Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

General Anthropology

The general anthropology major is intended to give students a foundation in all of the four sub-fields associated with the discipline of anthropology. Each of the sub-fields requires the development of a number of skills, including: formulating hypotheses; developing research programs and proposals; applying theories to the interpretation of artifacts and other data; and gathering ethnographic information through participant-observation. There is sufficient flexibility in the requirements for the general anthropology major so that a student with an interest in a specific sub-field can focus their program of study in that area - or not, if a more general program is of interest.

With its focus on human diversity and its emphasis on cultural relativism, the general anthropology major well prepares students for the issues they are likely to encounter in today's workplaces. At Temple we offer a number of courses on such topics as the Anthropology of Policy, Medical Anthropology, and Urban Anthropology, which prepare students for careers in public administration, social work, health policy, urban planning, and other aspects of public policy-related work, in addition to professional careers in fields such as business, law, and medicine. Anthropology students are also well-prepared to participate in activities which call for cultural sensitivity and an understanding of cultural differences, such as the teaching of English as a foreign language and other work with immigrant communities or work in the global marketplace. A variety of courses on archaeology prepare students for careers in the field of cultural resources management and historic preservation.

Interested students can contact the faculty advisor for additional information. A brochure describing the General Anthropology major can be obtained in the department. 

Summary of Degree Requirements

University Requirements:

• MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. All General Anthropology majors take ANTH 2396 and one of the following writing-intensive courses for this requirement: ANTH 4196, ANTH 4398, ANTH 4596, or ANTH 4897.
• Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

College of Liberal Arts Requirements:

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
  • 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
  • 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999).
    • For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits (numbered 2000-4999) must be taken in Humanities Subject Areas: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek (Ancient), Greek and Roman Classics, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Philosophy, Religion, Russian, and Spanish in the College of Liberal Arts, Art History in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
  • A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
  • Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
  • Professional Development Requirement
    • All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CLA College Requirements page. Only one course in this category may count towards graduation.
  • Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements:
    • All students must complete or test out of the first and second levels of a foreign language - these courses are numbered 1001 and 1002;
    • All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category; and
    • All Bachelor of Arts students must complete one of the following options:
      • Third semester of a foreign language;
      • Demonstrated proficiency beyond the third semester in a foreign language (placement exam or certification from the language department);
      • Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Requirements page;
      • Study Abroad at an approved program; or
      • Take a second General Education Global/World Society course.
    • Notes on Foreign Language Study
      • The third level of language is numbered 1003 in French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese and numbered 2001 in all other foreign language subjects.
      • Students are strongly encouraged to take the third level of a foreign language as it is the minimum required for election to the prestigious honor society Phi Beta Kappa. (Taking the course does not guarantee admission but not taking it guarantees exclusion.)
      • See the College of Liberal Arts Policies section of this Bulletin for more information on the Foreign Language Placement, Regression in Coursework, and guidelines for students' other experiences with language.

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. See an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.

Major Requirements (37-38 credits):

Distinction in Major

Anthropology majors may graduate with distinction in the major if they have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2019-2020 Academic Year