Program Overview
As a student in the anthropology program at Case Western Reserve University you will be challenged to form a unique perspective on human behavior, institutions, and biology. Skills of investigation, discovery, and critical thinking prepare you for a wide range of careers from health and international affairs, to public service, education, and law, to management and industry. An undergraduate degree in anthropology can lead you to an enriching career, to further study in medicine and law, or to advanced study in various academic programs. Just a few examples of the exciting opportunities open to anthropologists include working with local police forensic departments, studying health issues for hospitals or medical centers, and consulting for companies that develop software and electronics.
The Anthropology Department’s undergraduate programs investigate human behavior through four emphases, offered as both majors and minors. Each of these emphases pushes you to develop the qualitative and quantitative analytic skills necessary for both a career and further academic study. Students may pursue one of four areas of concentration: general anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology, and medical anthropology.
Undergraduate Policies
For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Office of Undergraduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.
Program Requirements
The department offers four minor emphases in anthropology: general anthropology, medical anthropology, archaeology, and physical anthropology. All require a minimum of 15 semester hours in anthropology.
General Anthropology Emphasis
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
ANTH 102 | Being Human: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
ANTH 103 | Introduction to Human Evolution | 3 |
| Ethnography of Southeast Asia | |
| Cultures of the United States | |
| The Most Ancient Near East | |
| Roots of Ancient India: Archaeology of South Asia | |
| Cultures of Latin America | |
| Chinese Culture and Society | |
Total Hours | 15 |
Medical Anthropology Emphasis
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
ANTH 102 | Being Human: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
ANTH 103 | Introduction to Human Evolution | 3 |
ANTH 215 | Health, Culture, and Disease: An Introduction to Medical Anthropology | 3 |
| Ethnography of Southeast Asia | |
| Cultures of the United States | |
| The Most Ancient Near East | |
| Chinese Culture and Society | |
| Darwinian Medicine | |
| Interdisciplinary Solutions to Global Health Issues | |
| The Anthropology of Childhood and the Family | |
| Current Global Health Events | |
| AIDS: Epidemiology, Biology, and Culture | |
| Power, Illness, and Inequality: The Political Economy of Health | |
| Medical Anthropology and Public Health | |
| Illegal Drugs and Society | |
| Comparative Medical Systems | |
| Maternal Health: Anthropological Perspectives on Reproductive Practices and Health Policy | |
| Introduction to Global Health | |
| Global Politics of Reproduction | |
| Gender and Sex Differences: Cross-cultural Perspective | |
| Population Change: Problems and Solutions | |
| Culture, Behavior, and Person: Psychological Anthropology | |
| Topics in the Anthropology of Health and Medicine | |
ANTH 378 | | |
Total Hours | 15 |
Physical Anthropology Emphasis
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
ANTH 102 | Being Human: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
ANTH 103 | Introduction to Human Evolution | 3 |
| Ethnography of Southeast Asia | |
| Cultures of the United States | |
| The Most Ancient Near East | |
| Roots of Ancient India: Archaeology of South Asia | |
| Chinese Culture and Society | |
| Darwinian Medicine | |
| Field Methods and Field Work in Paleoanthropology | |
| AIDS: Epidemiology, Biology, and Culture | |
| Paleodiet(s)?: Understanding Food and Diet Past and Present | |
ANTH 378 | | |
| Undergraduate Research in Evolutionary Biology | |
Total Hours | 15 |
Archaeology Emphasis
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
ANTH 102 | Being Human: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
ANTH 103 | Introduction to Human Evolution | 3 |
ANTH 107 | Archaeology: An Introduction | 3 |
| Ethnography of Southeast Asia | |
| Cultures of the United States | |
ANTH 202 | | |
| The Most Ancient Near East | |
| Chinese Culture and Society | |
ANTH 202 | | |
| Field Methods and Field Work in Archaeology | |
| The Most Ancient Near East | |
| Roots of Ancient India: Archaeology of South Asia | |
| Independent Study (if approved by advisor) | |
Total Hours | 15 |