Curriculum

First- and Second-Year Preparation

To complete the requirements for the degree in four years, the department recommends the following:

  1. Prospective majors should have completed all general education and language requirements no later than the end of the fall semester of their junior year.
  2. Prospective majors should meet with the undergraduate advisor upon declaration of the major
    1. to assess their progress toward completing the degree in 4 years, and
    2. to develop a plan for their course work in their remaining semesters.
  3. Prospective majors are advised to meet with their Anthropology faculty member or other faculty advisor before selecting a concentration or enrolling in electives.

Requirements for the B.A. or B.G.S. Major

A minimum of 30 hours is required. The major offers a systematic introduction to each of the subdisciplines along with advanced training in specific areas. These normally are taken before moving on to upper-level courses. Students may select up to six hours outside of Anthropology to count toward the major's electives.

Anthropology Core Knowledge and Skills

Majors must complete a course in each of the following areas:

  • Becoming Human. Satisfied by ANTH 150, ANTH 151, or ANTH 309.
  • Varieties of Human Experience. Satisfied by ANTH 160, ANTH 162, or ANTH 360.
  • Fundamentals of Anthropology. Satisfied by ANTH 308, ANTH 310, or ANTH 340.
  • Methods in Anthropology. Satisfied by ANTH 406, ANTH 449 or ANTH 462.

Anthropology Capstone

Majors who entered KU in Fall 2019 and after must complete the capstone course. It is highly recommended to take this course as soon as you have completed courses in all four required areas above.

ANTH 401. Integrating Anthropology. 3 Hours.

Capstone course that integrates the primary fields of anthropology. Students apply concepts and approaches from each field to a particular topic in preparation for and presentation of a cross-disciplinary and integrative final project. 

Anthropology Subdiscipline Required Electives

Five Anthropology Electives (15 hours):

All anthropology courses count toward the required 15 hours of Anthropology major electives. Nine of the 15 hours of electives must be numbered 300 or higher. Students concentrating in General Anthropology should consult with their faculty mentor to select appropriate courses.

List of ANTH course electives.

Students considering graduate school should take at least 2 courses beyond major requirements. These should be selected in consultation with a faculty mentor.

Anthropology Major Hours & Major GPA

While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade point average minimum standards:

  • Major Hours: Satisfied by 30 hours of major courses of which 6 may be outside Anthropology.
  • Major Hours in Residence: Satisfied by a minimum of 12 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
  • Major Junior/Senior (300+) Hours: Satisfied by a minimum of 12 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
  • Major Junior/Senior (300+) Graduation GPA: Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses.

    See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.

Graduation Plan

With careful planning and commitment to a full-time course load, you can graduate in 4 years.

Visit the KU Academic Catalog Sample 4-year Plan for anthropology.