The Department of Anthropology provides a holistic program of instruction that gives students a better understanding of human cultural and biological diversity in the past, present and future. Central to our mission is the preparation of students to effectively conduct anthropological research in any subfield of anthropology as well as to apply anthropological principles to contemporary problems by emphasizing good communication and critical thinking skills. We also stress interdisciplinarity by emphasizing the collaborative nature of anthropology and by promoting strong relationships with other departments in the college.

To accomplish this mission, we have developed the following program learning outcomes:

1.            Develop an appreciation of human biological and cultural diversity and the critical thinking skills important for intercultural communication using scientific, linguistic, historical, theoretical, and/or cross-cultural approaches.

2.    Acquire the tools and understand the ways anthropological methods and knowledge can be used to address issues of social concern and can be applied to the amelioration of human problems.

3.            Demonstrate an ability to integrate perspectives from the subdisciplines of anthropology into a unified whole, including an understanding of the historical constitution of the discipline, knowledge of its methodologies, and awareness of the ethical implications of anthropological practice and research.

4.            Demonstrate, by means of written and oral forms of expression, the ability to critically evaluate opposing viewpoints on anthropological topics and to articulate a defensible position in well-argued analytical and descriptive statements.

5.            Gain experience in anthropological research through some combination of individually conceived research projects and opportunities for internships, fieldwork, and service learning projects that will prepare students for graduate work and/or a career in anthropology or a related field.