Anthropology

Anthropology (from the Greek anthropos, for human, and loggia, for science) is the study of the diversity of human behavior across cultures.

At Union, you will combine fascinating course work in cultural anthropology with valuable practical training, guided by dedicated faculty who are experts in their fields. You will learn to observe, interview, record and describe complex social behavior as it happens. You will enjoy small classes, real-world research, and enriching study abroad and internship opportunities.

Anthropology courses cover language and culture, urban anthropology, environmentalism, human rights, gender and society, medical anthropology, law and order, technology, family and kinship, religion, tourism and media studies. For instance, you may examine the influence of mass media on contemporary society in Anthropology of Media. In Language and Culture, you will look at how language is shaped by and shapes culture and social relations across racial, ethnic and gender categories. In Living with Globalization, you'll trace the consequences of global integration for economic and political systems.

Anthropology Department faculty are excited to share their fieldwork experiences in their classes and, wherever possible, engage in the Union tradition of involving students in first-hand research. Our faculty actively conduct research in societies in Latin America, Asia and the South Pacific. They specialize in the democratization of Third World countries, the rise of religious fundamentalism, the relation of language and culture, differences in schools and education across cultures, the understanding of local versions of world religions, the cultural differences in healing practices and many other areas.

Exciting opportunities abound in two terms abroad sponsored by the department: in Palau, Fiji, and Jaipur, India, where students design and work on unique individual projects. Both programs offer internships. In Fiji, students live with a local family and go into the schools to analyze the relationship between educational systems and societal and cultural forces. In India, they focus on the rich cultural heritage of the greater Jaipur region through work with non-profit organizations, schools and community-based development projects.

Some students go on to become professors and professional anthropologists. Anthropology majors also take positions in business, advertising, market research, public relations, banking, health, medicine, journalism, law and management consulting. They are ideally suited to such governmental positions as foreign service officers, urban planners and counselors. And because this is a discipline that focuses on cross-cultural understanding, you will find anthropologists working for agencies of the United Nations (such as UNESCO), the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the Peace Corps and the Agency for International Development.

What some of our graduates are doing:

Anthropology courses and requirements