UB Undergraduate Catalog 2006-2007

Department of Anthropology

College of Arts and Sciences
380 Millard Fillmore Academic Center
Ellicott Complex
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261-0026

Phone: 716.645.2414
Fax: 716.645.3808
Web: wings.buffalo.edu/anthropology

Donald Pollock
Chair

Phillips Stevens
Director of Undergraduate Studies

About the Program

Anthropology combines the biological, historical, and social sciences in a unique study of humankind. It is the only discipline that examines and attempts to understand humankind as a whole. The undergraduate program includes the subfields of archaeology, cultural anthropology, and physical anthropology. Students should specialize in one of these subdisciplines.

Archaeology studies the historical development of human cultures by analyzing cultural remains. Cultural anthropology studies the innate, shared, and transmitted products of social groups; its approach is descriptive, historical, and comparative. Physical anthropology studies the origins, adaptations, and evolution of our own species and our primate relatives.

Degree Options

Students have the option of specializing in one of the three subfields. Detailed descriptive materials concerning departmental programs, as well as information regarding job opportunities, are available in the departmental office.

The department offers a premedical/predental concentration, which may be used in preparation for application to those professional schools.

Joint Majors. The anthropology department encourages students to propose joint majors with other departments offering B.A. degrees in the arts and sciences. The joint major is an opportunity for students to develop an individualized degree program spanning two departments, while taking a smaller number of total credits than a dual major would require. Joint majors take the same basic courses as other majors, except that they need to complete no fewer than five elective courses in anthropology, including at least one area study and one theoretical elective. Courses chosen must be appropriate to the overall proposal for the joint major. Interested students should propose this program of study in consultation with their anthropology advisor.

Advisement

To be admitted as a major, students must complete an application to the major, in person. Upon admission to the department, students are assigned an advisor based upon their interests and plans. They devise a plan of study in consultation with the advisor and continue to discuss the development of their major by meeting with their advisor at least once per semester. Likewise, students pursuing minors meet with their advisors at least once per semester to discuss their progress. Students may choose to concentrate in one of the subdisciplines or construct a major that reflects a unifying theme or perspective that crosses subdisciplinary boundaries.

It is the students� responsibility to plan their programs carefully with their advisors and to understand applicable expectations and deadlines, and to meet with their advisors at least once each semester to be sure their programs are on track. Last-minute requests for variances, waivers, or extensions may not be granted. Advisors may also suggest additional coursework in computer science, geology, geography, linguistics, or another department.

Transfer Policy

Students wishing to transfer into the University at Buffalo must be accepted by the university prior to acceptance by the Department of Anthropology. Criteria for acceptance into the department are the same for transfer students as for UB students.

Evaluation of courses taken at another school for departmental major credit is done by the department. Usually the Student Advising Services advisor, who sees transfer students initially, refers students to the department. Students should bring course descriptions, syllabi, and any other available information that will help the department evaluate anthropology courses for which students are requesting major credit.

Honors, Awards, and Scholarships

Honors status in anthropology is achieved by maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.5 in anthropology and by satisfactorily completing an intensive two-semester research project. The research project requires regular consultation with one or several faculty members. Qualified students wishing to achieve honors in anthropology must first gain consent from the faculty members who will supervise their projects. Interested students must then apply in writing to the department by the end of their junior year, and certainly no later than the end of the course registration period in the first semester of their senior year. Honors students register for 3 credit hours of APY 499 Independent Study each semester of their senior year.

The project is evaluated by the faculty advisor(s) and by the Undergraduate Committee. The decision on whether to award honors is based on the project, grades, and other achievements. If the student has a minimum GPA of 3.75, honors with distinction may be granted.

Note: For students graduating in May, the finished research project must be submitted to the advisor no later than March 15; for students graduating in February, it must be submitted to the advisor no later than November 1.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research and Practical Experience

The department offers an archaeological field school each summer. This six-week, 6-credit-hour course provides field instruction in archaeological research and site survey and excavation techniques.

Notable Program Features

The undergraduate program in anthropology provides many options for students with specific interests.

The Marian E. White Anthropology Research Museum is an integral part of the department�s research and teaching program. Its primary purpose is to preserve, organize, catalog, and curate archaeological materials gathered by the field school and the Archaeological Survey, by faculty engaged in research, and through donations of collections. There is an extensive non-circulating library. Internships are available in the museum and in the survey.

UB is one of a select group of universities with access to the Human Relations Area Files, a current, comprehensive database of worldwide cultures. This invaluable resource is an important tool in analyzing the wide variety of social features that are present in different cultures. It is also used for research and training in cross-cultural studies.