Anthropology
Course Offerings
AN 112 Cultural Anthropology (3)
Students will learn about contemporary global cultures to develop a culturally relative understanding of and appreciation for diverse societies. Students will explore major domains of culture (such as economics, kinship, social stratification, political organization, communication, and religion) and the impact of globalization and colonialism on culture. Finally, students will explore how anthropological work is applied to contemporary social problems. Prerequisites: None
Course Attributes:
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Inclusion and Belonging
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gen Ed Pre-AY 2024-2025: Social Science
- USLO: Global Citizenship, Ethics and Diversity
AN 113 Linguistic Anthropology (3)
This course is an introduction to the cross-cultural examination of language and communication. Students will learn how language shapes culture, behavior, and thought, the evolution of language over time, the impact of globalization and colonialism, and the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, class, and gender on language. The class will explore how linguistic anthropologists conduct research and apply research to real world settings.
Course Attributes:
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Inclusion and Belonging
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gen Ed Pre-AY 2024-2025: Social Science
- USLO: Global Citizenship, Ethics and Diversity
AN 114 Introduction to Archaeology (3)
This course will introduce students to the theories and methods of archaeological science to understand how archaeological remains are used to interpret human prehistory. This course covers what archaeology has revealed about the evolution and experience of humankind from the origins of stone-tool use to the emergence of complex societies around the world. No prerequisites.
Course Attributes:
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gen Ed Pre-AY 2024-2025: Social Science
- USLO: Critical and Creative Thinking
AN 116 Biological Anthropology (3)
This course introduces students to biocultural evolution across time and space. Students will investigate the biological aspects of human life through the study of the principles of evolution, genetics, adaptation, and human variation. This course will explore the evolutionary history of human ancestors and nonhuman primates using fossil evidence. Prerequisite: None.
Course Attributes:
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Scientific Reasoning and Literacy
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gen Ed Pre-AY 2024-2025: Social Science
- USLO: Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning and Literacy
AN 118 Introduction to Forensic Science (3)
This course provides an overview of the multi-disciplinary nature of forensic science. Students will learn how forensic scientists in various fields, such as anthropology, biology, chemistry, criminal justice, and digital science, apply the scientific method to collect and evaluate evidence. Prerequisite: None.
Course Attributes:
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Scientific Reasoning and Literacy
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gen Ed Pre-AY 2024-2025: Social Science
- USLO: Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning and Literacy
AN 200 Special Topics in Anthropology (1-3)
Topics will vary from semester to semester and will be announced in advance. May be taken more than one semester. Prerequisite: Varies by topic and semester.
AN 300 Special Topics in Anthropology (1-3)
Topics will vary from semester to semester and will be announced in advance. May be taken for more than one semester. Prerequisite: Varies by topic and semester.
AN 302 Culture, Gender & Sexuality (3)
This course introduces students to anthropological perspectives on sex, gender, and sexuality. Special attention is given to the social, political, economic, and cultural processes that shape us to act and think as particular kinds of sexed, gendered, and sexualized persons, including the complexities and dilemmas posed by intersecting identities (race, ethnicity, class, religion). Prerequisite: AN 112, or AN 113, or consent of instructor.
AN 303 Human Origins and Evolution (3)
This course examines the evolutionary fossil record of human and nonhuman primates from a bio-cultural perspective. Students will explore current anthropological methods and theories used to interpret the evolutionary data including the development of bipedalism, human adaptations, and the emergence of Homo sapiens. Prerequisite: AN 116.
AN 311 Primate Social Behavior (3)
This course focuses on the behavioral ecology and evolution of the Order Primate. Students will examine the taxonomic classification of nonhuman primates and investigate how evolution has shaped the diversity of their social structure and behavior. In addition to watching several anthropological films, we may observe nonhuman primate interactions at a local zoo. Prerequisite: AN 116.
AN 312 Medical Anthropology (3)
This course will explore biocultural constructions of health and illness across the globe. Students will critically assess biomedical assumptions and the effects of inequality to gain a better understanding of how different societies view and treat illness, the interaction of biology and culture, and the political and economic roles in relation to patterns of health and healing. Prerequisite: AN 112 or AN 116.
AN 313 Religion, Magic and Witchcraft (3)
This course is a cross-cultural study of the forms and functions of non-Western and Western supernatural beliefs. Students will examine a wide range of religious systems and worldviews including myth, ritual, symbolism, magic, ancestor worship, witchcraft, religious healing, and spirit possession. Major theories about the origins and social functions of such beliefs and practices will be explored. Prerequisite: AN 112.
AN 314 The Im/migrant Experience in America (3)
This course explores the historical and modern implications of im/migration in the United States; how globalization, colonialism, and transnationalism affect im/migrant communities; and how im/migrants acculturate into their host communities. Special attention will be given to the experiences of im/migrants in Kansas today. Prerequisite: AN 112, AN 113, or consent of instructor.
AN 316 Forensic Anthropology and Laboratory (3)
In this laboratory-based course, students will apply forensic anthropological methods and theories to recover and positively identify human remains and to evaluate trauma and taphonomy in medico-legal contexts. Forensic anthropology will also include an overview of the historical and current developments in the field. Prerequisites: AN 114 or AN 116.
AN 317 Peoples and Cultures of Africa (3)
This course explores sub-Saharan African societies through selected case studies covering topics such as kinship, gender, religion, political economy, geography, and contemporary social issues. Analysis includes the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial histories of the various groups. Prerequisite: AN 112.
Course Attributes:
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Inclusion and Belonging
- Gen Ed AY 2024-2025: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gen Ed Pre-AY 2024-2025: Social Science
- USLO: Global Citizenship, Ethics and Diversity
AN 318 North American Archaeology (3)
As a survey of the diverse prehistoric cultures and environments of North America, this course will examine economic, technological, and organizational changes from the earliest hunter-gatherers to pre-Colombian complex societies. Students will gain an understanding of the history and theory of North American archaeology and explore experimental archaeological techniques through ancient tool making. Prerequisite: AN 114 or consent of instructor.
AN 319 Peoples and Cultures of Indigenous North America (3)
This course explores indigenous North American cultures through selected case studies covering topics such as kinship, gender, religion, political economy, geography, and contemporary social issues. Analysis includes the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial experiences of the various groups. Prerequisite: AN 112.
AN 320 Ancient Latin America (3)
This course is an archaeological survey of the Pre-Columbian heritage of Mesoamerica and South America. Cultures such as the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Moche, Nazca, Chimu, and Inca will be examined through artifacts, art, architectural remains, and ethnohistoric documents. Students will achieve an understanding of the growth and decline of complex societies, and will examine the relationship between the past and contemporary Latin American cultures. Prerequisite: AN 114 or consent of instructor.
AN 321 Anthropology of Women (3)
The roles and statuses of women around the world are examined in the three sub-systems of culture – material, social and ideational – including in-depth studies of women in horticultural, peasant, and modern societies. Prerequisite: AN 112 or consent of instructor.
AN 322 Visual Anthropology (3)
This course explores how images and other types of media are created, circulated, and consumed by members of diverse cultures and by anthropologists. Topics to be covered include how culture is portrayed in media and in museums, the use of media as a tool in ethnographic research; analysis of media from an anthropological perspective; and the creation of the “other” through media. Prerequisite: AN 112.
AN 324 History and Theory of Anthropology (3)
This course examines the history of Anthropology while also exploring current debates, schools of thought, and contemporary theories from a four-field perspective. Prerequisites: Declared major, AN 112, and junior standing.
AN 327 Fragmentary Human Osteology (3)
This laboratory-based course focuses on the growth and development of the human skeletal system and the identification of fragmentary skeletal and dental remains. Students will also explore how trauma, pathology, taphonomy, and cultural factors affect skeletal biology. Prerequisite: AN 316.
AN 332 Forensic Anthropology in Popular Culture (3)
Forensic anthropology is arguably one of the lesser-known forensic fields, but popular television shows have brought forensic anthropology to the forefront of popular culture. This course explores the general public’s fascination with anything dubbed forensics in popular culture through the lens of forensic anthropology. We’ll explore the difference between science and fiction through an in-depth analysis of how forensic anthropology is presented and manifests within popular culture versus the reality of the scientific discipline. Themes to be covered in the course include, but are not limited to, the CSI effect, “body farms,” culture change in body deposition practices, social media, beauty-related skeletal modifications, buying and selling human remains, dark tourism, cultural appropriation, politics of the “border crisis,” fascination with death, the TV drama series Bones, and skeletons in art, media, couture, and religion/ritual. No prerequisites
AN 334 Archaeological Myths, Frauds, and Controversies (3)
This course critically evaluates archaeological frauds, myths, controversies, and other mysteries perpetuated by pseudoarchaeology. We will investigate the origins of these myths and mysteries, break down the controversies, and learn to recognize frauds. We will evaluate the types of “evidence” used to create them and examine the reasons and rationales that lead people to invent, disseminate, and believe pseudoarchaeological claims. Most importantly, we will consider how these claims impact our culture, society, and how we view the human past. This course requires active discussion and hands-on applied projects to debunk pseudoarchaeology and promote the scientific endeavor of archaeology. No prerequisites.
AN 336 Globalization (3)
This course examines the causes and consequences of economic, political, and cultural globalization – the increasing interconnectedness among societies. Anthropological and interdisciplinary frameworks are applied to specific cases to understand how the world is changing and what it means for the world's people. Prerequisites: AN 112 or AN 113 or AN 114 or AN 116 or consent of instructor
AN 358 Human Skeletal Biology and Laboratory Methods (3)
In this laboratory-based course, students apply the principles, methods, theories, and techniques that anthropologists use to macerate, identify, analyze, and curate human skeletal remains. Students will work with real human skeletal material and forensic cases in a series of hands-on learning activities. Prerequisite AN 327.
AN 362 Methods of Social Research (3)
This course introduces students to the foundations of social science research including: designing an ethically and methodologically sound research project, generating research questions, conducting a literature review, selecting appropriate data collection methods, planning for data analysis, and sharing results. Prerequisites: 12 hours of Anthropology; or consent of instructor.
AN 363 Internship (1-3)
Field training to provide students with experience in an operational or research setting through assignment to local social agencies or museums approved and supervised by a faculty member. May be elected twice for a maximum of three hours. Prerequisites: Declared major, senior standing, and consent of instructor.
AN 366 Directed Readings (1-3)
Under supervision of a faculty member, students will undertake an extensive readings course to further their understanding of a specific topic within Anthropology. May be repeated for a maximum of six hours. Students are limited to six hours total from AN 366 and AN 367 combined. Prerequisite: Declared major, junior/senior standing, and consent of instructor.
AN 367 Directed Research (1-3)
Upon supervision of a faculty member, students will undertake an independent research project in a specific aspect of Anthropology. May be repeated for a maximum of six hours. Students are limited to six hours total from AN 366 and AN 367 combined. Prerequisite: Declared major, junior/senior standing, and consent of instructor.
AN 369 Kansas Archaeology (3)
This course is a survey of the archaeological record of Kansas from the earliest Paleoindian inhabitants through the Historic period. Students may have the opportunity to visit archaeological sites and museums in Kansas and participate in archaeological analysis through hands-on work with collections. Prerequisite: AN 114 or consent of instructor.
AN 370 Historical Archaeology (3)
In this course, students will examine the recent past through material remains of societies that also have some form of written evidence. Students will also learn about historic preservation, museum curation methods, and historic interpretation for public archaeology. Prerequisite: AN 114 or consent of instructor.
AN 371 Field and Lab Methods in Archaeology (3)
In this course, students will learn how to properly survey and excavate an archaeological site and how to identify and analyze artifacts, cultural features, and sediments using state-of-the-art techniques. Students will gain hands-on experience working in a mock-excavation setting and with real archaeological collections. This course is a prerequisite for AN 372 Archaeological Field School. Prerequisite: AN 114 or consent of instructor.
AN 372 Archaeological Field School (1-6)
This course provides students with practical, hands-on experience where they apply their archaeological training and knowledge at a field site held off-campus. The field school may include survey, location, and excavation techniques, technical mapping, and proper documentation and collection of field data. Long-distance and overnight travel may be required. Prerequisite: AN 371 or consent of instructor.
AN 374 Forensic Archaeology (3)
In this course, students will learn how to properly survey and excavate outdoor crime scenes containing human remains and forensic evidence using state-of-the-art techniques. Students will gain hands-on experience working in a mock-forensic excavation setting. This course is a prerequisite for AN 375 Forensic Anthropology Field School. Prerequisites: AN 114 or AN 316.
AN 375 Forensic Anthropology Field School (3)
This course provides students with practical, hands-on experience through a series of mock forensic cases including surface scatters, burials, and/or fatal fires. Students will apply knowledge gained in AN 374 Forensic Archaeology to simulated forensic cases beginning with the initial search to the recovery and transport of remains to the laboratory. Prerequisites: AN 374.
AN 400 Special Topics in Anthropology (1-3)
Topics will vary from semester to semester and will be announced in advance. May be taken for more than one semester. Prerequisite: Varies by topic and semester.
AN 428 Case Studies Forensic Anthropology (3)
Utilizing real forensic case studies, this class will highlight the anthropological techniques and methods used to recover and identify human remains. Students will work on cases from initial recovery to the preparation of the final forensic anthropological case report. Prerequisite: AN 358 and AN 374.
AN 490 Applied Anthropology (3)
In this course, students will apply core knowledge from the subfields of anthropology to real-world problems. Special attention is given to reflection and professional preparation for various career paths including nonprofit and community-based organizations, businesses and corporations, and governments. Prerequisite: AN 324 and junior/senior status.