University of Northern Iowa

Anthropology Majors

Summary

 

The anthropology major at UNI is offered in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology. It is distinguished by the close learning relationships that develop between students and faculty. Anthropology is not for those holding narrow interests. It is a good liberal arts major that cultivates the critical faculties students can use in many careers.

 

Majors:

Anthropology, B.A.
Anthropology, B.A.-teaching

 

Minors:

Anthropology, B.A.
Anthropology, B.A.-teaching

 

(Click major/minor/certificate title to see typical courses for the program)

 

Anthropology is the study of culture and human biology. Anthropologists must specialize to cover such a broad field. For example, archaeology is the study of the cultural past through examination of material remains. Biological anthropologists are interested in primate behavior, human biological evolution, genetics, disease and physical adaptation. Linguistic anthropologists study language in its cultural context. Cultural anthropology concerns the diversity of existing cultures, their organization and systems of meaning.

 

An Anthropology major will prepare students for a rapidly changing world and career.

 

Common minors pursued

  • Sociology

  • Women’s Studies

  • Social Work

  • Foreign Languages

  • Asian Studies

  • Inter-American Studies

  • History

  • Business

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Careers

 

UNI anthropology graduates have found careers in fields like:

 

Social Work
Archaeology
Law
Public Policy
Urban Planning
Marketing
Higher Education
Forensics
Museums

 

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Unique Features

  • Bi-annual archaeological field school, in which students learn excavation methods at an Iowa archaeological site

  • The SASE (Sociology and Anthropology Student Endeavor), a student organization, provides opportunities to visit interesting sites and attend events across the Midwest, invite guest speakers, and meet to discuss important anthropological topics and current events capable of anthropological interpretation.

  • Opportunities for undergraduate research on such topics such as homelessness, cultural dimensions of public health, forensic studies, the culture of migrant workers in Iowa, and archaeological analysis

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Scholarships

 

The Dorothy Jean Ray Anthropology Scholarship is available only to anthropology students. Ray Scholarships are awarded to UNI anthropology majors who will be juniors or seniors at the beginning of fall semester and who demonstrate a serious and vocational pursuit in a chosen branch of anthropology. Scholarships are in the form of tuition credits, with an approximate value of $2,000.College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Scholarships are available to entering freshmen in half to full in-state tuition amounts. Applicants must complete a test and interview on campus.

 

More information on department scholarships can found at Financial Aid.

 

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