Program Description

This concentration offers students a program to explore the human past through its material remains to understand cultural and societal change through time, and the role of heritage in the present. We offer many opportunities for students to conduct research with faculty in our archaeology labs and in our extensive research collections.

All students must discuss their selection of coursework with a departmental advisor.

When a course is listed under two or more categories, the student may decide which of the requirements the course should fulfill; however, it may not be used to fulfill more than one of those requirements.

This program is a total of 45 credit hours.

 

Program Requirements

Anthropology Core Courses (9 credit hours)

Choose 3 of the following core courses. Students may make one substitution for 1 of the 3 required courses, choosing from the option listed.

  • ANTH 220- Introduction to Archaeology (OR ANTH 105 World Archaeology)
  • ANTH 230- Sociocultural Anthropology (OR ANTH 103 Anthro in a Changing World)
  • ANTH 240- Biological Anthropology (OR ANTH 102 Human Origins and Culture)
  • ANTH 270- Language in Culture (OR ANTH 104 Talking Culture)

Archaeology Courses (18 credit hours distributed as follows)

One course (3 credit hours) in Cultural Archaeology History chosen from the following:

  • ANTH 358 People of the Ice Age 
  • ANTH 376 Aztec Civilization 
  • ANTH 419 Civilization in Ancient Peru
  • ANTH 448 The Prehistory of Africa
  • ANTH 449 North American Archaeology 
  • ANTH 459 The Ancient Maya

Two courses (6 credit hours) in Methods/Materials analysis chosen from the following:

  • ANTH 358 People of the Ice Age 
  • ANTH 420 Case Studies in Global Heritage 
  • ANTH 450 Zooarchaeology
  • ANTH 451 Archaeological Surveying
  • ANTH 452 Stone Tool Technology Analysis 
  • ANTH 453 Landscape Archaeology 
  • ANTH 460 Heritage management 
  • ANTH 462 Museum Theory and Practice 
  • ANTH 477 Pottery Analysis

Three Archaeology courses (9 credit hours) chosen from the following: 

  • ANTH 358 People of the Ice Age 
  • ANTH 376 Aztec Civilization
  • IB 363 (ANTH 378) Plants and Their Uses
  • ANTH 419 Civilization in Ancient Peru
  • ANTH 420 Case Studies in Global Heritage 
  • ANTH 448 The Prehistory of Africa 
  • ANTH 449 North American Archaeology 
  • ANTH 451 Archaeological Surveying 
  • ANTH 452 Stone Tool Technology Analysis 
  • ANTH 453 Landscape Archaeology 
  • ANTH 459 The Ancient Maya 
  • ANTH 460 Heritage management 
  • ANTH 461 History of Archaeological Theory 
  • ANTH 462 Museum Theory and Practice 
  • ANTH 477 Pottery Analysis

 

Additional Archaeology Anthropology coursework (9 credit hours)

One course  (3 credit hours) in Biological Anthropology
Two courses (6 credit hours) related to the student's area of emphasis and approved by the departmental advisor

Research and Service Learning Coursework (6 credit hours)

  • ANTH 454 Archaeological Field School
  • ANTH 455 Lab Analysis in Archaeology

 

Senior Capstone Project (3 credit hours)

Choose one option below in consultation with the departmental advisor:

Honors Thesis (6 credit hours) 
Two consecutive semesters of research resulting in a written thesis

  • ANTH 494 Honors Individual Study 
  • ANTH 495 Honors Senior Thesis

Departmental distinction: To be eligible for distinction, a student must complete 33 hours of anthropology courses (including at least 6 hours of both ANTH 391 and ANTH 495), maintain a 3.6 average in those hours and a 3.5 overall average. All candidates for distinction must submit a thesis for judgment by at least two members of the anthropology department.

Senior Capstone Seminar (Independent Research) (3 credit hours)

  • ANTH 498 Senior Seminar

Research and/or Field School (3 - 6 credit hours)

  • Further data analysis and a research report associated with ANTH 455, or an additional approved ANTH 454-Archaeology Field School and ANTH 455- Lab Analysis in Archaeology.

 

Undergraduate Studies Program Contact Information

Dr. Petra Jelinek, Director of Undergraduate Studies 
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109 Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217)-265-0969
Email: elinek@illinois.edu

 

Dr. Maritza Quiñones, Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109F Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 265-8042
Email: quinonem@illinois.edu