2026-2027

Anthropology, Bachelor of Science

Department of Anthropology

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Anthropology is a four-field, holistic, and comparative discipline dedicated to understanding humanity across time and space. The Anthropology BS encompasses past, present, and future perspectives on the human condition, within the subfields of socio-cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. You will gain scientific and humanistic approaches to the study of human biological and cultural diversity through knowledge, skills, and perspectives that build cross-cultural awareness and increase your ability to identify your own assumptions.

As an Anthropology BS student, you will learn career-ready and practical skills, such as cultural relativity, critical thinking, communication and effective writing, and scientific methodologies that include hands-on, transferable, and applied skills like interviewing, focus groups, data analysis, and field and lab methods. The major emphasizes community engagement through ethical practices, Indigenous perspectives, and collaborations with local, regional, national, and international organizations. A required methods course and a wide variety of options for the experiential learning requirement will help you build your resume, find what you¿re passionate about, and gain real world experience with anthropological methods and concepts.

A degree in anthropology prepares you for a wide variety of human-centered careers in the public and private sectors in both national and international contexts. These opportunities include careers in archaeology, healthcare and public health, museums and heritage management, human resources, marketing, conservation, and non-profits. As an anthropology major, you are also well-placed to succeed in graduate and professional degree programs in a variety of fields. 
 

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the general studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's general studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

     

    The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

  • 30 units of major requirements.

  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 120
Major GPA C
Highest Mathematics Required STA 270
Foreign Language Required
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Optional
Research Optional
Study Abroad Optional
University Honors Program Optional
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A Recommended
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-B Recommended
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-S Recommended
Progression Plan Link Not Available

Purpose Statement

Anthropology is a four-field, holistic, and comparative discipline dedicated to understanding humanity across time and space. The Anthropology BS encompasses past, present, and future perspectives on the human condition, within the subfields of socio-cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Students will gain scientific and humanistic approaches to the study of human biological and cultural diversity through knowledge, skills, and perspectives that build cross-cultural awareness and increase their ability to identify their own assumptions.

Anthropology BS students learn career-ready and practical skills, such as cultural relativity, critical thinking, communication and effective writing, and scientific methodologies that include hands-on, transferable, and applied skills like interviewing, focus groups, data analysis, and field and lab methods. We emphasize community engagement through ethical practices, Indigenous perspectives, and collaborations with local, regional, national, and international organizations. Required methods courses and a wide variety of options for the experiential learning requirement help students build their resume, find what they¿re passionate about, and gain real world experience with anthropological methods and concepts.

Degrees in anthropology prepare students for a wide variety of human-centered careers in the public and private sectors in both national and international contexts. These opportunities include careers in archaeology, healthcare and public health, museums and heritage management, human resources, marketing, conservation, and non-profits. Anthropology majors are also well-placed to succeed in graduate and professional degree programs in a variety of fields.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Define, summarize, and analyze anthropology¿s core concepts, theories, methods, challenges, and major debates.
  • Describe how anthropology contributes to a greater understanding of the range of human cultural and biological diversity.
  • Identify past and present ethical issues in anthropology, summarize the ethical guidelines provided by the major professional anthropological organizations, and apply these guidelines in their education and research.
  • Identify their own cultural assumptions and evaluate the ways in which these assumptions affect their beliefs, behaviors, and their own education.
  • Examine the complexities of contemporary global challenges and evaluate how applied anthropological perspectives and methods develop solutions to these challenges.
  • Practice and compare various methods and approaches common in anthropology-related fields and professions through hands-on experiential learning.

Major Requirements

  • This major requires 30 units.


    Take the following 30 units:

  • The Anthropology BS requires 15 - 18 units of upper-division anthropology coursework. To complete requirements for a bachelor of science degree in this major, students must complete an additional 12 - 15 units of upper-division coursework selected from anthropology or other disciplines. A minimum of 18 units of upper-division credit must be completed at NAU.

General Electives

  • Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

    You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or General Studies Requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information

  • Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.