Anthropology is the study of historical and contemporary cultural and linguistic diversity throughout the world. It is a broad field covering four areas or subfields: socio-cultural anthropology, the study of contemporary societies; archaeology, the study of the material remains of past societies; linguistic anthropology, the study of talk and text; and biological anthropology, the study of human evolution and human biological diversity. At the University of Illinois, we specialize in all four of these areas.

Program Concentrations

While majoring in Anthropology, students must select one of the following program concentrations in consultation with an academic advisor.

General Anthropology Concentration (4 fields)

Program Description

The General Anthropology Concentration includes the four fields of biological anthropology (biological diversity and evolutionary history of human and nonhuman primates), archaeology (human prehistory and the organization and growth of technology and society), sociocultural anthropology (comparative study of identity and power in social contexts from hunter-gatherer to complex urban settings, with attention to contemporary global movements of peoples and diasporic social formations), and linguistic anthropology (comparative study of languages and communication). Although you should strive for a topical and geographical balance, you may specialize in one of these four branches and may also study some world cultural area intensively through an area studies program.

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.

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

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)

Thematic Areas  (21 credit hours)

Choose courses from our inter-subfield Career Paths. Students must meet with the departmental advisor to discuss the selection of courses

Immigration, Transnationalism & Diasporas

People all over the globe are on the move, both by choice and by necessity. Courses in this theme explore the complex reasons for such mobility.

  • ANTH 261 Intro to the African Diaspora
  • ANTH 290 Jewish Cultures of the World
  • ANTH 402 Transnational Islam, Europe-US
  • ANTH 403 Women in Muslim Societies
  • ANTH 472 Border Latina/Latino Cultures

Language, Culture & Communication

The ability to think and communicate with language is a fundamental part of the human experience. Courses in this area examine both spoken and other semiotic practices that make our lives meaningful and shared.

  • ANTH 165 Language and Culture of Native North America
  • ANTH 243 Sociality of the Great Apes
  • ANTH 271 Language in Culture
  • ANTH 362 Body, Personhood and Culture
  • ANTH 363 Anthropology of Dance/Movement
  • ANTH 372 Topics in Language and Culture
  • ANTH 425 Anthropology of Education
  • ANTH 471 Ethnography Through Language

Anthropology of the Americas

Select from this wide range of courses that cover contemporary and historical issues and communities in North, Central and South Americas.

  • ANTH 106 Historical Archaeology of the Americas
  • ANTH 157 Archaeology of Illinois
  • ANTH 182 Latin American Cultures
  • ANTH 259 Latina/o Cultures
  • ANTH 288 American Indians of Illinois
  • ANTH 368 ‘America’ in the World
  • ANTH 370 Latina/o Ethnography
  • ANTH 405 Contemporary Central America
  • ANTH 449 North American Archaeology
  • ANTH 459 The Ancient Maya
  • ANTH 472 Border Latina/Latino Cultures
  • ANTH 481 Andean Ethnography

Criminality, Law & Social Justice

Courses in this area examine the roles played by law and legal institutions in the pursuit of contemporary political values such as peace, justice and prosperity and will prepare students for careers in law, forensics, social work, government, policing and related fields.

  • ANTH 160 Contemporary Social Issues
  • ANTH 246 Forensic Science
  • ANTH 346 Forensic Anthropology
  • ANTH 456 Human Osteology
  • ANTH 499 The Anthropology of Policing
  • ANTH 499 Culture of Law

Engaged Globalization

Courses in this area give students the necessary resources to engage with local and global issues and perspectives in an increasingly connected world.

  • ANTH 209 Food, Culture, and Society
  • ANTH 210 Families in Global Perspectives
  • ANTH 362 Body, Personhood and Culture
  • ANTH 368 'America' in the World
  • ANTH 379 Medical Anthropology
  • ANTH 403 Women in Muslim Societies
  • ANTH 420 Case Studies in Global Heritage
  • ANTH 423 Economic Anthropology
  • ANTH 425 Anthropology of Education
  • ANTH 448 The Prehistory of Africa
  • ANTH 488 Modern Europe

Health, Medicine & Wellness

Build your interdisciplinary expertise in biocultural anthropology in preparation for a practicing career in the health and medical professions, or advanced bio-medical and genetics research.

  • ANTH 209 Food, Culture, and Society
  • ANTH 242 History of Human Evolution
  • ANTH 249 Evolution and Human Disease
  • ANTH 258 Sex in Nature and Culture
  • ANTH 343 Behavior and Biology of Women
  • ANTH 360 Evolution and Human Health
  • ANTH 361 Ecology and Human Health
  • ANTH 379 Medical Anthropology
  • ANTH 404 Disability, Culture & Society
  • ANTH 432 Genes and Behavior
  • ANTH 479 Race, Medicine and Society

Identity & Politics: Race, Class, Gender & Sexuality

Courses in this area critically examine social and personal identities and how these are mobilized within a range of political issues and power.

  • ANTH 143 Biology of Human Behavior
  • ANTH 160 Contemporary Social Issues
  • ANTH 225 Women in Prehistory
  • ANTH 241 Human Variation and Race
  • ANTH 258 Sex in Nature and Culture
  • ANTH 259 Latina/o Cultures
  • ANTH 262 Women's Lives
  • ANTH 268 Images of the Other
  • ANTH 343 Behavior and Biology of Women
  • ANTH 359 Advanced Topics in Latina/o US
  • ANTH 403 Women in Muslim Societies
  • ANTH 404 Disability, Culture & Society
  • ANTH 466 Class, Culture and Society
  • ANTH 472 Border Latina/Latino Cultures

Additional courses (9 credit hours)

3 courses within Anthropology or closely related departments that complement the student's career path of study

Research and Service Learning Coursework (3 credit hours)

Choose ONE of the following areas in consultation with the departmental advisor:

Archaeology

  • ANTH 454 Archaeology Field School 
  • ANTH 455 Archaeological Lab Research

Biological Anthropology

  • ANTH 444 Biological Field School
  • ANTH 445 Biological Lab Research

Sociocultural/Linguistic Anthropology

  • ANTH 411 Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 499 Research Methods in Linguistic Anthropology

Museum Anthropology

  • ANTH 462 Museum Theory and Practice 
  • MUSE 390 Museum Internship

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 2 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

Internship (3 credit hours)
A portfolio and report associated with an approved departmental internship 

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Study Abroad (3 credit hours)
A portfolio and report associated with an approved Study Abroad experience

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Research and/or Field School (3 - 6 credit hours) 
Data analysis and a research report associated with one of the following:

  • ANTH 454-Archaeology Field School and ANTH 455- Lab Analysis in Archaeology)
  • ANTH 444- Methods in Bioanthropology and ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology

 

Archaeology Concentration

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.

Human Evolutionary Biology Concentration

Program Description

The Human Evolutionary Biology Concentration offers students a program to examine the interconnections between genetics, environment and culture to address issues from human origins and morphology to forensics and modern health.

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

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 42 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)

Human Evolutionary Biology Courses (18 credit hours)

Students take courses from 4 different categories: 2 courses from each of 2 categories, plus 1 course in each of the 2 remaining categories.

Evolution and Genetics:

  • ANTH 241 Human Variation and Race
  • ANTH 242 History of Human Evolution 
  • ANTH 249 Evolution and Human Disease 
  • ANTH 408 Human Evolutionary Anatomy 
  • ANTH 435 The Neandertal Debate
  • ANTH 438 Primate Life History Evolution 
  • ANTH 440 Human Paleontology 
  • ANTH 441 Human Genetics

Health:

  • ANTH 258 Sex in Nature and Culture 
  • ANTH 347 Human Osteology 
  • ANTH 343 Behavior and Biology of Women 
  • ANTH 437 Primate Behavioral Endocrinology 
  • ANTH 438 Primate Life History Evolution 
  • ANTH 447 Advanced Skeletal Biology

Behavior:

  • ANTH 243 Sociality of the Great Apes 
  • ANTH 258 Sex in Nature and Culture 
  • ANTH 343 Behavior and Biology of Women 
  • ANTH 435 The Neandertal Debate
  • ANTH 437 Primate Behavioral Endocrinology 
  • ANTH 438 Primate Life History Evolution 
  • ANTH 440 Human Paleontology 
  • ANTH 443 Primate Form and Behavior 
  • ANTH 446 Behavioral Inference and Fossils 
  • ANTH 347 Human Osteology
  • ANTH 447 Advanced Skeletal Biology

Comparative Anatomy:

  • ANTH 243 Sociality of the Great Apes 
  • ANTH 347 Human Osteology 
  • ANTH 346 Forensic Anthropology 
  • ANTH 408 Human Evolutionary Anatomy 
  • ANTH 435 The Neandertal Debate
  • ANTH 443 Primate Form and Behavior 
  • ANTH 446 Behavioral Inference and Fossils 
  • ANTH 447 Advanced Skeletal Biology

3 additional courses (9 credit hours)

Select from any of the 4 categories, or another field of anthropology, or a related field such as statistics, psychology, chemistry etc. Course selection should complement the student's Human Evolutionary Biology focus. Meet with the departmental advisor to discuss course selection.

Research and Service Learning Coursework (3 credit hours)

Choose one of the following:

  • ANTH 444 Methods in Bioanthropology
  • ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology

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 494 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

Internship (3 credit hours)
A portfolio and report associated with an approved departmental internship 

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Study Abroad (3 credit hours) 
A portfolio and report associated with an approved Study Abroad experience

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Research and/or Field School (3 - 6 credit hours) 
If not taken to meet the Research and Service Learning Coursework requirement above choose one of the following:

  • ANTH 444 Methods in Bioanthropology 
  • ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology

Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology Concentration

Program Description

The Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology Concentration offers students a program of more focused coursework in sociocultural and linguistic anthropology.

Sociocultural anthropology is the study of the daily lives of people around the world, both at home and abroad. Sociocultural anthropologists conduct field research to get a hands-on feel for people's lives and passions. They examine everything from beauty pageants to political protest marches, from Pixar films to nuclear scientists' lab practices. Sociocultural anthropology distinguishes itself from other disciplines by its conviction that these local and personal details offer a wonderful window on the largest processes and problems of our time, from globalization to race relations and violence.

Linguistic anthropology complements sociocultural anthropology with detailed attention to spoken and signed languages-their structure and use in the daily lives of people around the world, both at home and abroad. Linguistic anthropologists examine such things as the "English Only" movement in the United States, the persuasive language of advertising and politics, racism and hate speech, oral/gestural storytelling traditions around the world, communication in the classroom or at the United Nations, as well as how the way we talk creates our sense of self and reality. Because the field of anthropology presents a wide range of disciplinary perspectives on the human condition, students electing this major concentration are encouraged to select from among relevant course offerings in archaeology or biological anthropology to fulfill General Education requirements.

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

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)

Socio-cultural and Linguistic Anthropology Courses (21 credit hours)

3 courses from locations across at least 2 regions of the world

  • Only 1 can be 100-level
    • ANTH 106 - Hist Arch Americas - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Explores recent theoretical, methodological, and thematic developments in historical archaeology in North America and the Caribbean. The temporal coverage is 1500-1900 AD. Examines how historical archaeologists use artifactual, documentary and oral history evidence in interpreting the past, and how historical archaeology can contribute to our understanding of the ways by which material culture can be used to study race, class, gender, and ethnic identities. Same as AFRO 106.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Humanities - Hist & Phil
        • Cultural Studies - US Minority
    • ANTH 108 - Religion & Society in West I - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Introduction to classic writers and texts in Western religious and social thought from antiquity to the Enlightenment, with emphasis on their social and historical contexts. Same as JS 108, PHIL 108, and REL 108.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Humanities - Hist Phil
        • Cultural Studies - Western
    • ANTH 160 - Race and Contemporary Social Issues - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Engages with issues such as migration, borders, policing and related topics to examine certain key interventions in the analysis of race in the United States. Introduces students to critical methods and theories in socio-cultural anthropology and allied disciplines in order to grapple with these issues. We will read a variety of material, including ethnographic accounts, scholarly and popular articles, and a work that blurs nonfiction with fiction-writing, as well as screening related films and documentaries. Students will develop a conceptual vocabulary (keywords) to begin analyzing the social problem that race and racism has become in US society.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Cultural Studies - US Minority
    • ANTH 182 - Latin American Cultures - Credit: 4 Hours.
      • Latin America is considered as a theater of conflict and cultural experimentation among Native American, African, and Iberian peoples; their survival and transformation as reported in selected ethnographies and eyewitness sources; and some modern theories and controversies about their experience.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Cultural Studies - Non-West
        • Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

 

  • 2-3 200-levels
    • ANTH 259 - Latina/o Anthropology - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • In this class, we will examine the contemporary cultures and communities of Latinas and Latinos in the United States. We will focus on recent ethnographic studies on the Latina/o experience written mainly (though not exclusively) by Latinas and Latinos who are active in the academy. Topics to be discussed include: ethnic and racial identity, language, sexuality, power, class hierarchies, cultural citizenship, racialization, gender inequality, cultural citizenship, legal citizenship, immigration, and popular culture—all from an anthropological perspective. In the process, we will critically examine the imagined, the lived, and the invented communities constituting the Latina/o population of this country in the West, Southwest, East Coast, and the Midwest. In particular, we will explore the experiences of Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Central Americans, and Cubans in the United States. Same as LLS 259.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
        • Cultural Studies - US Minority
    • ANTH 261 - Intro to the African Diaspora - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Introduction to the origin, development, and maturation of the African diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean, beginning with the transatlantic slave trade and up to the end of the 20th century. Same as AFRO 261.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Humanities - Hist Phil
        • Cultural Studies - US Minority
    • ANTH 262 - Women's Lives - credit: 3 Hours.
      • Perceptions of women, their perceptions of themselves, and their varying roles and statuses in several contemporary societies in diverse countries; supervised ethnographic observation of women's behavior. Same as GWS 262.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
    • ANTH 263 - Body, Personhood, and Culture - credit: 3 Hours.
      • In this course we examine cultural assumptions about the human body and what it means to be a "person" in Western and non-Western societies. We examine key themes in cultural anthropology and other social sciences concerning the relationship of the individual and society, nature and culture. We will also focus on contemporary concepts of "person" vis a vis new genders/sexualities, differently-abled persons, organ transplants and bio-medicine, cyborgs and virtual persons; and commodification. We also explore the interface between intellectual and experiential ways of knowing our own bodies as cultural, dynamically embodied persons.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
    • ANTH 266 - African Film and Society - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Introduction to African cinema as a contemporary art form and as a window on the social and cultural realities of Africa. The course includes discussion of modern African culture, the African film industry, and African cinema as an art form and as popular entertainment. Same as AFST 266.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Cultural Studies - Non-West
    • ANTH 268 - Images of the Other - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Do all peoples view neighboring or distant populations as radically different "Others," or can humans create mutual images based on a notion of shared humanity? Course compares and analyzes the range of images of ethnic, "racial," gender, class, and bodily differences that have been enacted historically and cross-culturally in both Western and non-Western populations. Prerequisite: A previous course in history and/or one of the social sciences suggested.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Advanced Composition
        • Humanities - Hist & Phil
        • Cultural Studies - Western
    • ANTH 272 - Language and Culture in Turkey - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • As a country located at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa, Turkey has always been under the spotlight. In this course, we will study the dynamic relationship between language and culture in Ottoman and modern Turkey through a timely analysis of its transition from a long-lasting empire to a young "secular" nation-state. We will examine the complexities of Turkish modernity from a holistic perspective to better comprehend how central Asian and Middle Eastern cultural influences, continuities, and transformations gave birth to modern Turkish language. The course should help you not only in developing an understanding of the Turkish language within a cultural framework, but also in gaining insight into Turkey's history, politics, literature, and media. No former knowledge of Turkey or the Turkish language is required. Same as TURK 270, GLBL 272, and SAME 272.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Cultural Studies - Non-West
    • ANTH 285 - Intro to Korea Through Film - credit: 3 Hours.
      • Course uses film, literary, and ethnographic works to explore the impact of Post-Colonial (1945-present) socioeconomic and cultural transformation on the personal and collective South Korean experience. Same as EALC 285.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Cultural Studies - Non-West
    • ANTH 287 - Contemporary East Asia - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • Introduction to aspects of daily life in East Asia in relation to local and extra-local political and economic structures and transformations. Same as EALC 288.
    • ANTH 288 - American Indians of Illinois - Credit: 3 Hours.
      • An interdisciplinary survey of the Native American experience in the Illinois region from pre-Columbian times to the present. Introduces theories, concepts and methods in archaeology, history, and sociocultural anthropology. Includes archaeological field site and museum visits, plus guest lectures by American Indian scholars and community members. Same as AIS 288 and HIST 288.
      • This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
        • Humanities - Hist & Phil
        • Cultural Studies - US Minority

4 courses from theoretical or topical areas course offerings in socio-cultural and linguistic anthropology chosen in consultation with the departmental advisor. Four courses must be at the 300- or 400-level.

  • ANTH 350 - Cultures of Law - Credit: 3 Hours.
    • Covers major concepts and debates in the study of legal anthropology: the way in which different societies understand justice, practice law, engage or violate human rights, adjudicate responsibility. We examine the foundations of different legal systems, the cultural categories that different societies use to determine the meaning of justice, guilt, innocence, and the variations in systems for both preventing and punishing crime. In addition, we will consider the cultures of law as a profession. How do lawyers learn to read and see the world differently? How do Courts create their own cultural norms and social contexts in ways that impact how all of us receive due process? Finally we explore the relationship between state power, rule of law and democracy. Is there and should there be a role for politics in the law?
  • ANTH 363 - Anth of Dance/Movement - Credit: 3 Hours.
    • Anthropological study of dance and other human movement systems in cultural contexts. Designed especially for students with little or no background in socio-cultural anthropology or the social sciences. Includes reading the works of major figures in the field, and learning how to study dances, signed languages and ritual events from an anthropological perspective. Students will also learn about socio-cultural theory and observation, doing fieldwork, movement literacy, problems of subjectivity and objectivity, and personal anthropology.
  • ANTH 364 - Performing "America" - Credit: 3 Hours.
    • Introduction to theories of performance and performativity or enactment, and applies these to an understanding of public events like political rallies, music, the arts, protests, and everyday life in the U.S. Emphasis on how these practices of production and consumption help articulate social identity, including gendered, sexual, racial/ethnic, religious, class, and generational affiliations. Focus on the contemporary U.S. with comparative case studies drawn from other parts of the world and some historical materials. Draws on anthropological studies, as well as scholarly literatures from communication studies, literature, the arts, and social history.
    • Prerequisite: At least one course in anthropology or the social sciences.
  • ANTH 402 - Transnational Islam, Europe-US - Credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
    • Anthropological approach to transnational Islam, focusing on its various expressions in Europe and the United States, particularly since World War II. Same as ASST 402 and REL 409. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
    • Prerequisite: ANTH 230 or consent of instructor.
  • ANTH 403 - Women in Muslim Societies - Credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
    • Examination of gender ideologies and social realities affecting the lives of women in various Muslim countries. Same as REL 403, GLBL 403, GWS 403, HIST 434, and SAME 403. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
    • Prerequisite: A course in Islam or the Middle East, or consent of instructor.
  • ANTH 405 - Contemporary Central America - Credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
    • Explores cultural, political and historical processes in 20th- and 21st-century Central America--focusing on Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala--through an anthropological lens. Grapples with a core set of questions arising from changes in the global relations, including the rise of global neoliberalism, the crises and renovations of political projects, the transformations of spatial relations through transnational migration, and the proliferation of various pan-hemispheric as well as local identity-based movements. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
    • Prerequisite: ANTH 103 or ANTH 182 or ANTH 230 or a course in Latin American history or consent of instructor.
  • ANTH 479 - Race, Medicine, and Society - Credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
    • The idea of race has historically been central to how Western cultures conceptualize and think about human difference. This course examines the historical significance of race through one domain of knowledge: medicine. Specifically, it will be concerned with "race" as a central category in the medical construction and management of individuals and populations. Case studies might focus on colonial medicine, race and public health, sexuality and reproduction, global health disparities, and genetics and genomics. Same as AAS 479 and LLS 479. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
    • Prerequisite: LLS 100 or consent of instructor.

Additional/Related Courses (9 credit hours)

3 additional socio-cultural and linguistics anthropology courses or courses in related fields (9 credit hours) such as Sociology, Linguistics, Psychology, Education, History, Gender and Women's Studies, African American Studies, Latina/Latino Studies, Asian American Studies, African Studies, Jewish Studies that complement the student's sociocultural/linguistic focus.

Meet with the departmental advisor to discuss the selection of courses.

Research and Service Learning Coursework (3 credit hours)

Choose one of the following: 

  • ANTH 411 Research Methods in Cultural Anth 
  • ANTH 499 Research Methods in Linguistic Anthropology

Senior Capstone Project (3 - 6 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 494 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

Internship (3 credit hours)
A portfolio and report associated with an approved departmental internship 

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Study Abroad (3 credit hours)
A portfolio and report associated with an approved Study Abroad experience

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Research and/or Field School (3 - 6 hours) 
Data analysis and a research report associated with one of the following:

  • ANTH 454 Archaeology Field School and ANTH 455- Lab Analysis in Archaeology)
  • ANTH 444 Methods in Bioanthropology and ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology

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