Departmental Guidelines

The major in Anthropology and Sociology is designed to meet the educational needs of three kinds of students:

1. those whose interests focus on a liberal arts education and who wish to use the disciplines to understand cross-cultural patterns, social institutions, and socio-cultural change;
2. those who wish to use anthropology and sociology as a background for certain occupations such as law, social work, medical and health sciences, business, public service, and human service careers; and
3. those who expect to pursue graduate study in anthropology or sociology, leading to a teaching, administrative, or research career.

Mission Statement

The Department of Anthropology/Sociology is firmly committed to the principles of a liberal education. Our task is to provide students with the most rigorous and comprehensive approaches to knowledge and analysis appropriate within a fully merged undergraduate program in Sociology and Anthropology.

Our commitment to teaching also defines for us the importance of active scholarship through which we may practice our disciplines and encourage similar pursuits among our students. Since our graduates enter into a wide range of professional, administrative, policy-oriented and other occupations, our goal is to transmit, foster, and produce knowledge and practice that involve students in their own learning experience. In this respect we want to encourage students to take their education into their own hands, by helping them to engage personally in research, analysis, and writing about diverse human societies.

We have therefore sought to create a learning environment within which students may critically examine social life, its organization, and its meaning. We believe that the development of a perspective that examines the human condition in empirical, analytical, comparative, historical, and holistic terms makes a significant contribution to intellectual development. In pursuing such a goal, we assist students to develop, integrate, and utilize knowledge. To this end our mission is to produce knowledgeable learners and social agents who have a self-reflective sense of their potential contributions to the enhancement of the human condition.

Faculty

Associate Professor Veerendra P. Lele, Department Chair

Associate Professors John Davis, Shiri Noy; Assistant Professors Jane Saffitz, Hosna Sheikholeslami, John Soderberg

Academic Administrative Assistant

Nancy Welu

View faculty profiles and contact information

Anthropology and Sociology Major

A major in Anthropology and Sociology requires a total of ten courses within the department. Six of those courses comprise a core curriculum, including: ANSO 100, ANSO 290, ANSO 316, ANSO 350, ANSO 351, and ANSO 460.

The other four courses are electives that a major may select from among the department offerings. At least three electives must be at the 300 level. ANSO 460 and one elective at the 300-level are waived for students undertaking a two-semester senior research in the department ANSO 451 and ANSO 452. In addition, majors in Anthropology and Sociology should select an advisor from the departmental faculty. Anthropology and Sociology advisors assist majors in both advanced planning and selection of coursework.

Anthropology and Sociology Minor

Completion of a minor in Anthropology and Sociology requires a student to complete ANSO 100, ANSO 290, and either ANSO 316, ANSO 350, or ANSO 351 , and three electives for a total of 24 credits. At least one elective course must be at the 300-level. In addition, minors in Anthropology and Sociology should select an advisor from the departmental faculty (in addition to the advisor in their major). Anthropology and Sociology advisors assist minors in both advanced planning and selection of coursework.