Anthropology

What You Will Learn

Goals of the Sociocultural Track

1. Be able to recognize and critically engage popular versions of anthropological theories in such non-academic forms as informal conversation and mass-mediated entertainment; and, when these popular versions of anthropological theories are versions of social evolutionism and/or racism, or are ethnocentric, be able to identify their fallacies and harmful consequences.
2. Be able, when reading an anthropological article or book, to recognize and critically discuss the work’s relationship to major paradigmatic traditions in disciplinary anthropology (e.g., functionalism, structuralism, and semiotic theory).
3. Question the universality of meanings and practices; be able to identify contingent social orders through comparisons across time and geography and be able to distinguish human phenomena that are, to various degrees, invariant from those that are not.
4. Be able to relativize–or doubt the absoluteness of–taken-for-granted concepts in their own lives (notably “gender,” “race,” and “ethnic” identifications) and taken-for-granted institutions and domains in their own social world (such as “the family” and “the economy”).
5. Be able to analyze the interconnections among economics, politics, kinship and family, the psyche, and expressive and artistic forms–domains conventionally differentiated and separated by the social sciences.
6. Be able to identify (in particular circumstances) how cultural categories contribute to and reproduce relations of power and inequality.
7. Be able to plan and conduct ethnographic field research projects at an undergraduate level.

Goals of the Human Evolution, Prehistory, and Material Culture Studies Track (HEPtrack)

1. An understanding of the human evolutionary past, in terms of both biological and cultural factors.
2. An awareness of the biological facts of contemporary human physical diversity and the socio-political implications attached to the concept of “race” as a means to label differences through 500 years of history, particularly in what is now the U.S.
3. A recognition of diversity in cultural systems, and the roles played by material culture in the negotiation of cultures and the agency practiced by their social enactors.
4. An ability to analyze problems, to formulate and test hypotheses, to seek evidence and interpret data rationally, and to recognize one’s own bias as well as the biases of others.
5. An ability to conduct original research.

Goals of both tracks

1. Comprehend and critically analyze scholarly works; demonstrate a capacity to distinguish the author’s point of view from the views the author criticizes, responds to, and builds upon.
2. Write cogent, clear research papers and short anthropological essays.

The major in anthropology requires a minimum of ten courses. The major offers two alternative tracks: the Sociocultural Track and the Human Evolution, Archaeology, and Material Culture Studies (HEAM) Track.  The requirements for each are explained below.  Both are designed to allow flexibility to accommodate the student’s interests.

For either track, a student may substitute a comparable course for a required course with the permission of the field group. Normally, courses in the student’s major cannot be taken on a pass/no credit basis.

As part of their Pitzer experience, students are encouraged to undertake internships or Pitzer Study Abroad. Anthropology students are not required to write a senior thesis or participate in a senior exercise in order to complete the major.  However, this is a requirement for students seeking to graduate with honors.

Sociocultural Track

A major in Anthropology (Sociocultural Track) requires at least ten courses in anthropology or cross-listed in anthropology.

Required Courses (10)

• ANTH 002 PZ -Intro Sociocultural Anthropology
• ANTH 105 PZ -Field Methods in Anthropology
• ANTH 153 PZ -History Anthropological Theory
• Seven electives   

The seven elective courses can be tailored to a student’s interest. We recommend a course on the history of colonialism and/or capitalism and an anthropology course focusing on one country or region.  Up to two courses taken during study abroad may be eligible as anthropology electives, if they are approved by the Anthropology Field Group.

We are happy to craft a list of suggested courses for students interested in medical anthropology, gender, sexuality, anthropology and the environment, race, colonialism, decoloniality and postcolonialism, political anthropology, economic anthropology, linguistic anthropology, anthropology of food, or any other specific interest.

Human Evolution, Archaeology, and Material Culture (HEAM) Studies Track

Required Courses

Core Courses (3)

• ANTH 001 PZ -Intro Archaeology & Bio Anthro
• ANTH 002 PZ -Intro Sociocultural Anthropology
• ANTH 101 PZ -Theory and Method in Archaeology  (or equilvalent, e.g., an approved field school)

Elective Group A (3)

Three elective courses selected from the following list:

• ANTH 103 PZ -Museums: Behind the Glass
• ANTH 111 PZ -Historical Archaeology  
• ANTH 145 PO -Mesoamerican Archaeology
• CLAS 161 PZ -Greek Art and Archaeology  
• CLAS 162 PZ -Roman Art & Archaeology  
• CLAS 164 SC -Pompeii & the Cities of Vesuvius  
• CLAS 020 PZ -Fantastic Archaeology  
• CLAS 150BE PZ -The Roman Empire in the East  

Elective Group B (4)

Four additional elective courses in Anthropology or related fields as approved by advisor (courses from Group A may be included as elective choices for Group B, but they may not be counted twice):

• ANTH 003 PZ -Language, Culture & Society  
• ANTH 009 PZ -Food, Culture, Power  
• ANTH 012 PZ -Native Americans & Environments  
• ANTH 112 PZ -Environmental Anthropology  
• CLAS 175 PZ -International Cultural Heritage  
• EA 068 PZ -Ethnoecology  
• HIST 011 PZ -The World Since 1492  
• Or other elective courses as approved by the advisor.

Anthropology Honors

The GPA standard for honors in anthropology is a minimum of 3.70 both in courses in anthropology and overall.  Exceptions require approval from the Field Group. For honors, the senior must either write a thesis or complete a project approved by the field group for this requirement.  The thesis (or project, if you prefer) must be judged outstanding (A quality) by three readers (one from the Pitzer Anthropology Field Group, another anthropologist at any of the Claremont colleges, and a third professor from any discipline).

The combined major in Anthropology requires the successful completion of at least seven coures. For either the Sociocultural Track or the Human Evolution, Archaeology, and Material Culture Studies (HEAM) Track, up to two courses may be counted for both fields of the combined major. Where no specific courses are listed in the below requirements, the adviser and student will make a determination of what courses will be taken and the adviser will then circulate that outcome to the field group for approval.

Sociocultural Track

A combined major in anthropology (Sociocultural Track) requires at least seven courses in anthropology or cross-listed in anthropology.

Required Courses

• ANTH 002 PZ -Intro Sociocultural Anthropology  
• ANTH 105 PZ -Field Methods in Anthropology or ANTH 153 PZ -History Anthropological Theory
• Five elective courses 

The five electives can be tailored to the student’s interests.  We recommend a course on the history of colonialism and/or capitalism and an anthropology course focusing on one country or region.   Up to two courses taken during study abroad may be eligible as anthropology electives, if they are approved by the Anthropology Field Group.

We are happy to craft a list of suggest courses for students interested in medical anthropology, gender, sexuality, visual anthropology, anthropology and the environment, race, colonialism, decoloniality and postcolonialism, political anthropology, economic anthropology, linguistic anthropology, anthropology of food, or any other specific interest.

Human Evolution, Archaeology, and Material Culture Studies (HEAM) Track

A combined major in anthropology (Human Evolution, Prehistory and Material Culture Studies Track) requires at least seven courses in anthropology or cross-listed in anthropology. 

Required Courses

• ANTH 001 PZ -Intro Archaeology & Bio Anthro   
• ANTH 101 PZ -Theory and Method in Archaeology (or the PO field methods course, or an approved summer field school)
• two courses from the advanced courses listed in the catalog for the major (see below); normally, this will include
  • ANTH 111 PZ -Historical Archaeology.  
  • ANTH 111 PZ -Historical Archaeology  
  • ANTH 145 PO -Mesoamerican Archaeology
  • CLAS 161 PZ -Greek Art and Archaeology  
  • CLAS 162 PZ -Roman Art & Archaeology  
  • CLAS 164 SC -Pompeii & the Cities of Vesuvius  
  • CLAS 150BE PZ -The Roman Empire in the East  
  • ANTH 112 PZ -Environmental Anthropology  
  • CLAS 175 PZ -International Cultural Heritage  
  • Or other elective courses as approved by the advisor.
• at least three other courses in anthropology, chosen in consultation with the adviser.

Anthropology Honors

The GPA standard for honors in anthropology is a minimum of 3.70 both in courses in anthropology and overall.  Exceptions require approval from the Field Group. For honors, the senior must either write a thesis or complete a project approved by the field group for this requirement.  The thesis (or project, if you prefer) must be judged outstanding (A quality) by three readers (one from the Pitzer Anthropology Field Group, another anthropologist at any of the Claremont colleges, and a third professor from any discipline).

A minor in anthropology requires at least six courses.

Required Courses

• ANTH 001 PZ -Intro Archaeology & Bio Anthro or ANTH 002 PZ -Intro Sociocultural Anthropology
• four elective courses chosen in consultation with an Anthropology advisor (up to two courses taken during study abroad may be eligible as anthropology electives,approved by the Anthropology Field Group)