anthropology, Aesthetics, and Art | 3 |
| ANTHRO 355 | Globalization, Culture, and Environment | 3 |
| ANTHRO 400 | Human Sociobiology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 431 | Cities and Culture | 3 |
| ANTHRO 439 | Culture and Global Health | 3 |
| ANTHRO 440 | Medical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 441 | Nature, Knowledge, and Technoscience in Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| ANTHRO 442 | Humanitarianism in Global Perspective | 3 |
| ANTHRO 445 | Psychological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 446 | The Child in Different Cultures | 3 |
| ANTHRO 447 | The Global Politics of Human Rights | 3 |
| ANTHRO 448 | Cultural and Human Ecology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 449 | The Human Economy | 3 |
| ANTHRO 450 | Political Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 540 | Applications of Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 543 | Cross-Cultural Study of Religion | 3 |
| ANTHRO 544 | Religious Giving in Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| ANTHRO 649 | Ethnography of Institutions | 3 |
Letters & Science Minor Advising
Advising for the minor takes place within the department by a faculty member or staff member. Follow the steps using the "Declare a Minor" button on the department’s website which may include instructions on how to select a faculty advisor if there is more than one to choose from.
Students who already have an L&S college advisor because their degree plan is in L&S can discuss the minor with them as well since they will be familiar with any minor in L&S. Students who are working on a degree from a UWM college other than the College of Letters & Science will not need an L&S college advisor for just a minor and one will not be assigned. These students should work with the faculty or staff advisor they receive as part of the minor declaration process or contact the department directly for assistance.
Applicants who have not started classes at UWM yet who wish to declare a minor should wait until they are registered for their first UWM classes and then can declare the minor using the “Declare a Minor” button on the program’s website. If you have questions about the minor before then, contact let-sci@uwm.edu.