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1. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY? (from the American Anthropology Assoc.)
What is anthropology? The word itself tells the basic story — from the Greek anthropos (human being) and logia (science), it is nothing less than the scientific study of humankind, from its beginnings, millions of years ago, to the present day. Nothing human is alien to anthropology and of the many sciences that study certain aspects of our species, only anthropology attempts to understand the whole panorama, in time and space, of the human condition.
Anthropology is, at once both easy to define but difficult to describe; its subject matter both exotic (marriage practices among Australian aborigines) and commonplace (the structure of the human hand); its focus both sweeping and microscopic. Anthropologists may study the language of a tribe of Brazilian Native Americans, the social life of apes in an African rain forest, or the remains of a long-vanished civilization in their own backyard — but there is always a common thread linking these vastly different projects, and always the common goal of advancing our understanding of who we are and how we came to be that way.
In a sense, we all "do" anthropology because it is rooted in a universal human characteristic; curiosity about ourselves and other people, living and dead, here and across the globe. Everyday, as we look around us, we all ask anthropological questions:
Do men and women have different abilities? If so, why?
Is it human nature to be warlike? Peaceful? What is "human nature"?
These, and thousands of questions like them, are part of a "folk anthropology" practiced daily in bars and on street corners, in newspapers and magazines, in classrooms and government offices. After all, all societies have explanations for why their ways of life are the way they are, and our society is no exception. But if we are all "folk anthropologists," what do professional anthropologists have to offer? How does the science of anthropology differ from plain, old fashioned "common sense"?
The science of anthropology begins with a simple, but enormously powerful, idea: that any particular aspect of our behavior can be fully understood only when it is placed against the background provided by the full range of human behavior. This is the comparative perspective, the attempt to explain both the similarities and differences among people in the context of humanity as a whole. Anthropology seeks to uncover the principles governing human behavior that are applicable to all human communities, not just to a select few of them.
To the anthropologist, the sometimes bewildering variety of humanity — in body size and shape, social customs, language, religious belief, skin color, economic system — provides the basic frame of reference for the understanding of any single aspect of human life in any particular community.
The power of the comparative perspective can be illustrated by imagining that you have lived your whole life in a world with only one color — all your food, all objects, all plants and animals, all a single shade of, say, red. In such a world, you will obviously have no understanding of any other colors: of blue or yellow or green. But isn't it also true that you will have no real understanding of the color red, or even of the concept of color itself, without the ability to compare one color with all the other colors of the rainbow?
One branch of anthropology, social or cultural anthropology, applies this comparative perspective to the study of human culture: the norms, values, and standards transmitted from one generation to the next and by which people act. Cultural anthropologists study human behavior by means of first-hand observation and interviewing within particular communities, and interpret that behavior by comparison with the results of similar studies in other communities. They may focus on particular aspects of life or institutions such as kinship, religion, art, or economics, or they may try to characterize a way of life as a whole. Cultural anthropology teaches us how to understand the internal logic of other societies, those other "colors," and to make sense of behavior that strikes us, at first, as senseless or even immoral. We learn to avoid "ethnocentrism"; the tendency to judge strange customs on the basis of our preconceptions derived from our own society. We see the color "red", with new eyes. We can look at our everyday surroundings with the same sense of wonder and discovery that we derive from looking at alien cultures. In fact, while most people picture anthropologists thousands of miles from home in the midst of a circle of thatched houses, more and more anthropologists are training their sights on American society and applying the anthropological perspective to the study of our own culture.
As the science of cultural anthropology has developed, specialized branches, focusing on some particular aspect of human culture, have emerged: economic anthropology, psychological anthropology, ethnomusicology, medical anthropology, educational anthropology, and many others.
Linguistic anthropology is another of anthropology's major branches, and it looks at the historical development of human languages and the ways in which that development can be used to unravel the relationships between different societies. In addition, linguistic anthropologists are concerned with the nature of language itself and the relationships between language, thought, and behavior; that is, the ways in which language and all the other aspects of human culture interrelate.
But the human story begins even further back in time than this, back several million years ago with a population of ape-like creatures starting down a unique evolutionary road. And the anthropologist's comparative perspective can be broadened to include more than just the full range of human societies, for how can we fully understand humankind without an understanding of its place within the entire natural universe of living things? Physical, or biological, anthropology looks at Homo sapiens as a biological species--its origins, evolutionary development, and the biological diversity of modern human populations. Biological anthropologists study the natural history of the human species and attempt to understand the biological bases for human nature and our remarkable behavioral abilities.
Man, with all his noble quantities, with sympathy that feels for the debased, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system--with all these exalted powers--still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of lowly origins. — Charles Darwin
Archaeology studies material remains in order to understand and explain human behavior. Traditionally, archaeologists have excavated and analyzed the tools, weapons, pottery, and other artifacts that were left behind by prehistoric societies in order to reconstruct their ancient cultures. Today, archaeologists no longer limit themselves to the study of prehistoric peoples but also investigate more recent cultures, adding their insights to the information available to the historian through the written record. Archaeologists also work as specialists in preserving knowledge of our country’s past through Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Management.
These, then, are the four branches making up anthropology as a whole: cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, physical anthropology, and archaeology. Anthropology asks what may be the most difficult and most important question of all: what does it mean to be human? And while that question will never be fully answered, the study of anthropology has attracted some of the world's greatest thinkers, whose discoveries have forever changed our understanding of ourselves and of the world we create and inhabit. Anthropology will never lose its hold on us because its subject matter, humankind, is ever-changing and endlessly fascinating.
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan.
The proper study of mankind is man.
— Alexander Pope
Most anthropologists continue to be employed in research and teaching positions at colleges and universities. For these jobs, a Ph.D. is generally required involving two or three years of graduate course work, a year or more of original research, followed by writing a thesis. However, in recent years, many anthropologists have moved beyond the academy to utilize their specialized training in a variety of occupations. Cultural and linguistic anthropologists are working in federal, state, and local governments; international agencies; hospitals; school systems; and consulting firms, in research or administrative jobs, as social analysts, or program officers.
Biological anthropologists might find themselves working in museums, as consultants for law enforcement in victim identification, in medical and epidemiology research, and in studies of ergonomics. Archaeologists work for universities, museums, and in state and federal agencies such as the Park Service. Recently, the areas of cultural resource management, historic preservation and environmental research have opened up many opportunities for archaeologists. More information on employment opportunities for anthropologists can be found in Getting a Job Outside the Academy, available from the Departmental Office.
3. IUP ANTHROPOLOGY - 3 TRACKS
Students who major in Anthropology will receive a solid grounding in all aspects of the discipline, and they will be exposed to all four subdisciplines in the field. A degree in Anthropology prepares students to work in a variety of professions, and the knowledge they gain about the human experience, cross culturally and throughout our long history, will help equip these citizens of the twenty-first century. While all our students receive a general degree in Anthropology, they may choose to build expertise in one area by pursuing one of the specialized tracks.
Track 1: General Track in Anthropology
The track in General Anthropology provides the student with a broad background in the four traditional fields of Anthropology: Cultural Anthropology, Linguistics, Biological Anthropology, and Archaeology. This track exposes students to both anthropological theory and practice in core courses, as well as helping them to gain cross cultural knowledge from the culture area studies courses. In addition, a foreign language is required and computer science skills are highly recommended. The General track offers more flexibility than the others in the program in order to accommodate particular student interests.
Track 2: Archaeology Track in Anthropology
Archaeology, the study of culture through material remains, provides an excellent avenue for students to pursue an interest in anthropology. Archaeological investigations, because they are not dependent upon written records or direct observation of people, have the ability to focus on any portion of the nearly 5 million year long period when modern humans, or their recognizable ancestors, have existed on our planet. This unique perspective gives archaeologists an important ability to integrate long term time frames into investigations of cultural diversity and change.
Archaeologists have an important role to play in the preservation of cultural heritage as well. Federal, state, and local laws now mandate a wide variety of cultural heritage management and preservation practices, many of which rely directly upon archaeological study and interpretation.
A wide range of career paths may be chosen by Anthropological Archaeologists in traditional academic settings, museums, federal and state agencies, private businesses, and, frequently, combinations of these. Currently, there are many job opportunities available to those with B.A. degrees, especially in the government funded and private sectors.
The archaeology track is intended to provide specific preparation for students wishing to pursue both the traditional academic track into graduate programs; and federal, state or private opportunities in archaeology and cultural resource management, without pursuit of a graduate level degree.
Track 3: Applied Track in Anthropology
The Applied Anthropology track combines the quantitative methodological strengths, common in other social science disciplines, with the qualitative methodological strengths of cultural anthropology. The objective is to provide students with a background in anthropological method and theory, a cross-cultural perspective, and an avenue to translate this knowledge into action through internships and research. In consultation with his/her advisor, each student will focus on a specific topical area. Recent examples include students who have studied immigration issues, Native American Studies, problems of refugees, and medical anthropology. Flexibility in curriculum, together with internships and research, provide an academic career or employment outside of academic institutions.
4. ANTHROPOLOGY FACULTY PROFILES
Dr. Francis Allard is an archaeologist with a Bachelor of Sciences in Biology (McGill University, Canada) and a Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology (Cambridge, UK), a MA in Museum Studies (University of Toronto, Canada) and a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh. He has worked, lived, and studied in China at various times since the early 1980s and has conducted archaeological research in south China and Vietnam. He now directs a project in central Mongolia, focusing on the emergence and development of nomadic pastoralism in that region.
Dr. Miriam Chaiken is an applied anthropologist who has conducted research in East Africa and Southeast Asia on a variety of issues in economic development. She has worked with various international and United Nations organizations to help design programs for Third World health care and education. Her research interests include the changing status of women in developing countries, participatory development, resettlement, and rural health and nutrition. She teaches the Anthropology of Women, Applied Anthropology, and Research Methods.
Dr. Beverly Chiarulli is an archaeologist and Associate Director of Archaeological Services at IUP. Her research interests include the archaeology of the Eastern Woodlands, Mesoamerican archaeology, archaeology and public education, lithic analysis, and historic preservation. Her current projects include the excavation of a Late Woodland village in Washington County, PA, an annual Workshop for Educators in Maya Archaeology and Tropical Forest Ecology in Belize, the investigation of the Early Classic occupation of Cerros, a Maya site in Belize, and the analysis of lithic artifacts from the site of Chau Hiix, Belize.
Dr. W. Thomas Conelly is a cultural anthropologist who has done research and worked as a consultant in the Philippines, Kenya, and Indonesia. His main research interests are cultural ecology, hunter-gatherers, and the evolution of agricultural systems. His research has examined agricultural change and economic development in East Africa and Southeast Asia. His current research focuses on migration and agricultural history in rural Pennsylvania. He teaches culture area classes on Southeast Asia, Africa, and Rural Pennsylvania as well as Cultural Anthropology and Cultural Ecology.
Dr. Victor Garcia is a cultural anthropologist whose specialty is Latin American studies. His research interests include economic anthropology, especially in peasant societies, and the political economy of agriculture and farm work in the United States. He has done fieldwork in peasant villages in Mexico, in rural communities in California, and, most recently, among Mexican migrant workers in the mushroom industry in eastern Pennsylvania. He teaches courses on Latin America, the economics of peasant societies, and issues facing Latinos in the United States.
Dr. Laurence Kruckman is a cultural anthropologist with an interest in applied anthropology and social change. He has conducted research in South America, Micronesia and Eastern Kentucky concerning cross cultural psychology and medical anthropology. In addition he has written articles on the use of aerial and space photography and imagery in ethnohistory and archaeology research. He teaches the Anthropology Theory Seminar, Social and Cultural Change, and Medical Anthropology.
Dr. Phillip D. Neusius is an archaeologist and the Director of Archaeological Services at IUP. His research interests focus on North American prehistory. He has conducted field work extensively throughout the United States including the Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and Great Plains. He is also very active in cultural resource management and historic preservation. As director of Archaeological Services he has brought numerous applied research projects to campus, providing practical experience for undergraduate students. Current research projects include Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric adaptations along Lake Erie (with Dr. Sarah Neusius and the New York State Museum); Early Archaic Occupations in northwestern PA; and the transition to farming in central Pennsylvania. He teaches Basic Archaeology, Cultural Resource Management, and Archaeological Research Methods.
Dr. Sarah Neusius is an archaeologist who is most interested in archaeozoology, and subsistence and settlement systems. She has worked in the Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast United States. Her current research includes an experimental study of cut marks on bone, investigation of Late Prehistoric Adaptations in southwestern New York State, predictive modeling of prehistoric settlement locations on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau and study of large and small game exploitation in southwestern Colorado. Dr. Neusius also is active in Pennsylvania's archaeological and historic preservation communities. She teaches Biological Anthropology, North American Archaeology, and a synthesis course on Evolution and Creation Science.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Anthropology Club was formed fifteen years ago and has since become one of the most active student organization on campus. The Anthropology Club's bi-monthly meetings include planning sessions for activities and a variety of guest lectures. Members have attended several professional meetings, including the Northeastern Anthropological and American Anthropological Association conferences. Students have also presented papers at the State System’s annual University Undergraduate Anthropology Meetings.
The club has sponsored an ethnographic film series, played a major role in bringing an important Smithsonian photographic exhibit to IUP, and taken field trips to museums and historic sites. Guest lectures at meetings highlight areas of anthropological interest, including Mesoamerican archaeology, Pennsylvania's historic archaeology, Native American religions, and political movements in developing countries. The Anthropology Club at IUP is organized by students but Anthropology faculty often participate in the group’s activities. All in all, with the many educational activities and the opportunity to interact with faculty, the Anthropology Club is an ideal way for undergraduate students to gain valuable information about anthropology and to learn about career opportunities.
Many students choose to earn part of their credits towards graduation through an internship placement. Regardless of the curriculum track the student selects, it is possible to arrange an internship which will enhance their learning experiences by providing an opportunity to acquire new skills, develop professional contacts, and gain first hand knowledge of potential workplaces. Recent placements have included museum laboratories (the Pennsylvania State Museum, the Smithsonian Institution), ongoing research projects (e.g. archaeological field projects), and human service agencies which deal with multi-cultural clients (e.g. refugee services, tourism promotion, human rights advocacy).
Students who wish to undertake an internship must meet certain minimum grade point requirements and be a junior. Internships are arranged jointly by the student and the internship coordinator, and require a fair amount of advance planning, so interested students should begin investigating possibilities well in advance of the preferred placement period. For further information, consult the department's brochure describing the internship program, and the internship coordinator. The Internship Coordinatoror AY 2004-2005 is Dr. Miriam Chaiken
7. IMPORTANT POLICY GUIDELINES:
Changing Majors:
Students interested in transferring into the anthropology program should first contact the departmental chairperson to discuss the matter.
They then should obtain a form from the departmental secretary, fill it in and then submit it to the Anthropology chair for processing. Contact the departmental secretary about the status of the application a couple of weeks after filing.
Upon approval, the departmental secretary will assign an advisor. Contact the new advisor immediately and continue to keep in touch with him/her.
Minor in Anthropology:
Anthropology is a discipline which combines nicely with many other fields of study, for example: our cross-cultural emphasis enhances the effectiveness of those in business, languages, or international studies; the discipline's efforts to understand the relationship between our biological heritage and culture complements majors in biology and psychology; the emphasis on non-western and traditional societies supplements the standard training in International Studies and the other social sciences.
Many students opt to complete a minor in anthropology in addition to their major in another discipline. To fulfill the requirements for a minor, the student must complete 15 credit hours in anthropology, but has complete freedom to select which courses they take to fulfill the 15 credits.
Independent Study:
It is possible for students to undertake Independent Study (AN 482) or Readings in Anthropology (AN 483) concerning topics not covered in the regular curriculum. Students who wish to explore this option should begin by discussing it with their advisor. Coursework is to be developed by the student and supervising faculty member, and explained in a one page statement. This statement should outline the purpose, the topics to be covered, the reading materials to be used and how the student's performance is to be evaluated. A time table for completion of this work should be presented. It also should justify why this work is advisable for the student. Upon completion, the statement should be attached to an independent Study/Individualized Instruction Approval Form which must be signed by the student's advisor, the supervising faculty member, the chairperson and the dean.
This form, which is available in the Department office, should be filed at least three weeks prior to the start of the semester in which the work is to be completed.
Permission to complete independent study and readings courses in Anthropology is restricted to students who have completed at least 18 hours of coursework in Anthropology, excluding internships and other independent studies, and at least 80 hours of college coursework altogether. A 2.50 Q.P.A. also in required. Anthropology majors will receive priority in approval of independent study courses.
Independent studies or Readings may be authorized by the Department for seniors who have not been able to schedule a required course. The faculty, however, will be reluctant to approve such coursework unless the Senior has a legitimate reason for not having taken the required course when it was offered. Students should review the tentative schedule of courses included in this packet and discuss possible problems with their advisor promptly.
For more information please contact your advisor, or the chair of the Department at:
Department of Anthropology
McElhaney Hall G12
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705
(724) 357-2841
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GRADUATION CHECKSHEET FOR ANTHROPOLOGY MAJORS
I. General Anthropology Track:
(Revised July 2002)
Bachelor of Arts General Anthropology Track requirements:
Liberal Studies: 53-54 sh with the following specifications:
Mathematics: MATH 217 required
Social Science: GEOG 104 recommended
Liberal Studies Electives: BEDU/COSC/IFMG 101 recommended,
no courses with ANTH prefix may be used as liberal studies elective
College: 0-6 sh
Foreign
Language completed through Intermediate Level required
(Intermediate-level Foreign Language may be included in Liberal Studies
electives)
Major: 36 sh
Required Courses:
ANTH211
Cultural Anthropology
3sh
ANTH222
Biological Anthropology
3sh
ANTH233
Language and Culture
3sh
ANTH244
Basic Archaeology
3sh
ANTH456 or
ANTH 317 Field Research Methods
or Archaeological Research and Design
3sh
ANTH480 Anthropology Seminar 3sh
Controlled Electives:
Two courses in
Culture Area Ethnography required
such as: ANTH 271, 273, 274, 314
6sh
Three additional ANTH electives (300 or 400 level) 9sh
One additional ANTH elective (any level) 3sh
Free Electives: 34-35sh
Total Degree Requirements:
124 sh
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II. ARCHAEOLOGY TRACK:
(has been revised beginning 2005, this is older track for
students already in major before 2005)
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (B.A.) [124 s.h.]
[ ] LIBERAL STUDIES [54-54 s.h.]
NOTE: the following specifications:
Foreign Language through intermediate level and
Math 217 (Probability and Statistics) required;
Geoscience 121/122 & 131/132 (General Geology I +
& II + Lab), Sociology 151 (Principles of sociology) and
Computer Science 200 (Intro to Computers) strongly
recommended.
FREE ELECTIVES 34-35 sh
MAJOR IN ANTHROPOLOGY (ARCHAEOLOGY):
Core courses:
ANTH 211 Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 222 Biological Anthropology
ANTH 233 Language and Culture
ANTH 244 Basic Archaeology
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
I. Three Methods Courses
ANTH 317 Archaeological Research Design and Methods and
ANTH 320 Archaeological Field School [6 sh]
(or equivalent field school at
another university with lab
component. Must be approved
by the student’s advisor)
and
ANTH 415 Cultural Resource Management
II. One Theory course
ANTH 480 Anthropology Seminar
or
SOC 447 Modern Social Theory (only with permission of advisor)
III. Two Culture Area Courses
ANTH 315 North American Archaeology
or
ANTH 213 World Archaeology
or
ANTH 314 Native Americans
or
ANTH 271, 273, or 274 (Culture Area Studies)
IV. One Topical Course
ANTH 401 Sociocultural Change
or
ANTH 420 Cultural Ecology
MAJOR TOTAL 36 sh
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
A minor in Geoscience, Geography, History, or other approved field is recommended.
An internship (ANTH 493) is also recommended. Your advisor should be consulted concerning internship possibilities.
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III. APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY TRACK: (Revised July 2002)
Bachelor of Arts Anthropology/Applied Anthropology Track
Liberal Studies:
53-54 sh
with the following specifications:
Mathematics: MATH 217 required
Social Science: GEOG 104 (recommended)
Liberal Studies Electives: BTED/COSC/IFMG 101(recommended),
no courses with ANTH prefix may be used as a liberal studies elective
College: 0-6 sh
Foreign
Language Intermediate Level (1)
(Intermediate-level Foreign Language may be included in Liberal Studies
electives)
Major: 36 sh
Required Courses:
ANTH 211
Cultural Anthropology
3sh
ANTH 222 Biological Anthropology
3sh
ANTH 233 Language and Culture
3sh
ANTH 244 Basic Archaeology
3sh
ANTH 360
Applied Anthropology and
ANTH 456 Ethnographic Field
methods
6sh
ANTH 480 Anthropology Seminar 3sh
Controlled Electives:
One area course
in culture area ethnography
such as: ANTH 271, 273, 274,
314
3sh
Two additional
ANTH electives
(300 or 400 level)
6sh
Internship in Anthropology* 6sh
Free Electives: 34-35 sh
Total Degree Requirements: 124 sh
* Internship is highly recommended but may be replaced by 6sh of pragmatic skill courses upon approval of advisor
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CHECK LIST--LIBERAL STUDIES AT I.U.P.
LEARNING SKILLS:
[ ] COLLEGE WRITING (4
S.H.)______________________________________
[ ] RESEARCH WRITING (3 S.H.)____________________________________
[ ] MATH COURSE (3-4 S.H.)________________________________________
KNOWLEDGE AREAS:
[ ] HUMANITIES HISTORY (3
S.H.)____________________________________
[ ] HUMANITIES PHILOS/REL ST (3 S.H.)______________________________
[ ] HUMANITIES LITERATURE (3 S.H.)_________________________________
[ ] FINE ARTS (3 S.H.)_______________________________________________
[ ] HEALTH AND WELLNESS (3 S.H.) OR [ ]MIL. SCI (2 S.H.)
MS101
[ ]MIL. SCI (2 S.H.) MS102
[ ] SOCIAL SCIENCE (3
S.H.)_______________________________________
[ ] SOCIAL SCIENCE (3 S.H.)_______________________________________
[ ] SOCIAL SCIENCE (3 S.H.)_______________________________________
(NO TWO OF YOUR SOCIAL SCIENCE SELECTIONS MAY HAVE THE SAME PREFIXES)
[ ] LAB SCI. SEQUENCE I (4 S.H.) OR [ ]LAB SCI.COURSE (4 S.H.)
[ ] LAB SCI. SEQUENCE II (4 S.H.) [ ]NON-LAB SCI.COURSE (3 S.H.)
[ ] LS ELECTIVE (3 S.H.) (NON-LAB SCI. COURSE, IF 7 SH.
NATURAL SCIENCE
CHOSEN ABOVE
[ ] LS ELECTIVE (3 S.H.) (NON-WESTERN COURSE IF NOWHERE ELSE IN CURRICULUM
[ ] LS ELECTIVE (3 S.H.)
[* NOTE: AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR THREE LS ELECTIVES MUST BE NUMBERED 200 OR HIGHER.]
[* NOTE: YOU MAY NOT USE ANY COURSE PREFIX MORE THAN ONCE AMONG YOUR LIBERAL STUDIES ELECTIVES, EXCEPT FOR FR, GM, SP, LA, AND GK WHICH YOU MAY USE TWICE.]
SYNTHESIS
[ ] SYNTHESIS COURSE (3 S.H.) LS 499
MAJOR PREFIX (NOTE: NO COURSE WITH YOUR MAJOR PREFIX MAY BE COUNTED IN ANY KNOWLEDGE AREA; IF YOUR PREFIX IS THE ONLY ONE AVAILABLE, SKIP THAT CATEGORY AND TAKE AN ADDITIONAL COURSE IN ANY OF THE OTHER KNOWLEDGE AREAS)
_______________________________________________________
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