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Skidmore College
New Student Advising & Registration Guide

Anthropology (AN)

Anthropology is the study of the human condition, past and present. Our anthropology program concentrates on three sub-areas within anthropology: cultural anthropology, which studies the ways of life of different groups and communities in the present; archaeology, which studies the human past through its physical remains; and biological anthropology, which focuses on the adaptations, variability and evolution of humans and their living and fossil relatives. By exploring the complexities of culture, social action and biology, our students investigate and appreciate human diversity. Our courses introduce students to fieldwork and the importance of theoretical concepts in anthropological research, while, at the same time, developing their skills in critical thinking. In the support of a liberal arts education, we encourage students to develop interdisciplinary interests by bridging anthropology with the natural and social sciences, humanities, and arts, and to explore those interests through coursework, individual research projects, internships, and study abroad. Through studying the breadth and scope of the human experience, students become responsible, informed global citizens. A major in anthropology provides students with a solid foundation for graduate study and careers in a range of fields, including cultural heritage, education, environmental sustainability, film and media studies, historic preservation, international development, medicine and public health, museum studies, public administration, and social services.

Students who are considering anthropology as a prospective major are encouraged to take the following courses by the end of their sophomore year: AN 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology; AN 102: Anthropology of the Human Past; AN 270: History of Anthropological Thought; and a research methods course (AN 201 Ethnographic Research Methods or AN 202 Archaelogical Field Methods). Most students choose to study abroad in their junior year, after taking AN 270 and a research methods course.

career Recommended courses for a prospective major

Fall

AN 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology   
or
AN 102 Anthropology of the Human Past
or
200-level Anthropology elective

Spring

AN 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology  
or
AN 102 Anthropology of the Human Past
or
200-level Anthropology elective 

 

 

Anthropology Department Site

Bolton Room 349
518-580-5420