The Anthropology major introduces students to insights into human behavior from a comparative, cross-cultural perspective. As an intrinsically cross-cultural form of inquiry, anthropology offers its own, inherent benefits that students acquire as they encounter ways of thinking and behaving that may be unfamiliar to them. Opportunities for cross-cultural ministry, for careers in business and as consultants, and for Christian citizenship in the world of the twenty-first century can be enhanced greatly for students completing an anthropology major.
In the event that required major courses are unavailable due to faculty or curricular changes, the anthropology department will work with students on a case-by-case basis to find substitutionary courses.
Along with specific requirements for any major, all students in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs must meet all general education and graduation requirements under a single catalog.
Requirements for a major in Anthropology are at least 36 hours including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The Anthropology Core | 20 | |
| ANTH 116 | Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTH 376 | Culture Theory | 4 |
| ANTH 482 | Ethnographic Theory and Method | 4 |
| SOC 383 | Statistics | 4 |
| ANTH 494 | Senior Capstone | 4 |
| Anthropology Electives | ||
| Select 16 credits of the following: 1 | 16 | |
| Culture, Travel & Tourism | ||
| Colonialism and Redemption: Native American Culture and Theology from 1492 to Wounded Knee | ||
| Anthropology of Global Christianity | ||
| Consumption and Material Culture | ||
| Food, Farms, and Culture | ||
| Culture and Difference | ||
| Culture in the Contemporary World | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Linguistic Anthropology | ||
| Politics of Veiling in the Modern Middle East | ||
| Cities in the Global South | ||
| Field Research Methods | ||
| Placemaking in Urban Contexts | ||
| Culture, Economy, and Morality | ||
| Power and Gender in Southeast Asia | ||
| Anthropology Through Film | ||
| Anthropological Writing: Writing in History and the Social Sciences | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Internship in Anthropology | ||
| Palestinian Society and Politics | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
| 1 | Select 16 credits in Anthropology, at least 4 of which must be at the 400 level. Students may take up to four (4) credits of SOC, at the 300 level or higher towards their Anthropology elective total. In addition to the courses listed above, the Anthropology department frequently offers experimental courses, which are listed in the course schedule. |
In addition to the 36 credits in the department, students completing an anthropology major must include:
Archaeology
As one of the traditional four subfields of anthropology, majors should have some exposure to archaeological theory or method. To meet this requirement students may take 4 credits from the following ARCH courses at Wheaton College:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 211 | Old Testament Archaeology | 4 |
| ARCH 213 | New Testament Archaeology | 4 |
| ARCH 317 | Studies in Biblical Lands | 4 |
| ARCH 325 | Archaeological Field Work | 4 |
| ARCH 326 | Archaeological Field Work: Tel Shimron, Israel | 4 |
| ARCH 345 | Archaeology of the Classical World | 2 |
| ARCH 366 | Archaeology of Biblical Lands | 4 |
| ARCH 411 | Advanced Archaeological Study | 4 |
| ARCH 412 | Advanced Archaeological Study | 2 |
| GPS 306 | Physical Settings of the Bible | 4 |
This requirement may also be satisfied by transfer credit upon departmental approval.
Human Origins/Evolutionary Theory
Human origins is a significant area of physical anthropology and a topic with which a Wheaton anthropology major should have some exposure/familiarity. Toward that end anthropology majors need to take one course covering some aspect of origins and/or evolutionary theory to complete the major. Students may take one of the following courses to fulfill that requirement:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SCI 311 | Theories of Origins | 4 |
| SCI 301 | Natural Science: Foundations, Methods, Challenges | 4 |
| SCI 302 | Origins of Scientific Thought | 4 |
| SCI 303 | Making Modern Science | 4 |
| BIOL 243 | Processes of Life: Ecology and Evolution | 4 |
Students seeking to satisfy this requirement through other courses or transfer credit should seek departmental approval. (2 or 4 credits)
Study Abroad/Cultural Immersion Experience
As part of the anthropology major requirements, students will be required to satisfy a field experience requirement involving immersion in an unfamiliar cultural context and/or significant use of anthropological methods and knowledge in a new social/cultural context. Students may use Wheaton (e.g., HNGR, Wheaton-in-Chicago) or non-Wheaton programs to satisfy the requirement, but all programs must be pre-approved by the department to be considered as meeting the requirement. A maximum of 8 credits earned through such an experience may be applied towards the major elective requirements. Core requirements (with the exception of ANTH 116) may not be satisfied through the study abroad credit. Summer study travel programs typically will not satisfy this requirement for cultural immersion.