How does culture shape technology and technology shape culture? Does technology bridge inequalities or make them even wider? Anthropologists use computational tools and algorithms to analyze substantial amounts of data, gathered from a field site or by studying online social communities and social networks, to consider these questions. In computer science + anthropology, students will gain the knowledge necessary to use computer, social, and behavioral sciences within larger cultural questions of globalization, community, security, the ethics of privacy, social transformation, and social justice.
Computer Science and Anthropology Major
Program Description
How do we analyze memes, emojis, and language on social media? How does culture shape technology and technology shape culture? Does technology bridge inequalities or make them even wider? Anthropologists use computational tools and algorithms to analyze substantial amounts of data, gathered from a field site or by studying online social communities and social networks, to consider these questions. Through this work, anthropologists consider the humanity within technology.
In computer science + anthropology, students will gain the knowledge necessary to use computer, social, and behavioral sciences within larger cultural questions of globalization, community, security, the ethics of privacy, social transformation, and social justice. This program prepares students for specializations in biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, computational anthropology, and archeology as well as CS-related work in social media, UX design, user experience research, product management, and online communities. This dual major program is a collaboration within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
Please review the LAS FAQ on CS + X Majors.
Program Requirements
Please review the CS+ Anthropology catalog for requirements.
Program Contact Information
Bob Steltman, Interim Anthropology Advisor
Executive Assistant Dean, LAS Student Academic Affairs
2002 Lincoln Hall
steltman@illinois.edu
appointments: Select Anthropology Advising from the drop-down menu and select an available appointment slot.
Dr. Lyle W. Konigsberg, Interim Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Anthropology
309H Davenport Hall
lylek@illinois.edu
Department of Computer Science, Undergraduate Advising
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
Phone: (217) 333-4428
Email: undergrad@cs.illinois.edu